Finally - 10/23 - Trout
 

Finally got to fish for a couple of hours this afternoon. Between work and a recent hernia repair have not had much opportunity to fish - but had to try.

Fished the North Branch from around 2:30 to 4:30. After wading for about 1/2 hour hit a nice rainbow ~ 15" and ~ 1.5 lbs. Release her and hit another about 17" within 3 casts. Slowed down so stumbled downstream about 1/4 mile with no action.

Slowly worked my way back to the section where I hit the 2 females and in the last 10 minutes of fishing caught 3 male bows - each around 18", dark with kypes forming.

Tried streamers and nymphs but they seemed to want only a black bead-head wooley bugger. Interestingly - the males all had one pectoral fin that looked like a nub - didn't look clipped, but looked rubbed off - like tails during spawning. The females were only slightly colored - fat with small mouths.

Great couple of hours - I'll pay for it tomorrow but it was worth it>

Re: Finally - 10/23 - Trout
 

Funny, we fished same day and got skunked on trout. And we tried black Woolley buggers! We switched to scuds an started catching everything but trout. Go figure

Re: Finally - 10/23 - Trout
 

I've been fishing the big deep run below the Queens bridge in Bound Brook during the week every now and then and only managed a nice smallmouth.
Sunday I went to Duke Island Park and got nothing, then down to Roberts Street and got nothing, then down to Nevius Street and got nothing.

Re: Finally - 10/23 - Trout
 

Fished the spillway at Nevius before I fished the North Branch - and I must say this year has been pretty poor at that location. In years past would have caught a few trout and lots of smallmouths this time of year. I was surprised that I didn't get a hit in an hour's fishing. Same thing happened last year - they must not be stocking in the fall at this location.

Several years ago you would typically catch a few (large) trout between Nov and Feb - and quite a few large smallmouth during Oct and Nov. I did notice many of the locals keeping fish caught over the summer - saw many smallmouths and other fish kept. May account for the decrease in the bass/panfish population - or maybe just a down cycle. Hope it's a temporary thing.

Re: Finally - 10/23 - Trout
 

Only the N. Branch & S. Branch are stocked in the fall,......not the mainstem Raritan R.