Weekly stockings

[RichieFer]

Anyone know if there still continuing with the in season stocking this week ?

[Billfish715]

Haven't heard, yet. There are still so, so many trout left in all of the rivers and brooks and ponds that even if they don't stock this week, you will be able to have good fishing. The Musky came up over a foot today and this rain will change things there and across the state The last anyone said about stocking was that it would be unannounced and random. Also, the restrictions about "closed waters" was waived. If you are there when the truck pulls up, you don't have to wait until 5 PM anymore. You can just fish. This is all to prevent anglers from congregating in parking areas waiting for the 5 PM start. It also prevents anglers from staking out their favorite brook or pond waiting for the stocking crew to show up. The stocking days that are posted in the Digest or Online don't matter. The South Branch may be stocked on a Friday instead of Tuesday and the Musky may be stocked on Tuesday instead of Friday. That goes for the brooks and streams that don't have closed waters. It makes great sense to me. It's pot luck.

[AndyS]

No word from New Jersey Trout Unlimited, no word from New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, no word form the Federated Sportsman's Clubs, very little word other than a video from New Jersey Fish and Wildlife.

[bigfishy]

No word from New Jersey Trout Unlimited, no word from New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, no word form the Federated Sportsman's Clubs, very little word other than a video from New Jersey Fish and Wildlife.

What's the word in ur neck of the woods???are ppl fishin ? Being stopped from fishing??? Hows the fishing???

[AndyS]

What virus ?

[bigfishy]

What virus ?

That's all ya got?? In other words you dont know??

[Jerzguy2]

Because of the virus and the uncertainty of the ability to maintain the regular stocking schedule. All of the weekly stocking have already been placed in their respective streams. Therefore, the only trout remaining in the hatchery are the fish for the fall winter stocking and 48,000 retained for stocking the last 2 weeks of May if all goes well. This is the reason for such large numbers of fish being observed the last couple of weeks.

[muskynut]

Re: Trout Stocking
In-season closures have been removed; the 14 waters normally closed to fishing until 5:00 p.m. on their weekly designated stocking day may be fished at any time or on any day of the week after the season officially opens on April 11 at 8:00 a.m. All waters open to the public will have received trout by today, Friday, April 3. Stocking will continue until April 10. Specific stocking dates will not be announced. ;)

[Billfish715]

Because of the virus and the uncertainty of the ability to maintain the regular stocking schedule. All of the weekly stocking have already been placed in their respective streams. Therefore, the only trout remaining in the hatchery are the fish for the fall winter stocking and 48,000 retained for stocking the last 2 weeks of May if all goes well. This is the reason for such large numbers of fish being observed the last couple of weeks.

So, can we conclude that even the small brooks and streams that were to be stocked through the first few weeks of the season have received their full season's quota of trout? Streams like the Little Flatbrook, Lubbers Run, Capoolong Creek, Spruce Run Creek, Lamington River, Peapack Brook, Passaic River, Green Brook yada, yada, yada and various lakes and ponds have received the entire number of trout to which they were entitled. Is that correct?

Finally, does that mean the currently closed areas of parks and forests have also been completely stocked or were they not stocked after their preseason stocking? Was a popular park like Stephens State Park stocked while the park was closed or were those trout stocked elsewhere?

[Drossi]

It's my understanding that all the spring trout have been stocked including those waterbodies that are in the now closed parks. They wanted to get them in as quickly as possible so that they could keep the NJDF&W out of harms way. With the high water from yesterdays rain this is going to be a real interesting rest of the season.

[AndyS]

See, nobody knows, and again all we got was silence from NJTU, NJOA, The Federation and F&W.

[Billfish715]

See, nobody knows, and again all we got was silence from NJTU, NJOA, The Federation and F&W.
Many decisions were made on the fly because of how things were changing and being orchestrated by Governor Murphy. At this point, it doesn't matter if we are kept in the loop or not. If the trout are all in, it's a done deal. If not, they are not going to let us know where the trout will be stocked or when. I don't like being uninformed either, but things are happening at light speed and some of the information is in a time warp. Pick a day and just go fishing.

[hammer4reel]

here is all the info your asking.


https://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/trtinfo_spring20.htm#updates

[Mark B.]

About 90% of the spring trout have already been stocked.

[AndyS]

About 90% of the spring trout have already been stocked.

Are you sure about that, so far I heard 10 different versions.

[bigfishy]

Are you sure about that, so far I heard 10 different versions.

But.......? are you willing to drive 6 hrs towards ground zero to find out for yourself??? Stop stirring the pot!!! What's going on ur area? Hows the fishing?

[Mark B.]

Are you sure about that, so far I heard 10 different versions.

Yes.

[AndyS]

Per www.njfishand wildlife .com
The Division has reserved trout at the Pequest Trout Hatchery in anticipation of being able to resume stocking towards the end of May depending on the status of COV19, stream temps and waterbody access.

[Gerry Zagorski]

This from the state

Trout Season Is Open!

Due to an accelerated stocking schedule, most waters have already been generously stocked with their full allotment of trout. All regulations remain in effect except there will be NO IN-SEASON CLOSURES this spring on the 14 major streams where they normally would be in effect. Wildlife Management Areas remain open except for the Round Valley boat ramp.

Help keep WMAs and other areas open by observing proper social distancing!

Although state and county parks have closed there are nearly 125 other trout stocked waters open to the public for fishing. The Division has reserved trout at the Pequest hatchery in anticipation of being able to resume stocking towards the end of May, depending on the status of COVID-19, stream temps and public access.

Please keep your e-mail address and other information in the license database up-to-date (select Edit Customer Profile) so we can keep you informed of specific conditions affecting your hunting and fishing activities. See the links below to help you enjoy the outdoors during the pandemic:

Trout Season Updates
COVID-i9 Fishing Guidelines (video)
Fishing Guidelines Poster (.jpg)
Wildlife Management Areas
Buy A License/Update Information

[Drossi]

Per www.njfishand wildlife .com
The Division has reserved trout at the Pequest Trout Hatchery in anticipation of being able to resume stocking towards the end of May depending on the status of COV19, stream temps and waterbody access.

who gives a **** if they stocked them all or held some back for a later date? that the state even got them stocked with what's going on is big kudos to them. At least they are there to fish for.

Complaining about this at a time like THIS is silly and petty. Grow up.

[Billfish715]

As I mentioned before.......pick a day and go fishing. The fact that almost all of the trout are stocked and there are no closed waters, anglers will have to tune up their skills more as the season progresses. The anglers who wait for the trucks or five o'clock to arrive (whichever applies) might be disappointed with all of this They will have to improve their skills as the fish begin to spread out and settle in to feeding lanes where they can feed on natural baits.

We should start to see fewer crowded areas at any one time, unlike the crowded 5 o'clock spots or the same size gatherings on the morning after the stocking day. Grab your rod and just go fishing.

[DanH]

Was out this morning, the streams are LOADED with trout and I was the only angler !

[RichieFer]

I went out this morning. Landed 12 , missed a lot more. River was still high and very stained.

[Mark B.]

This AM on the South Branch at 3 Bridges (2 anglers) and Higginsville (2 anglers). All were catching and keeping some.

[icebadger]

the cormorants are loving the trout season this year they are on them good:rolleyes: