Taking my lumps lately on the river. Last week fished the Somerville stretch before the clean up, not a sniff. April 23 fished the Headgates area, Duke Island Park, Robert Street and Orlando Park with only one little stocked Rainbow to show for my efforts. Today 4/24 I decided to hit the Manville/Bridgewater stretch behind Torpey Athletic Field. I wasn't fishing more than 5 minutes when I got locked up into something big ! Fought like crazy running me up and down the river. Finally eased her into the net, ut oh, net too small, she flops out, 2nd attempt with her head way down, got it, a HUGE Rainbow Trout ! Look for a good spot to take a photo on the bank. Took the jig out and laid out the net with the trout on top, reached for my camera and with a flip of her body, bloop, right back into the water !! All I could do was stand and smile as she swam back into the depths. Nice clean fish, great color, full fins, every bit of 5lbs and at least 2 feet long. I have a photo of a similar trout I caught on the Raritan river a few years ago near Robert St and that one was an obvious Brood Stock, this trout was much nicer, and caught far from any stocking points. Some fish were just not meant to be photographed ! Took a photo of the empty net anyway
