Some fine NJ trouting
 

I didn't have much time after work, but I wanted to hit a certain spot away from the stocking zones so i went for it. It was a pretty far walk from the parking spot, but i pretty much skipped most of the water and headed for the 'honey hole'.

It paid off with some nice browns and some bigger rainbows the browns went for the plug the bows sucked in the jig. the old one two punch. one of the rainbows was a super flabby bellied pig and put up a hell of a fight.

Unfortunately the fishing was so good i lost track of time and it started getting dark quick. I ended up tangling with my fishing line and pulling my rod into the water which also knocked my bag over dumping my camera in the drink. I recovered everything i think, but the camera is shot i'm sure (sitting in a bag of rice now, but i think it got too wet). saved the SD card so still have the pics for the day. needed a new camera anyway, the self timer button wasn't working anymore haha.

After that i had to do the super long wade back to the car in the dark, trying to judge the bottom from the moonlight surface ripples reading the water and going by memory. I made it all the way to the last 50 yards without a full trip and then, of course, tripped right over a high rock and ate shit on the home stretch. Don't think i ripped my waders so all's well that ends well i suppose :D

words of advice: the headlamp is useless in your car and if you want to learn how to read river currents/bottoms just wade it at night (trial by fire) :o

https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.fish...07d80be331_800

https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.fish...08b80b3ae2_800

https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.fish...08b809eb25_800

https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.fish...08b8125697_800

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Great browns, that last rainbow has been eating well! Sorry to hear about your camera but as usual great story.

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Sometimes the best excuse to buy a new toy is to break your old one :D awesome report and beautiful trout!

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Nothing like taking your lumps and bumps on the water. I feel your pain with the camera having pickled X amount in the past few months do to careless wading and falling down. I now put my camera in a zip lock bag.
Very nice trout, who would have thought jigs would work :D

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

That's a thick, colorful rainbow. Beautiful!

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Nice rainbows but the brown trout are way cooler.

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Chris, get a GoPro for your next camera. No need to worry about getting it wet.

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Great looking fish man!! Sounds like a memorable trip too, lol. My last 2 phones met a watery death so when I was considering what new one to get I had one feature in mind, WATERPROOF!!! Luckily I was still able to plug them in and access the files but the screens are shot........ :D

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

I got a Samsung Galaxy S9+ that is waterproof up to 30 minutes to 30 meters. What a strange feeling it was the first time I stuck it in the river to video a trout release.

Awesome camera on the phone.

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Good deal on the fall trouts! Heh, I hear ya on the 'blind' wading. Sadly I've made that mistake more than a couple of times over the years, getting so wrapped up in the fishing you forget it's a 20-30 minute or more trek back to the vehicle in good light.
Those browns look to be clearly 2 different strains. The second one I clearly recognize, the first could be from a couple different sources though. Regardless it's great to see them!

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Reminds me when I was walking back in the dark on a 1 mile trail through the woods cause I stayed too long fishing. Damn I was scared lol. I couldnt imagine wading. I already get nervous wading where I cant see.

Neat, im wondering how to identify them. Based on color and pattern?

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

the timer on this one that got dunked was not really working anyway so oh well haha. I have some older model cameras that probably take decent pics, but if i bought a new one i'd def get a waterproof. I keep it in a ziplock bag too andy, but it was out cause i just used it haha.

I'm not a big fan of the still pics that the go-pro takes honestly, unless the newer ones take better pics.

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

oh yeah that one bow was a flabby bellied porker. hell of a fight too. the selfie pic is terrible to show it's true size but it was def a piggy.

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

The Olympus TG-5 Waterproof Camera is a great camera for around $450.

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Yeah, pretty much. The spotting patterns of various strains tend to run pretty consistent as do the colorations. However, coloration is very often variable and subject to water color, clarity, streambed color, light levels and spawning seasons. Despite those variables the base shadings often have some degree of consistency to them.
Spotting patterns, spot shapes, and the presence or absence of red, orange, and/or 'haloed' spots generally tend to run with a great dal of consistency within a given hatchery strain or wild population. Chris' second brown has both a coloration and more importantly a spotting pattern and shape that is very consistent with both PA state fish and at least one private hatchery in PA that I sometimes purchase fish from, whereas the first one is far more consistently patterned like an old NJ state fish, most of our NJ wild browns, and to a lesser degree somewhat similar to the fish from the Mancini's Musky Trout Hatchery.
Judging by the overall appearance I would guess both fish are from some hatchery source rather than wild, although the first one could possibly be a wild fish. It's tough to say w/o a closer look on that one.
Again, this is all just my humble opinion, your mileage may vary.

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Thanks Dave :)

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

Awesome trout! I have a hard enough time staying upright walking during the day...cant even think about how tough it would be at night!

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

you know what went through my head "this must be what justin feels like during the day" haha jk and of course i took just as bad a spill in full daylight last time we went to PA too, my ass cheek just stopped hurting the other day HAHA, what the hell is wrong with us :o

Re: Some fine NJ trouting
 

I've tried and tried to identify these fish but idk if it can ever be done with true accuracy, though your explanations are some of the most coherent i've heard. All i can tell you is they're def not state stocked fish and i was in Jersey so they'd have a long way to go from PA across the delaware but i guess anything is possible. more likely a private stocking from the hatchery you're thinking of. although i will say it isn't one of your fish from the spot you told me you stock.