Preseason trout stocking points,………..access, ice out?

[Mark B.]

As preseason trout stocking begins on 3/16, the posting of your observations on the subject will be very helpful. Can the hatchery truck negotiate the access area to the water? Is the water open for the stocking of trout?

Thanks.

Mark B.

Mark Boriek, Principal Fisheries Biologist
NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife
Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries Lab
1255 Route 629
Lebanon, NJ 08833

908-236-2118

[Esox Luciano]

Last week I covered 8miles on the path in Saddle River Park. Naturally all the ponds are frozen but the river itself was still steady flowing.

[liveitup1.75liter]

Raritan is ready for ya's..plenty open water

[acabtp]

There is little to no open water on the Rockaway from Rockaway to the dam in Boonton right now

[RJHooker]

Pascack Brook is free, and the Tenakill is thawed downstream from the dam @ Hardenburgh...

Hopefully I will be able to report some streams west soon...

[hammer4reel]

next weeks weather if forcasted even close should open up most of the waterways statewide.
with another week after that hopefully it should get even better

[Sigma1073]

The pequannock and wanaque are opening up nicely in Pompton Lakes with the rain right now. Should be good after next week.

[Billfish715]

Access to some of the stocking points will be more challenging this preseason especially in the northern counties. The rivers are flowing but places that are not near the bridges or roads will be tough to get to. KLG is snow choked. Stocking there might have to be done by snowmobiles. Hacklebarny also will be a concern. The CO's will keep the division informed I'm sure. They will see first hand when they start puting the signs up.

[jimmythegreek]

Mark if you wanna reach out to any of us for help in access just put up an email or contact info. I know a few guys and myself that could run out and open up some big holes to stock the northern part of the state anyway. Just about every lake has a feeder creek or drainage thats open enough to stock as well

[jimcnj]

Rahway River in Cranford is open in some areas.

[Billfish715]

This is how the center of Califon looked last week. I don't know when some of the streams and lakes are being stocked for preseason but some adjustments will have to be made. The trout-stocked lakes might have to be opened up with chain saws in some of the access points so the trucks can pump the fish through the ice. I know it's been done before and I know there's a time schedule involved. Some popular places may not get fish because the big tanker trucks can't negotiate the roads or hills or fields.

The fish will go in no matter what. They just may not be as spread out as most people would like. Of course if the weather breaks and we get some rain, all that will change.

[antgogz]

Mark,

Are they stocking any trout in the passaic river in points from little falls to garfield? Did they ever end up throwing the diseased ones in last year?

[NorthJerzyG]

I'm pretty sure they threw in a portion of the original 10,000 they were gonna but ended up offing the rest of em. It's funny, I thought about that after seeing that real big girl esox luciano caught. Dump a bunch of trout in there in the spring, and by late fall a potential state record pike is caught. :rolleyes:

Possibly not the same area, but I'm sure they had time to spread out lookin for better water.

[FASTEDDIE29]

The trout were stocked as stated in last years stocking schedule. Rainbow trout swim baits this year fellas. Trust me, they work! Trout are still in the Passaic in that area. PIKE CANDY!!!!

[FASTEDDIE29]

Mark,

Are they stocking any trout in the passaic river in points from little falls to garfield? Did they ever end up throwing the diseased ones in last year?

Negative! Back to our regularly scheduled programming. The fish n game site tells you the stocking points. Thankfully the stretch from White bridge to Rt 24 in Chatam is getting stocked this year. Pristine waters!!! And I might add that the Great swamp Pike have beautiful markings come April!

[Esox Luciano]

It's funny, I thought about that after seeing that real big girl esox luciano caught. http://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76607&page=6

Ditto. While piking on opening day trout season last year I had a talk with DFW's Lt. Sutton and his partner regarding the same thing. Told him I was after the record as well and that it would come from those waters. He wished me luck with a grin, hahaa. I def plan on seeing some more BIGGUNS this year as well.
Btw, haven't seen anyone targeting trout in there.

[Mike M]

Delaware -Raritan Fedder Canal has some open water from Bulls Island to Lambervill but south of there to Trenton it is ice and snow covered and the towpath is snow covered.

Lockatong Creek is ice covered at stocking points but has limited open water in between. Also the bridge on Rt 519 is closed to traffic. You will have to park and carry the trout in in buckets.

I should be able to update this report next Sunday.

[KRocks]

Green Turtle Pond would likely present a challenge. No way to get in and out of the main entrance without 4 wheel, even with the pending snow melt. Also, no formidable feeder water on the North end to break up the ice.

[Mike M]

Colonial Lake has some open water around the tennis courts. Still I e along the shoreline closer to the dam. If you wanted to stick it Monday there should be enough open water.
Rosedale Lake is mostly ice covered but there is open water around the dock.

[Lard Almighty]

I did some driving around Monmouth and upper Ocean counties today. Here's what I found:

Manasquan and Metedeconk have zero ice. Access points are sloppy, but not inaccessible.

Lake Shenandoah is mostly free of ice, should be totally clear by Monday.

Spring Lake has zero ice.

Franklin Lake has zero ice.

Manasquan Reservoir is still locked up, will probably take at least a week before all the ice is gone.

[Billfish715]

Lots of places are opening up quickly. Spring Lake was frozen last weekend and is open now. The north Jersey streams are open and the access points are getting better. I have to assume the lakes will get stocked where ever there is any opening even if the whole load has to get stocked in one spot.

The preseason stocking would always start in south Jersey first because of the distance the trucks would have to travel and because the ice was out there first. At least the streams are starting to swell so the trout have a chance to spread out. I think some sections of the larger streams will be stocked this week so it won't be necessary for everyone to stand shoulder to shoulder on opening day.

[jimcnj]

In my neck..

Rahway River ready
Nomahegan open at the feeder drains.
Echo Lake Park still frozen, I think.

[UglyStick]

Lake Aeroflex still completely locked up - guys out there ice fishing today

[Billfish715]

The Rockaway in Denville and Rockaway is open and flowing nicely. It's a little high but the trout can be dumped in easily. Speedwell Lake in Morristown is open. Some of the ponds and lakes in Morris County are opening around the edges and inlet areas. Opening day on the lakes will be okay especially if we get some rain. Echo Lake in Mountainside still needs more runoff to move the ice out. Again, getting the trout in will be no problem. Catching them if there's still ice will be a challenge. It gets stocked closer to the opening and by then things will look a lot better.

[CMJeepster]

Rosedale Lake is mostly ice covered but there is open water around the dock.

As of Tuesday night, the area is opening more each day. I usually check once a week.

[Jigman13]

As of Tuesday night, the area is opening more each day. I usually check once a week.

Do people ice fish Rosedale? I know it gets stocked, has a deep section, and holds decent bass and black crappie.

[UglyStick]

Aeroflex still ice locked - people out ice fishing today

[Heronimo42]

In the past 5 years, I've seen a couple of guys out on Rosedale. No pickerel, as far as I know, so you're hoping for bass or a random trout that hasn't been picked clean out of there. The non catch and release guys have done a number on that place.

[Mark B.]

Thanks guys,……..keep the reports coming!

Pre-season stocking cancelled today, due to threat of snow.

[CMJeepster]

I've never seen ice fishing on Rosedale, but I don't normally check it in the winter. The bucket brigade has done a number on the place, but there are still fish to be found. I've pulled crappie, sunnies, large and smallmouth out of there. One smallmouth was 18" and fat. I only catch & release when fishing freshwater.

[UglyStick]

Went for a drive with the Mrs. yesterday and found the following:

Up in Stokes, Lake Ocquittunk is still completely ice locked with no place a truck could dump in fish without cutting a hole. Grau road is also still closed and snow covered from its intersection with Flatbrook road. I didn't drive all the way around to Crigger road so I don't know if Grau is open for a section on that end or not. Skellenger road from Ocquittunk to the Conservation Center appears to be open and plowed. This leaves access to Big Flatbrook in the area of Grau road not really open to stocking.

As for Big Flatbrook itself, it's open and beautiful with a nice normal height and flow (low for typical spring) and the water is gin clear. From Ocquittunk all the way down to Roy bridge, all the access points are open and able to be stocked with 1 exception. The exception is the disabled access site on Bridge road. Technically, Bridge road is open and passable (1 small lane) from Walpack Road to about 100 yards or so from the river. Fish would have to be carried that 100 yards to be stocked at that point. Access to the river and disabled fisherman lot on the other side at this point is via Roy bridge and Brook road. Technically Brook road is not closed but it is a narrow treacherous single lane of snow, ice and mud that I would not have even attempted without my F150 and 4wd (i.e. not passable for hatchery trucks).

Little Swartswood is still 99% ice locked but there is very small melted edge at the boat launch that fish could be dumped in if done carefully (see pic below).

Swartswood Lake is open around the edges and all of the stocking points are accessible with the exception of the concrete launch as the entire launch access is still closed and snow covered. The other notable thing is that the lake was drawn down and is currently about 4 to 5 feet below normal full pool. ( see pic from the dam end below).

Pics in order:

Big Flatbrook facing north from Roy bridge
Big Flatbrook facing south from Roy bridge
Little Swartswood from the launch
Swartswood looking north from the dam at the south end.

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b501/toolguynj/3_22_15%20Roy%20Upstream_zpsm9dt54mm.jpg

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b501/toolguynj/3_22_15%20Roy%20downstream_zpsqrn3vv7w.jpg

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b501/toolguynj/3_22_15%20little%20Swarts_zpshzatyzym.jpg

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b501/toolguynj/3_22_15%20Big%20Swartz%20dam_zps4tbr2wzx.jpg