Garden State Trout

Went to a stream today I have fished on and off for the past twenty years. If I had to guess, I have probably visited this place about 80-100 times in those twenty years. It contains only wild trout (at least the section where I go), but is not officially designated as a wild trout stream by the state. Before today I had caught exactly ONE brown trout there, all others were brook trout. Today I caught three browns and one brookie. Does anyone think this may have been a fluke or has anyone else experienced a transition from brookies (or rainbows) to browns on wild trout waters?

I think browns are the threat to brookies, so if you see a wild brown's building it means the water is healthy and teaming with food for a larger fish to take over, also means that the brookies in that particular area are going to be stressed and eventually gone.

Browns tend to push the brookies out or further up into the headwaters. It's a bummer for our native state fish, though the browns will tend to grow larger.

can't... pass... up.....

It definitely wasn't a fluke, as they are saltwater fish!

C'mon! I just said what everyone else was thinking! OK, no more "dad" jokes for the month for me...

I love finding brookies hidden away here and there (i know of a little stretch of the Black River that holds some). And I applaud F&G trying their best to finally protect them, tho I think the C&R should be state-wide. I do tho' think we should be grateful to have as good a wild brown fishery as we have, because I think it is too little too late to really help brookies rebound. Protect what we have as best we can, but also do more to protect wild brown fisheries. I'd vote for C&R only too for browns.

Yeah, me, too as far as C&R for browns. Wild populations seem to be holding their own--why not help that along?

I'm all for C&R for browns or have a minimum size limit of 16" if you must. They are by far my favorite trout and if they are doing well with natural reproduction, let's protect them.

Jerzguy21 wrote: ↑

Wed May 05, 2021 6:59 pm

I'm all for C&R for browns or have a minimum size limit of 16" if you must. They are by far my favorite trout and if they are doing well with natural reproduction, let's protect them.

so agree with this!

I release everything including this native guy

Troutman wrote: ↑

Thu May 06, 2021 3:56 pm

I release everything including this native guy

Chubs and suckers are literally the only fish species that I will occasionally kill in a wasteful manner, especially in small wts...but I believe that fish came from a larger ny watershed.. I release them there also