Trout stocking meeting Feb. 28

[baetis]

I know my complaining on the internet isn't going to change anything, but 5 years of just rainbows sucks.

Reading between the lines, it seems to me like the big fear is that the furunculosis hasn't been removed and that's why F&G is leery to try to raise Browns and Brooks.

IMO, if all of our neighboring states can raise a variety of fish, NJ should be able to as well.

It sucks that lakes like Merrill Creek/Shepherds/Swartswood are going to lose out on brown trout for half a decade.

It's kind of pathetic that New Jersey can't even stock its state fish.

[Jigman13]

Originally Posted by baetis

I know my complaining on the internet isn't going to change anything, but 5 years of just rainbows sucks.

No, it doesn't suck. It's better than nothing and I'd rather the state takes its time correcting it. If putting bows in mcr and the other lakes listed is all they want to do for the next 5 yrs, so be it. Other states stock diseased fish. NJ doesn't want to. How can anyone complain about that?!

Give them (the state) time. They'll fix it and get it back to where EVERYONE is happy again... In the meantime, just be glad they're maintaing stock numbers and doing what they can to correct a problem.

[Billfish715]

There a lots of guys on this board who were not around when the NJ trout came from Hackettstown. There were many seasons when NJ had to trade for trout from other states so there would be fish to stock. It was not uncommon for disease to wipe out populations of brook trout mostly. The trout that were stocked were small and a 12 incher was one to brag about. Only a few lakes were stocked and the major streams were closed to fishing until 5 A.M. the morning after they were stocked. Trout fishing has come a long way since then. Appreciate what you have. Rainbows are good for everyone because they are hearty, grow big, pull hard and eat everything making it good for sales of all kinds of bait, lures, flies etc. Win. Win.

[Cshadis92]

I live down the street from seelys. I can tell you all if you're going anywhere near 78, which seelys is, just keep going to other bodies of water. Between n branch, s branch, rockaway creek, etc, seelys pond is not the destination for trout if you're already in your car lol. I live friggin steps away from the res and I've never, ever dropped a line in here. Everyone talking about the poaching and all that is 100% correct. Far as all rainbows being stocked, I'm cool w that! Any trout stocked is a bonus. But this ice right now.........not such a bonus.

[Jigman13]

I've got a special relationship with seelys. Nailed a 6 lb brownie in there haha! I've also bailed fish there on opening days and days after when guys were sitting on the bank picking their asses and noses (in no particular order). They were baiting and waiting, or throwing absurd lures. I throw one of my three go-tos and catch..

[surfrod]

the division posted interesting stats on catch rates of (stocked) rainbows vs browns/brooks at the batsto meeting.

not sure if it's online anywhere, but there is a sharp uptake in the catch rates of rainbows vs. the other two species.

[Dave B.]

Lots of good comments here from different perspectives, always a good thing as the differences of opinion are what make for constructive discussions that often lead to productive changes,

I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who recalls the 'bad old days' of trout production at Hackettestown. 'Billfish' is dead on when he says a 12 incher was a bragger back then, and that the brookies were usually the most impacted by disease at Hackettestown and NJ regularly had to obtain fish from other states and/or the Federal hatchery system just to be able to carry out a reasonable spring stocking. Fall and winter stockings were not even thought of!

As 'Jigman' says, other states choose to stock diseased fish regularly. This includes PA, who offered to take our diseased trout last year to stock in their waters. Given that info it's very possible the outbreak at Pequest was a result of an osprey or other raptor picking up the pathogen just a few miles away in PA and transmitting it to Pequest. No way to ever prove or dis-prove it but something that certainly bears consideration.

As for poaching, anywhere, if anyone is aware of a problem of this sort I would strongly urge you to report it, even if you're unable to at the moment it occurs. If it's a chronic problem somewhere at least the CO's can make an effort to step up enforcement there.

Thanks to 'Surfrod' for reminding me of the stats on the rainbow-vs-brook/brown situation. The short version is that in both 2012 and 2013 F&W had conducted a test to determine which species performed best with regards to Opening Day angler success. This was in direct response to angler input by the way, so they do hear our opinions believe it or not. Anyway the resulting Opening Day angler survey numbers showed the rainbows being caught 8 times more frequently than brooks. That is, a ratio of 8 to 1. To make an even stronger point, that 8 times greater number of rainbows caught was achieved by about half the number of anglers, so it definitely made a very strong case for stocking rainbows in the pre- and early season periods. That being the case the Div. was already moving towards a predominantly rainbow production format, although at the time still retaining some brook and brown production. Unfortunately the situation at Pequest last year pretty much forced their hand in the matter.

Personally I prefer a multi-species stocking regimen for many reasons. I like the idea of not knowing for sure what species I might be catching. I enjoy the challenge of trying to determine what species might be holding in a certain type of run, pool, etc.

Be that as it may, as 'Jigman' said, I'm just glad to have a full stocking program back on track, although last year there were plenty of trout around in most major streams all summer long despite the drastically shortened stocking schedule. My thanks to all those who opted out of trout fishing last year, I had a stellar year as a result! I really enjoyed Andy's posting pics of all the trout he encountered on his SBR trips! He proved the point that the shortened stocking didn't hurt the fishery nearly as badly as some guys were making it seem.