Your Predictions on the Future of Fishing in NJ

[Bruce Litton]

Specifically, I'm concerned about the South Branch & North Branch smallmouth population, but since I haven't done nearly as much fishing on either this year, it's possible my observations are isolated flukes. But Stony Brook in Mercer used to be loaded with smallmouths. And I never saw anyone else fish them; normally I caught a dozen bass on an outing, sometimes a lot more. This went on through all my teen years, steady.

And then my son and I visited 10 years ago until about five years ago, faithfully checking up on a stream that was foundational to me in so many respects. Dead? No. But close to it. Again, we saw no one else fishing it. Apparently, the situation hadn't changed: hordes during trout season, abandonment thereafter. My brother Rick used to fish Stony with me, and he got into checking on it with his son during these same recent year. Same observation.

Is it fishing pressure? Apparently not. But there's no way I can be certain. It just doesn't sit with me that that's the cause. So what is it? And can the SB & NB decline similarly?

[Dave B.]

Originally Posted by Bruce Litton

Specifically, I'm concerned about the South Branch & North Branch smallmouth population, but since I haven't done nearly as much fishing on either this year, it's possible my observations are isolated flukes. But Stony Brook in Mercer used to be loaded with smallmouths. And I never saw anyone else fish them; normally I caught a dozen bass on an outing, sometimes a lot more. This went on through all my teen years, steady.

And then my son and I visited 10 years ago until about five years ago, faithfully checking up on a stream that was foundational to me in so many respects. Dead? No. But close to it. Again, we saw no one else fishing it. Apparently, the situation hadn't changed: hordes during trout season, abandonment thereafter. My brother Rick used to fish Stony with me, and he got into checking on it with his son during these same recent year. Same observation.

Is it fishing pressure? Apparently not. But there's no way I can be certain. It just doesn't sit with me that that's the cause. So what is it? And can the SB & NB decline similarly?

Stony Brook has suffered the same fate as Neshanic (Creek)River. Far too much development in the watershed that both draws down the aquifers via individual wells and also prevents aquifer replenishment due to impermeable surfaces, i.e. roads, driveways, sidewalks, roofs, etc.

I used to fish both streams a great deal when I was young. Stony had a good to great smallie pop and Neshanic had a tremendous smallie pop. My first time fishing with my Dad was in the Neshanic in 1963. Spent a LOT of my youth wet wading many miles of that crick. Now it dries up most summers. The last time I fished it was about 10 years ago. I found LMB, bullheads and a few chubs. Not a single smallie despite hitting areas from Amwell Rd to Manners Rd, along Welisewitz and on down to Rainbow Hill and Black Pt/Montgomery. Extemely disappointing to put it quite mildly.

The lower SBR has some degree of protection from such a fate due to its role in the NJWSA system. As long as they need to use Spruce Run and RVR to maintain the mainstem flows the lower SBR will be fairly safe.

Thanks in great depth to the work of folks like Andy and the CJST both branches and the mainstem have a good fighting chance to survive as strong, viable fisheries.

[Esox Luciano]

Originally Posted by catfishonthelake

New Jersey is a tough place to fish, always has been and always will be. We are the most populated state in the country and I think it's safe to say that our waters get pounded more than anywhere else. If anyone has ever fished out of state, or on a private lake, I think it's safe to say that our public waters in NJ just don't stack up to other places in the country. That's not saying you can't catch fish, but I just feel like some of the destinations I've gone too in New York, West Virgina, Pennsylvania, Virginia etc. do not have anything equivalent here in the Garden State.

I think a lot has to do with pressure, and people are going to jump on me for saying this, but these boards are part of the problem. 5 years ago I could go ice fishing on Pompton Lake, be the only person out there on a Sunday, jig up 70 panfish and have a 20 flags with pike, big bass and big pickerel all day. People still have some good days there, but the place is an absolute zoo now and it's nothing in comparison to what it was. And that has only been a few short years. I've been saying this all along, but watch what happens to the Passaic River pike fishery 5 years from now. Once you alert the bucket brigade, it's only a matter of time.

One thing we have going for us is that less people are fishing these days. Kids want iPads, not fishing rods. Laurie at Dow's told me she used to rent 40 boats on a weekend back in the day. On the other side of it, I see more saltwater guys eventually getting fed-up with all the BS they have to deal with and maybe taking up freshwater fishing.

The other thing we have going for us is that we have the best hatchery in the country. The state is constantly assessing fish populations and replacing what it lost. I can honestly say that I have not seen much of a decline in our fisheries since I first started freshwater fishing in NJ 20 years ago. In fact, it's gotten so much better, with more species diversity and more angling opportunities.

The invasive species, meh. They'll be here, but nature will adapt. The flatheads are not new and neither are the snakeheads. I've talked to Lake St. Clair guides and St. Lawrence Guides and everyone was all freaked out about zebra mussels and gobies, but the common belief among guys in the know is that the fisheries adapted. I fished for 3 days with a Potomac River guide this year for snakeheads and he says that the hype is definitely overplayed. We fished hard for snakes for 3 days and although we could see them, we couldn't get one to bite. And we caught like 30 bass.

So, after all of that......my prediction for the future of NJ fisheries....not much different then what it is now. Some lakes will be become less productive, some will get better. New Jersey has always forced anglers to fish a little harder, walk a little further in the woods, spend some time getting lost in the car and digging on Google maps nowadays. For those willing to put in the time, we will always have quality fishing.

That being said, promoting catch and release is the most important thing we can do as anglers. Just because it's legal to bring home a bucket of 50 panfish while they're spawning, does't mean you should do it. Just because it's legal to keep a big musky, doesn't mean you should do it. If you see someone fishing illegally or taking illegal fish, forget about being a snitch, report them. The future in NJ fishing depends on anglers protecting the resource we have.

Very well said.

[MudCat08]

When the last keeper bass, catfish, and pike has been caught out of our waters, i suspect carp will be the next huge thing