jaw tag trout

[acabtp]

was doing some dry fly fishing tonight for about an hour before dark and happened to land this little fella who was sporting some jewelery... made my day

http://youtu.be/nQTvneOh6Ks

stole his bling and let him go...

it's from the pequest hatchery, and apparently the trout has been in the stream since the pre-season stockings http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/hookwinr.htm

don't remember seeing any catch reports for these on here... who else landed a pequest tagged trout this year?

[kcritch]

That's cool....you would think that would happen more often...unless guys just don't mention it on here. Never caught a trout before....other than Lakers from RV....but then again I never "really" tried to either.

[Jigman13]

I caught one in Milton Lake the wknd of opening day--brookie. Slightly larger than the cookie cutters they stocked in there. I'm pretty sure I posted a pic of it. Here it is again.

[CadiShackFishing]

I fished next to someone on opening day in the Musky that caught a small brown that had a tag. I wonder how many they tag in a season?

[Polelock]

Send in for your patch!!

[Jigman13]

I think they stock 1,000 tagged stockies thru out the state.

[Billfish715]

I caught a small brookie in the Paulinskill a week or so after opening day well-away from the stocking points. I sent in the tag with the information. I don't think the tag returns are used for tracking fish movement but more for public relations. Maybe they have a program to chart percentages of fish caught. They only tagged brook trout and only 1000 throughout the state. I don't think anyone knows how many go into which streams or lakes. If that's true then the tags are not part of any scientific research.

[lunkertaker]

Part of the Hook a Winner program so get your certificate and patch. I caught one in 2008. Think there are only ~ 1000 fish tagged each year. Got my patch to prove it!

[Wilson]

"Hook-a-Winner" jaw-tags are placed on 1,000 brook trout by hatchery staff prior to stocking each spring. Anglers who catch a Hook-a-Winner trout should send their name, address, fish tag number and location of catch to:

Hook a Winner Program
Pequest Trout Hatchery
605 Pequest Road
Oxford, NJ 07863

In recognition of your catch you will be mailed a certificate and a patch.

Your fishing license money at work

[Lard Almighty]

Originally Posted by lunkertaker

Part of the Hook a Winner program so get your certificate and patch. I caught one in 2008. Think there are only ~ 1000 fish tagged each year. Got my patch to prove it!

Congratulations on your achievement of catching a stocked brook trout!

I caught a jaw-tagged fish a couple of years ago. Left the tag in and let him go, hope some kid caught him again and got a thrill.