MAIN STEM RARITAN RIVER
(Bound Brook) - From confluence of North and South Branches to Landing Lane bridge in New Brunswick and all freshwater tributaries downstream of Landing Lane bridge. FW2-NT
“FW2” means the general surface water classification applied to those fresh waters that are not designated as FW1 or Pinelands Waters.
NT = “Nontrout waters” means fresh waters that have not been designated in N.J.A.C. 7:9B-1.15I through (i) as trout production or trout maintenance. These waters are generally* not suitable for trout because of their physical, chemical or biological characteristics, but are suitable for a wide variety of other fish species.
The above from:
http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/rules/njac7_9b.pdf
* Undoubtedly, there are cold water seeps / springs that maintain some trout over the summer months, but not many.
Within the above stretch of the main stem NT waters, trout are stocked in the spring & fall (when the water is cold enough to support them) @ Duke Island Park & Nevius St., Raritan because of the abundant public access. That’s where the vast majority of trout below Rt. 206 are coming from. And, of course, from the trout stocked in the NT & Trout Maintenance sections of the North & South Branches.
It is great that volunteer conservation groups are removing tires / other man made debris from the river. But, that action is not going to improve the water quality for the classification to be upgraded to Trout Maintenance from Non-Trout.
The title of this thread, Main stem Raritan "plenty of fish",..........says it all.
The fish are already there, & plenty of them. There is no need to stock.
As Brown Trout are no longer being raised @ Pequest, none are being stocked in the Manansquan River. The sea run program was initiated to make use of surplus browns that were not needed in our inland waters.
