2013-2014 Fish Code Proposed Changes

[huntcountypussbuck]

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/news/2013/fishcode_changes.htm

[buzzbaiter]

The removal of the in-season trout closure on BR is interesting. Any reason(s) for that? Doesn't affect me one way or the other but it is a popular spot. I always thought those closures were useless anyways since most freshly stocked trout won't be caught right away anyways. Takes a few hours or even days to get their sh*t together.

Good to see lures being allowed @ KLG and BFB. I'm sure some ff are disappointed.

[acabtp]

All seems pretty reasonable to me

[ChaosStarter]

I like one of those a lot. And I hate one of those a lot.

[catfishonthelake]

I like one of those a lot. And I hate one of those a lot.


I know which one you hate.;)

[ChaosStarter]

I know which one you hate.;)


You know damn well the one I hate. lol :mad:

[Bicey]

I like the spruce run bait regulation being upped, but I wish they would let you use a cast net.

[MS22]

Good to see lures being allowed @ KLG and BFB. I'm sure TU is disappointed. Maybe now they'll stop calling my house 5 times a day trying to get me to join again. I dumped them years ago. Don't like how they do some things.

FYI, TU pushed for the changes with the understanding that it would also become a no-kill section;) Every organizaion has its good and bad points. You just have to hope that the good outweighs the bad....and that each organizaion is looking out for its constituents and more importantly, the resource.

[Dave B.]

FYI, TU pushed for the changes with the understanding that it would also become a no-kill section;) Every organizaion has its good and bad points. You just have to hope that the good outweighs the bad....and that each organizaion is looking out for its constituents and more importantly, the resource.

Quite correct there. One note to 'Buzzbaiter', the KLG has allowed lures since becoming a TCA, the only change proposed there is going from a 1 fish @ 15" bag to strictly C & R.

[buzzbaiter]

Quite correct there. One note to 'Buzzbaiter', the KLG has allowed lures since becoming a TCA, the only change proposed there is going from a 1 fish @ 15" bag to strictly C & R.

I know I've been there once in the last 32 years. Don't like crowds and there is ALWAYS anglers there. Beautiful spot but when you're limited to about 100 yds of river because 30 other anglers are there, doesn't make for a fun time. The one day I went I got lucky - it was raining and rain tends to keep anglers home especially the ff guys. Anyhoo, started at the lower boundary and worked up to the trestle. Only saw 3 anglers. Tossed a spinner around and picked up lots of trout with about 1/3 wild browns, a few native brookies and the rest stockies/holdovers up to 18". I came, I conquered so no reason to go back:D

My understanding is that TU does support lure usage @ both streams so I'll remove my negative comment. Still want them to stop calling though:p

[GetANet]

Mostly good, but MY question is WHAT DOES ONE USE TO TAKE LANDLOCKED HERRING FOR BAIT???????????????????????????????? I asked the F&G Officers at the edison show and they just kept stating what the compendium said, and as I pressed them for a answer finally they admitted that they really had NO IDEA???? NOBODY walked away from that conversation happy or any more informed so please help me out????

[acabtp]

Mostly good, but MY question is WHAT DOES ONE USE TO TAKE LANDLOCKED HERRING FOR BAIT???????????????????????????????? I asked the F&G Officers at the edison show and they just kept stating what the compendium said, and as I pressed them for a answer finally they admitted that they really had NO IDEA???? NOBODY walked away from that conversation happy or any more informed so please help me out????
biggest legal minnow trap and some lights?

[Bicey]

Mostly good, but MY question is WHAT DOES ONE USE TO TAKE LANDLOCKED HERRING FOR BAIT???????????????????????????????? I asked the F&G Officers at the edison show and they just kept stating what the compendium said, and as I pressed them for a answer finally they admitted that they really had NO IDEA???? NOBODY walked away from that conversation happy or any more informed so please help me out????

Seine net, minnow trap or umbrella net at specific sizes. I guess the state likes to make it as hard as possible or take as long as possible.

[Mark B.]

You can take landlocked herring in:

Freshwater lakes
in Morris, Passaic,
Sussex, and Warren
Counties; and Spruce
Run Reservoir
(Hunterdon)

Minimum size: 6 inches

Daily Limit: 10

Any unused herring must be
returned to the water upon
conclusion of the angler’s
fishing trip. Herring may not
be transported away from the
shoreline of these lakes by any
mechanism. They may not be sold.



Gear Description;

Seine
Not over 50 feet long in ponds and lakes over 100 acres; in all other waters not over
30 feet in length.
Exception:
In trout-stocked waters and special regulation trout areas a seine may not
be more than 10 feet in length and 4 feet in depth.

Minnow Trap
Not larger than 24 inches in length with a funnel mouth no greater than 2 inches in diameter.

Umbrella Net
No greater than 3.5 feet square.

Dip Net
Not more than 24 inches in diameter; may be used only for alewife or blueback herring.

Cast Net
No greater than 8 feet in diameter; may be used only in streams that are not trout-
stocked or special regulation trout areas (may not be used in lakes).

Hook
and Line
Maximum of nine single hooks or three hooks with three burrs per contrivance on all
waters except the Delaware River where only three single hooks are permitted.


So, you can’t use a cast net.

I doubt you will have any luck,……..plus it is a hell of a lot of work!!,………..using a seine.

Ditto (no luck) using a minnow trap.

So, what anglers do,………in a boat @ night ,with a light shining into the water to attract the herring:

Dip net,……….umbrella net,…………& the most effective: hook & line with a Sabiki like rig.

[GetANet]

Thanks for the response guys... At least now I know what to use!!! Gonna try the net/sabiki deal at night and see how it goes. They should def increase the amount that you can take for bait from ten for sure!!!!!

[surfrod]

a couple of water bodies off the trout list...

Shadow lake - long overdue

Lake Takanasee... due to Hurricane Sandy

"

WATERBODIES PROPOSED TO BE DROPPED FROM THE DIVISION'S TROUT STOCKING PROGRAM
Farrington Lake (Middlesex) - Large lakes, such as Farrington Lake, yield lower return rates for trout resulting in low angler success and interest comparative to their size. Due to the large size of the lake and the limited number of trout raised by the State, the trout allocation formula allocates less than 3 trout/acre, which is significantly less than smaller waterbodies that can be stocked at higher densities and often result in higher angler catch rates. To improve their success, the majority of anglers fish the stream that feeds Farrington Lake at the base of the next upstream dam. This upstream reach is actually part of Lawrence Brook which is currently stocked by the Division below the lake. The Council proposes to no longer stock Farrington Lake, from the Church Lane bridge downstream to the Farrington Lake dam, but plans to continue to stock upstream of the Church Lane bridge up to Davidson's Mill Pond dam as part of Lawrence Brook (see redefined boundary delineation for Lawrence Brook). Farrington Lake supports a variety of warmwater fish species and will continue to provide excellent fishing opportunities for species other than trout.

Shadow Lake (Monmouth) - was re-instated to the Division's trout stocking program in 1996 in the anticipation of planned improvements by the county that would greatly improve public access. Although certain aspects of the project have occurred, they have not resulted in significant improvement in public access and future improvements appear unlikely. Due to limited public access angler participation is low indicated by opening day angler counts in 2005 (15 anglers), 2006 (7 anglers), 2011 (16 anglers) and in 2013 (18 anglers) with only six trout caught.

Lake Takanasee (Monmouth) - The bulkhead at Takanassee Lake, 14 acre lake in Long Branch, was severely damaged during Hurricane Sandy resulting in draining of the lake. The timeframe for completing bulkhead repairs and refilling the lake is uncertain. The lake is immediately adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and periodic saltwater intrusion has impacted the lake's freshwater fisheries including the viability of stocked trout.
Note: Franklin Lake (15 acres), located just three miles away in West Long Branch, is proposed to be added in place of Lake Takanasee to the Division's trout stocking program. "

[Dave B.]

I know I've been there once in the last 32 years. Don't like crowds and there is ALWAYS anglers there. Beautiful spot but when you're limited to about 100 yds of river because 30 other anglers are there, doesn't make for a fun time. The one day I went I got lucky - it was raining and rain tends to keep anglers home especially the ff guys. Anyhoo, started at the lower boundary and worked up to the trestle. Only saw 3 anglers. Tossed a spinner around and picked up lots of trout with about 1/3 wild browns, a few native brookies and the rest stockies/holdovers up to 18". I came, I conquered so no reason to go back:D

My understanding is that TU does support lure usage @ both streams so I'll remove my negative comment. Still want them to stop calling though:p

Totally agree with you re: the KLG. I stop there for an hour or 2 about once every 3 years or so, usually on a crappy afternoon for just the reasons you stated.
Regarding the BFB proposal I'm all for it, have been for a decade. My biggest sticking point with it is the stocking schedule and allocations are to remain the same. Unlike all other year-round TCA's wherein upon the designation going into effect the stocking frequency and total allocations were greatly reduced, the plan for the BFB is to maintain the status quo of pre-season and 7 in-season stockings with no reduction in quantities either. Since it's going to be a 'No-Kill' it would seem to make perfect sense to dramatically reduce the dumping of biomass into the stream section as was done with virtually all the other year-round TCA's. Still can't fathom that one, especially given that at least a part of the momentum behind the reg change push was to allow for greater survival and holding potential of the wild browns and brooks in that area. Continuing to dump thousands of stocked fish atop the existing pop with almost no angling mortality seems quite counter to increasing a wild pop.

[surfrod]

... Still can't fathom that one, especially given that at least a part of the momentum behind the reg change push was to allow for greater survival and holding potential of the wild browns and brooks in that area. Continuing to dump thousands of stocked fish atop the existing pop with almost no angling mortality seems quite counter to increasing a wild pop.


I don't fish there, but agree with your point. Probably would need to bring up a proposal to change the stocking at a fish council meeting or perhaps better through one of the federation chapters.

[YUKONPETEY60]

Originally Posted by Dave B.
... Still can't fathom that one, especially given that at least a part of the momentum behind the reg change push was to allow for greater survival and holding potential of the wild browns and brooks in that area. Continuing to dump thousands of stocked fish atop the existing pop with almost no angling mortality seems quite counter to increasing a wild pop.

I think the reasoning doesn't make sense in terms of the now excessive stocking because TU just threw that one out there to have a "scientific" basis to achieve what they really want, which is to extend the nokill/no bait fishing waters in this state. They don't really care about wild trout, they just want to eliminate bait fishermen and have tons of fish available for them and their sports. As I recall the reason they supposedly got shot down on this issue a few seasons ago was that there wasn't a sufficient scientific basis to support the request--so the bogus protection of wild trout fits that problem. When TU got the regs changed in the gorge back in 2001 to eliminate bait fishing during the first 9 days of the season i said that the BFB fly stretch was next....took a bit longer than i thought, but they got their way. They are already exulting over their "victory" on the flyfishing boards, so apparently the fix is in. I commented anyway on the NJDEP website and I would encourage other like-minded anglers to do the same, but I doubt it will matter at this point. Can you tell that I am eating sour grapes for lunch today??.....

[AndyS]

WELCOME to the site YukonPete, thanx for the input, it is all good.

[YUKONPETEY60]

thanks, I am just one of the bad news bears today.....ur right, its all good....