Raritan river 3/9/19:

[AndyS]

Met The1 in Manville after he hit Piscataway and I met with Clean Ocean Action on the Greenbrook.
We both drew the skunk but it was really nice to get out. The river finally cleared up after what seemed like an eternity. I get down on the Manville stretch and I think I am in upstate New York, too bad F&G doesn't recognize this area as a potentially good trout stocking spot. I saw quite a few bugs coming off the water today.

[thmyorke1]

I blame the sunlight, probably putting fish on hold even when it's cold.
Just dreaming of big smallmouth by now

[DanH]

A nice stretch of water for sure!

[icebadger]

andy that first photo reminds me of the rockaway river near where i grew up. as a kid i would search through the floating trash for floating lures and would get lucky sometimes. that river was running very clear surprised you did not get any rock bass or smallmouth near those bridges they love to hang around stuff like that. still a real nice day to be out there.

[DanH]

Andy did you ever think about starting a conservation group for the that section of the Raritan ? You obviously put a lot of hard work in on it. Maybe a group would have more clout with F + W when it comes to trout stocking etc. .

[AndyS]

A group like Trout Unlimited would have more clout. I have been sending clean up photos and trout photos to every TU group in the state, all they seem to care about is tying flies and the Ken Lockwood Gorge. I have been a guest speaker at every TU group in the state except the one that meets right in Dunellen. I have asked Central Jersey Trout Unlimited to back me on this, again all they want to do is tie flies and go to Point Mountain on the Musconetcong river, they won't even have me as a guest speaker. I gave up after asking them for 5 years.

[Dave B.]

Those are some great pics Andy! Beautiful stretches of water there! On a side note, have you approached the appropriate county Federation chapter(s) for support? They swing a pretty big club with the Div too.

[AndyS]

I have approached the Somerset and Middlesex County Federated Sportsman's about the Raritan river, it just seemed to fall on deaf ears.

[DanH]

If you ever need support at a meeting etc. , let me know!

[AndyS]

Here is a comment from one of the very high ups in Trout Unlimited about when I compared the amount of fish going into Spruce Run Creek as apposed to the Raritan river, both get around 3000 trout in the spring.

"What is not to get? Spruce Run is a cold water trout fishery. The Raritan mainstem is a warm water fishery. Which one would you stock trout in?"

So if we stuck with the TU mentality no duck ponds would be stocked and no waters below Rt 78 would be stocked with trout either. I thought trout were stocked to drive license sales, not to be held over so they can survive. New Jersey is a put and take trout fishery correct. Some one needs to clue in Trout Unlimited as to what is going on.

[Mark B.]

T.U. is correct.

The below is from NJDF&W's Coldwater Fisheries Management Plan:


The DFW’s stocking programs are guided by two basic management strategies, “Put-and Take” and “Put-Grow-and Take,” which are intended to maximize the benefits of stocked trout to the angler.

Put-and-Take Management Strategy: Catchable-size rainbow trout are stocked for immediate harvest to provide a short-term, seasonal fishery. Survival of stocked trout through the summer period is not expected (or poor) because suitable summer trout habitat (temperature < 21°C and dissolved oxygen > 4 mg/L) is absent, marginal, or sporadic. The trout-stocked waters managed under this stocking strategy include park ponds, shallow lakes, and warmwater streams. These waters are stocked in the spring and may be stocked again under the fall or winter program.

Put-Grow-Take Management Strategy: rainbow trout are stocked for immediate and/or delayed harvest to provide a long-term, year-round fishery. Suitable habitat is consistently available to sustain trout throughout the year such that survival and growth of unharvested, stocked trout over more than one growing season is expected. Trout-stocked waters managed under this stocking strategy, that are stocked with catchable trout, include coldwater streams and deep lakes that are capable of supporting trout year round, where wild trout populations are limited or absent. These waters are stocked in the spring and may be stocked again in the fall or winter.

[AndyS]

Thank you, I have never heard of that nor seen it in writing.
Where does the NO KILL KLG fall under this, where it is no kill and they just keep adding fish ?

[Drossi]

Thank you, I have never heard of that nor seen it in writing.
Where does the NO KILL KLG fall under this, where it is no kill and they just keep adding fish ?

KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG, KLG


You are like a broken record.

[Mark B.]

Here is the 2005 document:

https://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/cwfmp/cwfmp-full.pdf


It is currently being rewritten / updated for 2019

[AndyS]

Dollars to donuts, why does the Rahway get close to 12,000 trout while the Raritan river gets around 3,000- both warm water fisheries.

[Mark B.]

Dollars to donuts, why does the Rahway get close to 12,000 trout while the Raritan river gets around 3,000- both warm water fisheries.

You must read "Allocation Methodology for Cultured Trout" on page 119 of the above referenced document.