Garden State Trout

I've never fished VCB before in my life but its been on my list of streams I one day wanted to get to. Finally was able to get up there last week and spent about 5 hours exploring a lot of water. Didn't really know what to expect, I've heard good reviews and some bad but fishing aside, was a really spectacular place to explore. I caught two 8 inch browns nymphing in the first 20 min and figured I was going to have a monster day so I figured I'd snap a pic or 2 of the fish I would certainly catch later on in the day and of course I never caught another fish after that. A lot of really good looking water but I got nothing after those first two. Not sure if that's the norm for VCB, was just that kind of day or maybe I just suck, who knows. Here are some pics.

Its a beautiful place for sure. I used to fish it a couple times a year when I lived in NJ but its been about 9 years since my last trip. If flows are low, it can be a tough place to fish as they are very spooky and there are lots of hikers/dogs/etc around. On those perfect days with good flows, few people (during the week, late winter/early spring), and decent temps, I had some lovely days there with all three species. There is a lot of good looking water to explore, but some days are just slow if you dont time it right for the reasons mentioned. NJAngler or others may have an insight into the current status of the steam-I remember there being some major floods as well as hemlock deterioration. The first time I ever fished there, I got lucky in the huge pool and caught a monster of a brown at dusk on a late summer night after a storm-it may have been 20-22 inches-it was probably the most memorable fights of my life.

I fished it once upstream of the Village, got skunked. I would like to fish again, however it's a ride for me and I always hear there are issues with access given road and area closures.

SBRtool wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:11 pm

I figured I'd snap a pic or 2 of the fish I would certainly catch later on in the day and of course I never caught another fish after that.

You know, I have this weird photography superstition that I follow while on the stream. I never take pictures until I've caught fish because I feel like I jinx myself. Stupid superstition, I know, but it's proven true a few times in the past so I just don't do it anymore. Of course, if there's a great sunset or something, I take my chances. But otherwise, I feel it's Nature's way of telling me not to take it for granted, that I have to earn the pictures before taking them.

I went there in the summer a few years back. Lots of assholenpeople swimming and littering. Tried to get TU to do a clean up. Even got the State Park rangers( sorry, Conservation officers) to agree to come along and help with the rowdy assholes littering. TU decided it was too much trouble, and they said we dont play well with the rangers?....didnt fish as it was too warm but saw lots of trouts..