Winter is the new Spring

[Castaline]

Here is a tropic that may spur some interest. With global warming and evironmental shifts I think we need to rethink and rework the concept of trout season. Firstly I used to see nobody in the winter trout fishing but nowadays it's completely common and makes sense. I enjoy the winter more than the spring as many of you seen to do. Let's adjust the stocking further but increasing the fall stocking thru Nov and into early Dec. Maybe three in total? Let's eliminate the May stockings. Add some in March and end it in April. Bad weather trucks can;t go just reschedule or cancel. Figure it out! We can have a much better longer Oct- June season in marginal waters! Forget or continue the breeder thing AND NO PROBLEM if the fall fish are smaller. Forget about the business that need opening day they don't exist anymore. Old tradition is not pertinent anymore and the world has changed. Lets adapt. The winters are more comfortable anyway and there are plenty of good fishable days. Fish can survive longer adapt better and produce more enjoyment and bang for the fish stocking dollar. Four months less feed costs for stocking the spring fish (forget the size that's fine) long season fish that have adapted better ... on and on. Other states seem to be able to do this. I have tried to indicate this in the angler questioners. The hatchery should be able to figure it out. Let hear what you think and start a movement!

[46er]

Thanks for the chuckle. Posts like this one where the poster believes their opinions are fact always elicit them.

[cappy]

March and April would be better, and I would agree with the increased Fall stocking.

[barkeater]

Your idea of increased stocking in the winter does have merit. The state stocks some waters in the spring which in one or two months after the trucks roll through will not permit trout survival due to summertime temperatures. A good argument therefore can be made for increased fall stocking at the expense of fewer trout released into these waters in the spring given the improved survival environment. One of the biggest sticklers to change here however would be that there is a mystique to spring with renewal of outdoor activities and the tradition of opening day. I realize that most of the waters I'm talking about are where trout are most likely to wind up in the skillet or freezer, but the majority of trout fishermen have embraced C&R (I think I remember 65%).
The state could stock up for opening day but a decrease in subsequent weekly stockings in lieu of increased fall stocking does have merit in my view. As A disclaimer, I do fish throughout the winter weather permitting and don't fish in the summer because of temps and fish mortality.

[Twism86]

Not bad ideas at all and a few more summers like this, with hot trout killing temperatures earlier and earlier, and the states hand may be forced. Like many year long, conservation minded, anglers I dont "celebrate" opening day. My fishing gear gets a work out all year long, I dont need to wait for April whatever to dust off the trout gear. There is still a large stringer crowd out there that think trout fishing last 3-4 weeks and Im sure keeping them happy for the license sales is still worth it to the state.

I like the idea of spreading out more stocking through the cooler parts of the year, the fall stocking has always seemed lacking. Stock more pre opening day and less after. Save more fish for the fall and winter.

[coaltrout]

I was always a big fan of trout fishing in NJ through fall and winter. The bigger trout always impressed me!
And it only makes sense that you put more fish in just AFTER the season where they cant survive, so they have a longer time to be catchable before getting boiled alive the next summer.
But because of Opening Day and the average trout angler, I figure the state still wants to keep spring and early summer good for trout fishing.
With that however, I still believe the state can sacrifice some of the resources from spring stocking and push them to fall stocking.

I think we have a while until the state considers changing up the plans, despite it being so hot this year, June was still decent for trout fishing. (I measure this off how my dad does when he goes out to keep trout in the spot I showed him!! )
But I can definitely see them moving some of the later in-season stocking schedules in the future.

[Troutman]

I LOVE fishing in the fall into early spring. I catch some nice hold overs. Best of all I get to avoid most of the fly fisherman

[Rusty Spinner]

All wonderful ideas. And now I have to burst everyone's bubble that wants more fall stockings. It cannot happen. The exact same staff that stocks trout also stocks pheasants, so that is out. They simply cannot do both with their limited staff. You are stuck with the current stocking situation as long as NJ stocks both species. But why the idea all the Pequest trout die each summer? Sure, that is true of rivers like the Rahway, but many of the larger, better stocked rivers are year round trout habitat. We may not fish rivers like the Musky in summer months, but the trout don't all die. They are still there once water temps drop and you want to do some C&R fishing for them. Pequest, Pequannock, SBR, NBR, Musky, Flatbrook, Rockway, etc., etc, are all WT or TM waters that won't have die offs each summer......

[Drossi]

We may not fish rivers like the Musky in summer months, but the trout don't all die. They are still there once water temps drop and you want to do some C&R fishing for them. Pequest, Pequannock, SBR, NBR, Musky, Flatbrook, Rockway, etc., etc, are all WT or TM waters that won't have die offs each summer......

He's joking folks, they all die off. No need to fish until stocking resumes. Find other hobbies, take up golf, gambling, or stamp collecting.

[Drossi]

I LOVE fishing in the fall into early spring. I catch some nice hold overs. Best of all I get to avoid most of the fly fisherman

Did you ever stop to ponder that it might be the opposite, the fly fishermen avoiding you!

Seriously, if I stay out of KLG, Pequest TCA, or recently stocked streams, I rarely see many other fishermen at all, fly or otherwise, in any season. And most of the time I'm NOT fishing off the beaten path due to time constraints.

[troutfishing4life]

I put in the angler survey to end the stockings of the last 2 weeks of the spring and shift those fish into the fall. I think it would be great to up the fall stocking from ~20K of trout to closer to 50K

[troutfishing4life]

To the point that all the trout dont die completely true

I have been pan fish fishing at a stocked stream from the spring and have seen trout still around as of last week.

[Troutman]

I LOVE fishing in the fall into early spring. I catch some nice hold overs. Best of all I get to avoid most of the fly fisherman

Did you ever stop to ponder that it might be the opposite, the fly fishermen avoiding you!

That works for me Drossi

Ive actually still trout fish in the hot summer moths. But I have been going up to the upper delaware for the wild browns

[lightenup]

Just stock a bunch of ice in the summer..everyday at 1 pm. Dump trucks I am saying..every day for three months. June July and August. I see more a chance of this then DFW changing the stocking program... , although it makes sense to change it.

[robtf]

If angler surveys really supported it, NJF&W would consider it, after proposing in the trout meetings.

They want license money, so that’s what it’s about … angler support