Big Brown Trout in Spruce Run:

[Mike M]

Originally Posted by jimmythegreek

I dont get how they can hold over in there. I fished it once last july and the thermocline was 9-10 feet down with water temps in the low 80s.

They could move up into the feeder streams. I caught a much smaller brown last year in Mulhockaway Creek that was very silver just like this one.

[AndyS]

It's all good, fish are funny little critters. When you think they are gonna zig they zag, they constantly keep us guessing. The more questions we ask, the deeper our thoughts are carried. I like to ask the question, why.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Nice one Phil!!! How you doing with the Stripers in Spruce buddy?

[flatcreek]

Not to good on the stripes. But that was a nice surprise and I mean a surprise. The last thing I expected a 21+ inch brown maybe a pike or stripe but I'll take it. 5-6 ft down on a herring about 8:30 PM. Maybe 9:30 not sure the pic looks like it's dark.

[GetANet]

Beautiful Brown, Made me happy to see who caught it!!! Always makes me happy when someone I know catches BIG FISH!!!! Way to Go!!!!!

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by Mike M

They could move up into the feeder streams. I caught a much smaller brown last year in Mulhockaway Creek that was very silver just like this one.

That's right.

Just like in other Non-Trout (get too warm in the summer for the trout to holdover) Waters,… a few trout are able to find coldwater seeps, springs & survive.

These trout are few & far between.

[Super]

Spruce Run isn’t good trout water. All summer there is no dissolved oxygen in the cooler, deeper parts of the lake where the trout would thrive.

With that said, they obviously can survive.

Spruce Run gets stocked with pike, wipers and channel cats and those fish do well in that lake. Much rather see state resources spent on stocking fish that flourish in Spruce Run.

[Eskimo]

.

Do a lot of people fish Spruce Run at night?

I was there Saturday (if anyone was there and saw a fisherman in a small, green kayak, -that was me) and as I was getting off the water in the late evening, the reservoir came alive with boats and even a kayak getting ON the water.

[AndyS]

"Spruce Run isn’t good trout water." But the duck pond in Edison is good trout water. Countless duck ponds get stocked in New Jersey, I see no reason not to put trout in Spruce Run.

Wednesday, April 10
Atlantic, Burlington & Camden Counties
Birch Grove Park Pond
Gloucester City Pond
Grenloch Lake
Hammonton Lake
Heritage Park Pond
Laurel Pond
Oak Pond
Rowands Pond
Monmouth & Ocean Counties
Englishtown Mill Pond
Garvey's Pond
Hamilton Fire Pond
Holmdel Park Pond
Mohawk Pond

All get trout stocked, along with Branch Brook Park Pond, Echo lake, lake Musconetcong and LAKE HOPATCONG !!
and......the Hackensack river. Green Turtle pond, Colonial lake and Pemberton get stocked with trout also.

[Mark B.]

True, the duck ponds, like Spruce Run are not good trout waters.

However, unlike Spruce Run, the duck ponds are in urban areas with high populations of anglers. And, being way smaller in size, the trout are concentrated & therefore easier to catch. F & W stocks them in the spring when the water is cold & can support trout, to provide a unique, seasonal opportunity for urban anglers to catch & keep trout. Yes, we want them to keep the trout, before they succumb to the warm water. These are “put & take” trout waters.

Years ago, Spruce Run had the water quality to support trout over the summer. That is, the trout could holdover. And, we stocked trout,……it was a “put, grow & take” trout water (as Lake Hopatcong still is). But no longer for Spruce Run,….it now gets too warm. Granted an occasional nice trout is caught. One that found a cold water seep, spring or tributary to survive in. But these fish are few & far between.

I’m getting tired of repeating myself.