Wild Brook Trout Regulations Proposed

[NJSquatch]

http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2017/wts_proposal.htm

F&W is soliciting comments before they write the draft language. Deadline to submit is May 5

[thmyorke1]

Im surprised wild brook trout are even taken for eating. I thought it was common knowledge to only fish for these guys for CnR and everyone just eats the stocked ones, and occasionally wild browns/bows

I've hardly seen brook trout posted here big enough for the current minimum size limit.

Feels like a good proposal; if we want to be fishing big wild brook trout there needs some regulations to protect them

[Super]

I like the changes. Should be easier to protect the brook trout now that we don't stock them.

[23cardinal]

I'm also all for it. It can't really hurt- and then changes to stocking also will help.

I know ppl will complain about more regs. But maybe having them will make guys think b4 they fish or do something silly.

I also like the increased awareness

[AndyS]

I think 100% C&R on wild Brook Trout and such is already in place. When was the last time you saw a guy with a stringer and a jar of power cheese hiking way up the mountain side to fish some little trickle of water just to fill a stringer ?
You won't see me up on those tiny creeks, but I am all for 100% C&R.

[Lard Almighty]

I'd be okay with C&R for the native brookies. However, this proposal is very telling, because it shows that F&W will never stock brookies again, since they can't expect the average fisherman to distinguish between natives and stockies.

[FASTEDDIE29]

The Brook Trout is our state fish! Protect them please!!! The smaller ones are friggin beautiful! And how tough are they? Holding up through floods, droughts, predators? Let em live!!!

[thmyorke1]

Don't forget to express your opinion to the email. It's awesome that they're waiting for our input on this.

To be honest I'm expecting that this is just a small step in future regulations to come. Probably the next step is to start making some wts off limits to fishing (although a lot of them are on private property already)

Hopefully we get to see the effects sometime

[troutaholic]

It all sounds good on paper . now in force the law . thats the weak link .

[thmyorke1]

It all sounds good on paper . now in force the law . thats the weak link .

It seems easy when there are hardly any brook trout in a keepable size to begin with. People fishing for dinner are going after other fish and not the tiny wild ones