Raritan river

[Dirtyjerzeyhed]

Just want to say thank you to Andy s and the rest of the crew that cleans up the Raritan River. I just started to explore the river this year due to some boat issues and am very impressed with the water clarity and great scenery. I went out Sunday the 24th and caught 4 smallmouth all about the same size. 3 on top water and 1 on jig and craw combo.

[thmyorke1]

that's a pretty fish out of a pretty river!

Have fun exploring, there's a lot to see.

[Mark B.]

It is that time of year.

Last evening on the low & clear Delaware R. near The Devil’s Tea Table:
Caught a Fall Fish & a good number of smallies. Two were 18": One hit the surface Skitter Pop. The other one really smacked the floating rainbow trout Rapala in knee deep water & took off a hellin'.

Near where a few years ago, in the fall, I caught & released my largest walleye (30") on the rainbow trout Rapala. I also caught & kept a 21" walleye.

I keep one every once & a while as they are delicious.
NJDF&W can always make / stock more.

[Jigman13]

Why doesn't the raritan get a stocking of walleye and/or smallies? It's a great ecosystem, plenty long and has it's deeper sections and is loaded with bait. Aside from trout stockings it seems like the Raritan is the forgotten step child of NJ rivers. While obviously not as vast as the Delaware it can certainly handle a stocking of fish other than trout.

Quite a few of us on this board frequent the raritan targeting a multitude of species and to also aggressively clean it up (thank you Andy). There are quality fish in the river. We've seen epic shoals of shiners, shad, , suckers, chub, dace, killies, etc. We've witnessed a prolific population of crayfish and eels. Shad are slowly but surely increasing each year.

Maybe I'm missing something bc I'm fishing the river a lot but I think the state should really consider using some of those massive walleye stocking numbers on the big d to establish stronger populations of gamefish in the raritan. I'm sure many of us, members and lurkers alike, would be appreciative of this.

It is that time of year.

Last evening on the low & clear Delaware R. near The Devil’s Tea Table:
Caught a Fall Fish & a good number of smallies. Two were 18": One hit the surface Skitter Pop. The other one really smacked the floating rainbow trout Rapala in knee deep water & took off a hellin'.

Near where a few years ago, in the fall, I caught & released my largest walleye (30") on the rainbow trout Rapala. I also caught & kept a 21" walleye.

I keep one every once & a while as they are delicious.
NJDF&W can always make / stock more.

[thmyorke1]

Good point Jigman.
Mark wouldnt have to mention the Delaware every time a Raritan thread was posted if so. ;)

[Mark B.]

Why doesn't the raritan get a stocking of walleye and/or smallies? It's a great ecosystem, plenty long and has it's deeper sections and is loaded with bait. Aside from trout stockings it seems like the Raritan is the forgotten step child of NJ rivers. While obviously not as vast as the Delaware it can certainly handle a stocking of fish other than trout.

Quite a few of us on this board frequent the raritan targeting a multitude of species and to also aggressively clean it up (thank you Andy). There are quality fish in the river. We've seen epic shoals of shiners, shad, , suckers, chub, dace, killies, etc. We've witnessed a prolific population of crayfish and eels. Shad are slowly but surely increasing each year.

Maybe I'm missing something bc I'm fishing the river a lot but I think the state should really consider using some of those massive walleye stocking numbers on the big d to establish stronger populations of gamefish in the raritan. I'm sure many of us, members and lurkers alike, would be appreciative of this.


You are not missing something, because you state: “Shad are slowly but surely increasing each year.” = a recovering American shad population.

NJDF&W does want to, directly, stock predators of American shad in to the Raritan River.

[Mark B.]

You are not missing something, because you state: “Shad are slowly but surely increasing each year.” = a recovering American shad population.

NJDF&W does want to, directly, stock predators of American shad in to the Raritan River.


That's "does not want to, directly, stock predators of American shad in to the Raritan River."

[Jigman13]

Is that the primary reason? The only thing choking back an adult American shad would be a decent striper or musky. Not sure walleye or smallies would be apex towards American shad.

The gizzards on the other hand are candy to all!

[thmyorke1]

I figured the dams were the shad's biggest problems, not predation which is already high in the river with all the smallies etc.

[Lard Almighty]

That's "does not want to, directly, stock predators of American shad in to the Raritan River."Mark, I will defer to your professional expertise as a biologist, but it seems to me that the predatory fish of the Raritan have a plethora of prey species to target aside from juvenile American shad. Emerald shiners, gizzard shad, sunfish, creek chubs, sculpin, crayfish, tadpoles, leeches, hellgramites, and frogs are just the ones I can name off the top of my head. Given the healthy forage base, are you of the opinion that the recovery of shad will be significantly set back should more predatory fish be stocked? Alternatively, would the shad benefit from supplemental stockings of prey species, so the predators target those instead of the shad?

[Riz]

that's a really nice fish. good work

thank you to all the guys that pitch into clean our waterways. we salute you. I took a bag of someone elses fishing line and lure wrappers and such out of green turtle pond last weekend. the line looked like 30-40 lb mono. yikes!!!!

never fished the Raritan but I have done the Passaic since mid 90s. Dundee dam in Garfield basically cuts anything off from getting up. striped bass to the dam. river is running clear these days.

[AndyS]

Nice SMB !! The river fishes good year round, access can be tough but with a little scouting you will find plenty of river to fish.
Love cleaning the river in the "off" season as I like to fish mostly in spring/winter/fall.

[Mark B.]

Is that the primary reason? The only thing choking back an adult American shad would be a decent striper or musky. Not sure walleye or smallies would be apex towards American shad.

The gizzards on the other hand are candy to all!



Yes, it is the primary reason.

Don’t forget about all of the young-of-the-year American shadlings now in the river being predated upon.

[Mark B.]

Mark, I will defer to your professional expertise as a biologist, but it seems to me that the predatory fish of the Raritan have a plethora of prey species to target aside from juvenile American shad. Emerald shiners, gizzard shad, sunfish, creek chubs, sculpin, crayfish, tadpoles, leeches, hellgramites, and frogs are just the ones I can name off the top of my head. Given the healthy forage base, are you of the opinion that the recovery of shad will be significantly set back should more predatory fish be stocked? Alternatively, would the shad benefit from supplemental stockings of prey species, so the predators target those instead of the shad?

NJDF&W wants to give the Raritan River American shad population the best possible chance of recovering. Therefore, no direct stocking of predators.

The young-of-the-year American shadlings now in the river are, no doubt, the predators preferred forage. They are the most attractive: Like herring & menhaden very oily / high fat content & their sheer numbers.

[thmyorke1]

NJDF&W wants to give the Raritan River American shad population the best possible chance of recovering. Therefore, no direct stocking of predators.

The young-of-the-year American shadlings now in the river are, no doubt, the predators preferred forage. They are the most attractive: Like herring & menhaden very oily / high fat content & their sheer numbers.

Thanks for the info, Mark. How long do the shadlings stay in the river before they become ocean-bound and how fast do they grow?

I would think that the trout stocking that takes place right where and when the shad spawn would be against the principle of recovery.
Could you explain how trout arent a problem? (Dare I even mention not stocking trout in the raritan! Please stock more! ;) )

[Mark B.]

Thanks for the info, Mark. How long do the shadlings stay in the river before they become ocean-bound and how fast do they grow?

I would think that the trout stocking that takes place right where and when the shad spawn would be against the principle of recovery.
Could you explain how trout arent a problem? (Dare I even mention not stocking trout in the raritan! Please stock more! ;) )

All of the shadlings are out in the bay / ocean by the end of October. In the ocean, they join schools of shad from other rivers, spending 3 – 6 @ sea until sexually mature, & then ascend the river of their birth to spawn.

Adult Raritan River American shad can swim up the mainstem & spawn only as far as the Headgates Dam @ Duke Island Park.

Fall trout are stocked only in the North & South Branches.

Spring trout are stocked in Duke Island Park & down the mainstem to last stocking point @ Nevius St., Raritan. Can’t imagine that those trout have much of an impact on the shadlings, which are essentially shad larvae @ that time. Spring trout are interested in larger prey,…..like your spinners, worms & Powerbait.

A productive lure when the shadlings are in the river: Original floating Rapala bleeding shad

[thmyorke1]

All of the shadlings are out in the bay / ocean by the end of October. In the ocean, they join schools of shad from other rivers, spending 3 – 6 @ sea until sexually mature, & then ascend the river of their birth to spawn.

Adult Raritan River American shad can swim up the mainstem & spawn only as far as the Headgates Dam @ Duke Island Park.

Fall trout are stocked only in the North & South Branches.

Spring trout are stocked in Duke Island Park & down the mainstem to last stocking point @ Nevius St., Raritan. Can’t imagine that those trout have much of an impact on the shadlings, which are essentially shad larvae @ that time. Spring trout are interested in larger prey,…..like your spinners, worms & Powerbait.

A productive lure when the shadlings are in the river: Original floating Rapala bleeding shad

Thanks Mark, I appreciate the info- and bonus fishing tip :)

[AndyS]

The last stocking point is Rt. 206 in Somerville.

[Mark B.]

Rt. 206 is not a trout stocking point.

Rt. 206 is the downstream limit of trout stocked waters. No fishing is allowed upstream of Rt. 206 during the spring preseason closure.

[AndyS]

There is a trout stocking sign just above the Rt. 206 bridge.

[Mark B.]

There is a trout stocking sign just above the Rt. 206 bridge.

I believe it,.......a "Trout Stocked Waters" (which it is) sign. Just not a stocking point.

The closest stocking pt. to Rt. 206: Canal Street Park - Nevius St., right on Canal St. Can enter park near end of Canal St. near canal confluence.

Many "Trout Stocked Waters" signs do, indeed, indicate a stocking point. But not all such signs do.

[Heronimo42]

...Many "Trout Stocked Waters" signs do, indeed, indicate a stocking point. But not all such signs do.

Spoken like a true semiotician...

[AndyS]

Ok, so let me get this strait. The New Jersey Freshwater Fishing Digest lists the trout stocking on the Raritan river form the confluence of the North and South branch to Route 206 bridge, but according to you they do not stock down that far but instead take the time to post "trout stocked waters" signs in a non trout stocked area. If it isn't trout stocked then why waste time posting signs on trees. To throw off the average angler ??
Can you tell me what other waters have trout stocked signs and are not trout stocked ??

[Jigman13]

Spoken like a true semiotician...

$5 word of the day goes to this guy!

[thmyorke1]

$5 word of the day goes to this guy!

Honestly had to google search it. Learn something new everyday, huh.

[Mark B.]

Ok, so let me get this strait. The New Jersey Freshwater Fishing Digest lists the trout stocking on the Raritan river form the confluence of the North and South branch to Route 206 bridge, but according to you they do not stock down that far but instead take the time to post "trout stocked waters" signs in a non trout stocked area. If it isn't trout stocked then why waste time posting signs on trees. To throw off the average angler ??
Can you tell me what other waters have trout stocked signs and are not trout stocked ??

Yes, The New Jersey Freshwater Fishing Digest lists: “Trout Stocked Waters”. It is not a list of the trout stocking points within those waters.

Rt. 206 Bridge:

Downstream = Non-Trout Water, not trout stocked.

Upstream = Non-Trout Water, trout stocked (albeit a bit upstream @ Nevius St.)

Call me @ 908-236-2118 if you have questions.