Trout stocking meeting Feb. 28

[AndyS]

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will be holding its annual trout stocking public meeting at the Pequest Trout Hatchery on Saturday, February 28, at 10:00 a.m. This important meeting provides an excellent opportunity for anglers to ask questions, voice their opinions, and give suggestions regarding New Jersey’s trout stocking program. The stocking program for the 2015 season will be presented and explained.

Looks like ONLY rainbow trout for the next 5 YEARS !!!

[Dave B.]

Looks like ONLY rainbow trout for the next 5 YEARS !!!

Andy is spot on with that statement. The Div. has no intention of introducing any new stock into Pequest for at least the next 3 years, and even if they did at that time import some fertilized eggs from elsewhere it would still be an additional 2 years before those fish were of stocking size, so 5 years appears to be the minimum time frame for rainbows only.

That aside, someone had posted awhile back asking about the possibility of any broodstock this spring. The answer is yes, both the Bonus Broodstock Lake program as well as some larger fish for most other waters will be in place. The caveat though is that for TP waters any larger fish will only be 2 y/o at an avg. 14-16 inches. Still respectable sized fish just not the jumbos we've seen in past years, however hopefully that situation will be better next spring as the Pequest production cycle fully recovers from last year's problems.

For TM and non-trout waters there will be both the 2 y/o fish as well as a small number of 3 y/o fish averaging 17-19 inches. The reason for those 3 y/o fish not being put into TP waters is that although they have consistently tested negative for furunculosis they were still in the hatchery during the outbreak and may have been exposed to the pathogen. As such they are considered potential carriers and under the Div. guidelines cannot be stocked into any designated TP waters.

The full 2015 stocking schedule should be available on the Div. website within the next 7-10 days, but for anyone who might like a preview you can take a look at the 2013 stocking schedule found here... http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2013/trout_allocation13-sched.pdf

With only a few very minor alterations the numbers and locations are the same for this year. There are a few waters that will see very minor total numbers changes for the spring season from the 2013 schedule, we're talking only about 20-30 fish per waterbody for the entire spring season.

Also the Bonus Broodstock Lake schedule will be posted for those interested. This years list consists of... Amwell Lake in Hunterdon Co.-50, Barbours Pond in Passaic Co.-50, Echo Lake in Monmouth Co.-50, Giampetro Park Pond in Cumberland Co.-50, Holmdel Park Pond in Monmouth Co.-30, Oak Pond in Camden Co.-50, Ponderlodge Pond in Cape May Co.-50, Seelys Pond in Union Co.-30, Spooky Brook Park pond in Somerset Co.-50, and Sylvan Lake in Burlington Co.-50.

[baetis]

I know my complaining on the internet isn't going to change anything, but 5 years of just rainbows sucks.

Reading between the lines, it seems to me like the big fear is that the furunculosis hasn't been removed and that's why F&G is leery to try to raise Browns and Brooks.

IMO, if all of our neighboring states can raise a variety of fish, NJ should be able to as well.

It sucks that lakes like Merrill Creek/Shepherds/Swartswood are going to lose out on brown trout for half a decade.

It's kind of pathetic that New Jersey can't even stock its state fish.

[Eskimo]

Also the Bonus Broodstock Lake schedule will be posted for those interested. This years list consists of...Seelys Pond in Union Co.-30

I fish there and I can tell you don't bother. Seely's Pond gets poached EMPTY before opening day.
Opening morning consists of a pond ringed with guys standing around scratching their ass wondering where all the trout are.

From what I hear from people driving past there, a bunch of guys show up in the evening and catch all the trout they can carry and leave every day until they've emptied the pond.



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[Billfish715]

Six weeks until opening day. Is there a problem with catching only rainbows? Stocking the lakes might be a challenge. The crews will probably have to cut holes to pour the trout in.

[Jigman13]

I know my complaining on the internet isn't going to change anything, but 5 years of just rainbows sucks.



No, it doesn't suck. It's better than nothing and I'd rather the state takes its time correcting it. If putting bows in mcr and the other lakes listed is all they want to do for the next 5 yrs, so be it. Other states stock diseased fish. NJ doesn't want to. How can anyone complain about that?!

Give them (the state) time. They'll fix it and get it back to where EVERYONE is happy again... In the meantime, just be glad they're maintaing stock numbers and doing what they can to correct a problem.

[Billfish715]

There a lots of guys on this board who were not around when the NJ trout came from Hackettstown. There were many seasons when NJ had to trade for trout from other states so there would be fish to stock. It was not uncommon for disease to wipe out populations of brook trout mostly. The trout that were stocked were small and a 12 incher was one to brag about. Only a few lakes were stocked and the major streams were closed to fishing until 5 A.M. the morning after they were stocked. Trout fishing has come a long way since then. Appreciate what you have. Rainbows are good for everyone because they are hearty, grow big, pull hard and eat everything making it good for sales of all kinds of bait, lures, flies etc. Win. Win.

[Cshadis92]

I live down the street from seelys. I can tell you all if you're going anywhere near 78, which seelys is, just keep going to other bodies of water. Between n branch, s branch, rockaway creek, etc, seelys pond is not the destination for trout if you're already in your car lol. I live friggin steps away from the res and I've never, ever dropped a line in here. Everyone talking about the poaching and all that is 100% correct. Far as all rainbows being stocked, I'm cool w that! Any trout stocked is a bonus. But this ice right now.........not such a bonus.

[Jigman13]

I've got a special relationship with seelys. Nailed a 6 lb brownie in there haha! I've also bailed fish there on opening days and days after when guys were sitting on the bank picking their asses and noses (in no particular order). They were baiting and waiting, or throwing absurd lures. I throw one of my three go-tos and catch..

[surfrod]

the division posted interesting stats on catch rates of (stocked) rainbows vs browns/brooks at the batsto meeting.

not sure if it's online anywhere, but there is a sharp uptake in the catch rates of rainbows vs. the other two species.

[Dave B.]

Lots of good comments here from different perspectives, always a good thing as the differences of opinion are what make for constructive discussions that often lead to productive changes,

I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who recalls the 'bad old days' of trout production at Hackettestown. 'Billfish' is dead on when he says a 12 incher was a bragger back then, and that the brookies were usually the most impacted by disease at Hackettestown and NJ regularly had to obtain fish from other states and/or the Federal hatchery system just to be able to carry out a reasonable spring stocking. Fall and winter stockings were not even thought of!

As 'Jigman' says, other states choose to stock diseased fish regularly. This includes PA, who offered to take our diseased trout last year to stock in their waters. Given that info it's very possible the outbreak at Pequest was a result of an osprey or other raptor picking up the pathogen just a few miles away in PA and transmitting it to Pequest. No way to ever prove or dis-prove it but something that certainly bears consideration.

As for poaching, anywhere, if anyone is aware of a problem of this sort I would strongly urge you to report it, even if you're unable to at the moment it occurs. If it's a chronic problem somewhere at least the CO's can make an effort to step up enforcement there.

Thanks to 'Surfrod' for reminding me of the stats on the rainbow-vs-brook/brown situation. The short version is that in both 2012 and 2013 F&W had conducted a test to determine which species performed best with regards to Opening Day angler success. This was in direct response to angler input by the way, so they do hear our opinions believe it or not. Anyway the resulting Opening Day angler survey numbers showed the rainbows being caught 8 times more frequently than brooks. That is, a ratio of 8 to 1. To make an even stronger point, that 8 times greater number of rainbows caught was achieved by about half the number of anglers, so it definitely made a very strong case for stocking rainbows in the pre- and early season periods. That being the case the Div. was already moving towards a predominantly rainbow production format, although at the time still retaining some brook and brown production. Unfortunately the situation at Pequest last year pretty much forced their hand in the matter.

Personally I prefer a multi-species stocking regimen for many reasons. I like the idea of not knowing for sure what species I might be catching. I enjoy the challenge of trying to determine what species might be holding in a certain type of run, pool, etc.

Be that as it may, as 'Jigman' said, I'm just glad to have a full stocking program back on track, although last year there were plenty of trout around in most major streams all summer long despite the drastically shortened stocking schedule. My thanks to all those who opted out of trout fishing last year, I had a stellar year as a result! I really enjoyed Andy's posting pics of all the trout he encountered on his SBR trips! He proved the point that the shortened stocking didn't hurt the fishery nearly as badly as some guys were making it seem.

[surfrod]

Dave,

Thanks for the cogent explanation of the data. I don't really recall the Hackettstown hatchery trout days as I didn't fish for trout back then.

I did hear the stories, however, and am glad this is the first time since that we've had to deal with such an issue.

FWIW, the manasquan river guys prefer rainbows. They say they make better striper bait (running for cover :D)

[Almaink]

Allocations and stocking dates list is up. I'd still like to know why they don't stock the first week but do stock the D&R Feeder the 7th and last week? By that time in May the water is to warm for trout in there, and in the last 20 years I've yet to see any fish caught from that last stocking. Why not put them in the first week so they can be utilized?
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2015/trout_allocation15-sched.pdf

[EJS]

Allocations and stocking dates list is up. I'd still like to know why they don't stock the first week but do stock the D&R Feeder the 7th and last week? By that time in May the water is to warm for trout in there, and in the last 20 years I've yet to see any fish caught from that last stocking. Why not put them in the first week so they can be utilized?
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2015/trout_allocation15-sched.pdf

Part of the problem is do to the cold winters. Pre season stocking will start is south Jersey, as streams thaw in the north, they will be stocked closer to opening day. Allocation of resources is another issue. As the number of fish being stocked decrease, so does the time required to stock that water body.

What I can't speak to (as I am not super familier with the D&R watershed) is water quality, breeding, and any other variable which may prevent the stocking earlier in the season!

Now this is my personal opinion and in no way is meant as a jab at F&G. I personally feel the canal should be left to the warm water fish, put the trout in the rivers and cold flowing streams, put the bass, picks, and cats in the duck ponds and canals! Give the fish a fighting chance to live to maturity, without rolling belly up from water temps rising!

[surfrod]

Part of the problem is do to the cold winters. Pre season stocking will start is south Jersey, as streams thaw in the north, they will be stocked closer to opening day. Allocation of resources is another issue. As the number of fish being stocked decrease, so does the time required to stock that water body.

What I can't speak to (as I am not super familier with the D&R watershed) is water quality, breeding, and any other variable which may prevent the stocking earlier in the season!

Now this is my personal opinion and in no way is meant as a jab at F&G. I personally feel the canal should be left to the warm water fish, put the trout in the rivers and cold flowing streams, put the bass, picks, and cats in the duck ponds and canals! Give the fish a fighting chance to live to maturity, without rolling belly up from water temps rising!

Each body of water has a carrying capacity, such that if you overstock an area, only so many fish, wild or stocked, can survive.

In addition, our cold waters have populations of wild trout that could be negatively impacted by stocking. This has been an argument by several angler groups with respect to stocking certain streams *at all*, no less increasing the stocking.

The biologists take that into account when they determine the number of fish stocked, as well as another important measure (to them): angler opportunity.

The trout are funded via the trout stamp and therefore the thought is to give as many anglers who purchase a stamp the opportunity to catch trout as possible.

So, what I'm saying is that the decisions to stock a given area are driven by more than whether that water can be considered holdover or even marginally decent habitat for trout.