Garden State Trout

Found myself out in Long Valley yesterday evening on business so I decided to parlay it into a visit to the SBR to fish for wild browns. I was hoping for in order 1) wild browns 2) hatching bugs/rising fish or 3) dirty water from rain showers. Well I got NONE. What is did get was a half dozen RAINBOWS from the designated wild trout section along River Road. Don't get me wrong I like catching trout even stockies but that's not quite what I had planned on. If I wanted stockies I would have fished Vernroy Road. Anyway I guess my question becomes did the state change plans during COVID and stock the designated wild trout area or did these fish swim up from the nearest downstream stocking point (which would be Schooley's Mtn road)?

imo they got flushed down from Schooley's Mtn road stocking points from the past heavy rains

were you above or below the dam just upstream Schooley's Mtn road? Also isnt there a club somewhere in the middle of the WTS section, and they stock their own fish? Or is that just my misconception?

Troutman wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 30, 2021 1:14 pm

imo they got flushed down from Schooley's Mtn road stocking points from the past heavy rains

I was about 3 miles upstream from Schooley Mtn road, they would have to have flushed UPSTREAM.

While 3 miles really isn't alot for a trout to travel , I highly doubt those stocked bows made up theyer mind to go upstream that far . Looks more like someone made a boo boo.. ..OR someone purposefully put them theyer for him or herself .. Wouldn't be the first time someone greased a hatchery truck driver either . But that just a wild accusation.

Jaybird wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 30, 2021 1:52 pm

While 3 miles really isn't alot for a trout to travel , I highly doubt those stocked bows made up theyer mind to go upstream that far . Looks more like someone made a boo boo.. ..OR someone purposefully put them theyer for him or herself .. Wouldn't be the first time someone greased a hatchery truck driver either . But that just a wild accusation.

not only 3 miles upstream but also through the dam thats there. I think it's a barrier to upstream movement and why f&w marks that as the point between trout-stocked-water vs WTS.

Drossi wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 30, 2021 1:33 pm

Troutman wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 30, 2021 1:14 pm

imo they got flushed down from Schooley's Mtn road stocking points from the past heavy rains

I was about 3 miles upstream from Schooley Mtn road, they would have to have flushed UPSTREAM.

Oops. I was thinking the sbr not to far from MT Olive. You must have been pass the dam behind that plumbing company sorry my geographic position was off

FWIW, I was in the Claremont section of the SBR (WTS also) a few days before the C&R season open. I did catch some wild browns, but I also caught this "interesting" fish.

call those river suckers, you just landed a big one, usually they average 5-8" and are fairly skinny

I caught 3 state stockies at the corner of Bartley and Naughright a few weeks back just before season opened. Way upstream of where the Brown trout managed section starts in LV. Somebody screwed something up.

kennyp2339 wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 4:16 pm

call those river suckers, you just landed a big one, usually they average 5-8" and are fairly skinny

I'd agree with it being a kind of sucker. Never heard of a river sucker tho--interesting.

I used to see them much more often in our streams but not much recently. They put up a decent fight if I remember.

These suckers are pretty common in the SB. If the water is clear you can see them grouped along the bottom. I have had fishermen point them out to me mistaking them for trout. I catch them occasionally nymphing up to about 3 pounds. They try to go to the bottom like a brown. Fairly strong fight for their size but a disappointment when you realize what you have on.

There was a youtube video on the SBR ice covered where the guys went with large gafs and nailed the crap out of suckers / chubs

That's a native fish...well DONE!!!!