Potential Trout Stocking Additions

[Dave B.]

This was originally posted by 'thmyorke1' on the Pequest Trout Meeting thread but I thought it warranted it's own thread to receive the notice it deserves.

[quote "thmyorke1
NJFishing.com Ambassador

Re: Trout Meeting March 3

The idea I had in mind is the Raritan River (main stem) being added to the Fall Stocking program. Specifically just the Duke Island Park stretch and with very few numbers compared to other waters.

I'll be discussing this more at the meeting, feel free to join me there." quote]


Personally I'm fully in favor of this proposal and will support it. If anyone believes this is a worthwhile proposal, showing up to voice your opinion would certainly be helpful. Likewise if anyone has their own thoughts for some change or improvement to the current trout programs, whether about stocked fish or regarding a wild trout stream, this meeting is definitely the place to make your voice heard and hopefully gather support for your ideas.

Hope to see some of my fellow NJF'ers on Sat!

[thmyorke1]

Thanks for the support

[logs22]

I won’t be able to make the meeting but would be much obliged if someone could advocate (on my behalf) adding the Rahway river to the fall stocking list. I know it’s a long shot, but I would argue it is preferable to Echo Lake (which is nearby and the only place in the area that gets fall breeders). My reasoning is - 1) Trout fishing in Fall/winter is just more fun in a river, 2) the Rahway River is more accessible and would provide nearby year round fishing to residents of almost a dozen towns, 3) Echo usually gets a few spring breeders anyway while the Rahway does not so stocking it in the fall would provide an opening day to remember for the lucky few who catch surviving fall stock and 4) while widely disputed many local anglers (myself included) know/believe there are a few places in the river capable of sustaining holdovers while any trout stocked in Echo have ZERO chance of lasting past June/July.

I rest my case.

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by logs22

I won’t be able to make the meeting but would be much obliged if someone could advocate (on my behalf) adding the Rahway river to the fall stocking list. I know it’s a long shot, but I would argue it is preferable to Echo Lake (which is nearby and the only place in the area that gets fall breeders). My reasoning is - 1) Trout fishing in Fall/winter is just more fun in a river, 2) the Rahway River is more accessible and would provide nearby year round fishing to residents of almost a dozen towns, 3) Echo usually gets a few spring breeders anyway while the Rahway does not so stocking it in the fall would provide an opening day to remember for the lucky few who catch surviving fall stock and 4) while widely disputed many local anglers (myself included) know/believe there are a few places in the river capable of sustaining holdovers while any trout stocked in Echo have ZERO chance of lasting past June/July.

I rest my case.

Rahway I'm actually closer to, I checked it out once last early fall and caught some dink largemouth. I have to return.

Rahway just got an additional two miles of stocking with the latest code changes. For spring I believe.

From my understanding, only lower lake gets fall stockies and only at 170.

A low number like that is good for a closed body of water, but for the a river the trout will spread out and there would hardly be any catching.

I figure the state prefers stocking them in the pond since its more accessible and doesn't need a lot of trout. A big concern against stocking the Raritan is that there just isn't enough numbers, and they aren't eager to shave off some from another water body and move em to another.

My idea was that since the a portion of the south branch was assigned as a WTS, no longer needing stocking, that those numbers get put into Duke island park. Additionally whenever waters are too low to stock, like the black river in 2016, the Raritan is designated as plan B since that body of water isn't running short on water flow compared to its headwaters.

The Raritan already has a few trout, it just needs a slight boost to make it a good trout fishery with some direct stocking.

[Jigman13]

Plus the muskies, stripers, rogue pike, flatheads, toad smallies and mongo walleyes could use variety in their diets

[logs22]

Originally Posted by thmyorke1

Rahway I'm actually closer to, I checked it out once last early fall and caught some dink largemouth. I have to return.

Rahway just got an additional two miles of stocking with the latest code changes. For spring I believe.

From my understanding, only lower lake gets fall stockies and only at 170.

A low number like that is good for a closed body of water, but for the a river the trout will spread out and there would hardly be any catching.

I figure the state prefers stocking them in the pond since its more accessible and doesn't need a lot of trout. A big concern against stocking the Raritan is that there just isn't enough numbers, and they aren't eager to shave off some from another water body and move em to another.

My idea was that since the a portion of the south branch was assigned as a WTS, no longer needing stocking, that those numbers get put into Duke island park. Additionally whenever waters are too low to stock, like the black river in 2016, the Raritan is designated as plan B since that body of water isn't running short on water flow compared to its headwaters.

The Raritan already has a few trout, it just needs a slight boost to make it a good trout fishery with some direct stocking.

I think Duke Island Park would be a good stretch to stock. The Duke dam would prevent the trout from moving upstream and the Fish Ladder dam would to some extent prevent the fish from scattering downstream (although some would likely get swept over the dam when the river runs high). I am sure some trout would find there way into the millstone which wouldn’t be a bad thing either.

[AndyS]

Asked for just a 2 mile stretch for fall stocking on the Raritan, from the Headgates to Nevius St. Bridge. How many past fall stockings have we seen big trout being dumped into 3 inches of water ??
Fall stocking limit should be 2 fish also.
I can't speak for the Rahway but they just did get a 2 mile extension on spring stocking, so that is good news.
One of the reasons I thought fall stocking the Raritan would be good is because it is nice to catch big trout in big water. I use the term loosely as I am no stranger to picking apart big rivers like the main stem of the Delaware river. Once you get the hang of fishing big water it's easy to find the fish.

Don't forget, you can submit your ideas to F&W 24/7 if you cannot attend a meeting.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/contactform.htm

[phil]

Originally Posted by logs22

I won’t be able to make the meeting but would be much obliged if someone could advocate (on my behalf) adding the Rahway river to the fall stocking list. I know it’s a long shot, but I would argue it is preferable to Echo Lake (which is nearby and the only place in the area that gets fall breeders). My reasoning is - 1) Trout fishing in Fall/winter is just more fun in a river, 2) the Rahway River is more accessible and would provide nearby year round fishing to residents of almost a dozen towns, 3) Echo usually gets a few spring breeders anyway while the Rahway does not so stocking it in the fall would provide an opening day to remember for the lucky few who catch surviving fall stock and 4) while widely disputed many local anglers (myself included) know/believe there are a few places in the river capable of sustaining holdovers while any trout stocked in Echo have ZERO chance of lasting past June/July.

I rest my case.

totally agree on the rahway, wish they would figure out a way to dredge it also. im tired of hearing stories from my OG neighbors about how it used to be 10'+ deep all the way from the parkway overflow to the train bridge.

[logs22]

Originally Posted by phil

totally agree on the rahway, wish they would figure out a way to dredge it also. im tired of hearing stories from my OG neighbors about how it used to be 10'+ deep all the way from the parkway overflow to the train bridge.

Consider yourself lucky south-sider! The sediment buildup on the north side of town is much worse. The stretch from the N. union Dam up to the footbridge is practically devoid of life (monstrous carp and snapping turtles not included). While the dam at N. Avenue does provide some uniform depth for that stretch you can see just how bad the silt buildup is whenever they open the flood gates in anticipation of a big storm. Nothing but muck until you get up to Nomahegan Park where the effects of the dam are diminished and you start to see some rocks, pools, riffles, etc. The mill dam on the south side on the other hand fails in a dams main purpose (to retain water) because one of the flood gates has been stuck in the ‘open’ position for years. So you get all the downside of a dam (sediment buildup) without any of the upside (increased depth). Supposedly the next phase in the Army Corp. of Engineers flood mitigation plan is going to include both dredging as well as repairs to the mill dam but I will believe it when I see it.

It’s unfortunate that the plan advocated by the experts and considered the only plan that might have a measurable impact on flood mitigation in Cranford was shot down by our neighbors to the north (ahem, Milburn) because the plan called for construction of a massive dam in the south mountain reservation which would have created an enourmous reservoir that encompasses not only what is now Orange Reservoir but also those two ponds further downstream. That reservoir could then be drawn down before storms to absorb the floodwaters coming from farther north. In my mind that plan would have been ideal - it would have helped protect my home from flooding and also would have created an amazing body of water nearby for fishing and recreation.

Ps - if you want 10’ deep pools in the Rahway just venture to the other side of the parkway. Last summer I paddled from Bloodgoods up to the parkway and could hardly believe the depths I was seeing on sonar. Numerous spots up to 12’ deep. Hard to believe one of the healthiest stretches of the whole river is the part that parallels the states busiest highway.

[Dave B.]

[QUOTE=logs22;503082]

It’s unfortunate that the plan advocated by the experts and considered the only plan that might have a measurable impact on flood mitigation in Cranford was shot down by our neighbors to the north (ahem, Milburn) because the plan called for construction of a massive dam in the south mountain reservation which would have created an enourmous reservoir that encompassed not only what is now Orange Reservoir but also those two ponds further downstream. That reservoir could then be drawn down before storms to absorb the floodwaters coming from farther north. In my mind that plan would have been ideal - it would have helped protect my home from flooding and also would have created an amazing body of water nearby for fishing and recreation. QUOTE]

Interesting, I was not aware of that plan. Another potential benefit might have been the creation of a tremendous tail water fishery if the dam had been designed as a bottom release. Can you imagine?!