Nj division of fish and wildlife readying plenty of healthy rainbow trout for spring

[UglyStick]

From a 1/20/15 DEP News Release

NJ DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE READYING PLENTY OF HEALTHY RAINBOW TROUT FOR SPRING

http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2015/15_0007.htm

Trout anglers should note the Trout Stocking Meeting is on February 28; plans call for a full stocking schedule

[Chrisper4694]

yeah, kind of sucks not having the browns and brookies too, i like surprises! but private places will still stock them from the muskie trout hatchery i assume. maybe they'll put more big ones!?!? maybe...

spring will be time to pull out the good ol' kayak and hit some spots that i think might have some monsters held over!

[baetis]

"All designated trout waters will be stocked this spring. Rainbow trout will be the only species raised at the hatchery for the next several years, until the future introduction of disease resistant strains of brook and brown trout can be established. "

I think F&G is dropping the ball big time by abandoning brooks and browns for "several years." That's very disappointing.

[Cshadis92]

Personally, I will not keep any brook or brown trout I catch from here on out. In put and take areas I never feel bad about getting my legal share of a meal, but if the states not putting, I won't be taking. Gotta conserve what we have

[Jigman13]

If it takes a few years to grow stronger strains, so be it. I'll take bows just fine until they start stocking brooks and browns again... Plenty of nice browns to be had in our rivers anyway... Just gotta know where to look!

[The Birdman]

so NNJ holdover trout lakes (not RV or MC) usually stocked with all browns will now have rainbows stocked in them for the first time?

yea def not a big deal to have all bows for a couple years. in the end we are talkin about stockie trout.
isn't the brook trout our NJ state fish?

[Chrisper4694]

It's our only native trout the brook

[briansnat]

Not so bad I guess. I prefer catching rainbows anyway.

[Doug Vitale]

nglers also should note that adult, 2-year-old rainbows, averaging 15-16 inches, will be ready for stocking once again this fall. Rainbow trout released in the coming months will average 10.5 inches long.

Would anyone in the know be able to confirm if any larger trout ("breeders") will be included in the spring stocking or will the only trout stocked be in the neighborhood of 10.5 inches?

[Mark B.]

Some breeders 16 – 24” will be stocked.

[slider]

I think the most disappointing thing about not having Brown Trout stocked the next 2 or 3 years is the fact that I never see Rainbows hold over 2 or 3 years like browns do..Hope these next few years will be different, but I have my doubts..Any 1 have a lake that holds rainbows over year after year???

[stevejordan]

idk about nj but here in ny we do

[15FOOTER]

Round valley holds rainbows year after year....great fishery

[Jigman13]

Round valley holds rainbows year after year....great fishery

X2

[Michael82929]

The trout stocking of NJ waters up until the outbreak of furno. of 2014 was on track to do things it hadn't done in its history.

Decades of progress in our trout stocking program has current stocking levels far beyond my wildest dreams. Not only as a volunteer, but as an avid NJ angler and trout fishing enthuiest.

As a teenager growing up, I remember when it was a big deal to catch 1 fish over 13 inches in a NJ trout stream.

Catching your "first NJ breeder" etched in our memories of classics growing up. Can still remember my first 21 inch trout in NJ. Musky River "Stephen's State Park / many moons ago"

Into my 20s/30s it became the norm to think "how many big fish do I have a shot at today"

Catching 2/3/4 15 - 24 inch fish were now becoming a possibility.

Years past of fishing until the first week of June moved later and later into the summer.

Over the last few years, it got easier and easier to blow the dust off the gear for fall and winter treks into the frigid waters.

Nothing was more excited than over the last few years putting in 5 - 11 lb trout that you wouldn't believe were thrown in other than actually putting them in the water yourself.

2015 marks a road to recovery. We will see 16 - 18 inch in our NJ waters.

As the years progress, I can only hope we are on the road we were once headed prior to this outbreak.

Kind of glad this happened in retrospect, make people think twice of what they have right infront of them vs what can easily be taken away.

[Capt. Lou]

I help stock my local PA streams & we usually have a good supply of brownies , along with the bows .
Unlike NJ stock program we get to do the stocking . Guys made float tank load it up and away we go , sometimes we bust R tales to get a good spread on fish but it works out well . In PA u can fish same day but most fish need to acclimate & fishing usually gets good in a few days . Plus not many anglers
We have to wade so we can't get a good spread in bigger rivers but we do OK. Fish vary in size but for most part they average 11" up to big girls 20" plus. It's funny since u know where u put a lot of the fish yet catching them takes work, all good! and yes they move around better yet ! :cool:

[Chrisper4694]

well i wouldn't say i'm glad it happened, as i think most of us with half a brain realize that what NJ doesn't have in trophy fish size it makes up for 10 fold in variety!

I'm not saying we don't have 'trophy' sized fish but maybe less so than other places; yet i'd be willing to be very little if any other states can boast the vast variety of species that do very well in our waters due to the DFW efforts.

I think they do a great job and this is what it is. plenty of other species around like i said, broaden your horizons! I couldn't imagine fishing for just a few species. I change gears constantly targeting every fish NJ has for portions of the season. I honestly don't know how you guys that are obsessed with 1-3 species stay sane! :D