Fall trout stocking:

[AndyS]

All waters traditionally stocked with trout in the fall will be stocked this year. That’s the good news.

But the Division of Fish and Wildlife won’t be stocking 20,000 two-year-old 14-16-inch rainbows and brookies and three-year-old broodstock stocked in rivers like they did in fall of 2013.

This fall they’ll stock yearling rainbows 25,000 averaging nine inches and no broodstock in popular 16 rivers. South Jersey gets nine-inchers and 300 broodstock averaging 20-inch-plus in 14 lakes and ponds and the Maurice River in South Jersey.

Principal Fisheries Biologist Chris Smith reported Tuesday to the Fish and Game Council about the 2014 fall trout anticipated stocking program. The numbers will be finalized later in the month, and stocking starts Oct. 7 in the rivers and Oct. 14, South Jersey.

[baetis]

In my humble opinion, they shouldn't even bother stocking the 9" fish. No meat on the fish and no fight. Let them grow for next fall.

Whatever happened with the sampling in the Gorge to see if the disease spread to rainbows?

[Capt. Lou]

No brood stock for north jersey streams ? Did I miss something ?
They should forget the yearlings !

[Almaink]

Another dumb move by F&G. Makes ya wonder who is minding the store over there.

[NorthJerzyG]

Thanks for the update!

Probably stocking whatever they can to avoid the "I paid for a stamp" outrage. Just let em fatten up over the winter and catch in the spring, lol.........

[Jigman13]

Something is better than nothing in the minds of most. I see nothing wrong with it so long as the fish are clean. The minimal pressure they receive in the late fall/winter will allow those fish to fatten up and grow some. Even if they didn't stock, there's still LOADS of trout in the primary rivers, anyway.

The purchase of trout stamps is heavily weighted towards the spring stocking and by mid- to late-May, the annual spring trout guys that fish for a few wknds are turning their efforts elsewhere. I would think less than 10% of the hoards that fish in the spring actually fish come autumn.

Almaink, I have to disagree with you on this, respectfully of course. The 25,000 fish they plan to stock will grow. They'll be a bit larger in April and they'll ideally have a bit more vigor after being in a wild environment for 6 months eating real food.

[jimmythegreek]

theres still lots of trout in the rivers even tho the stocking was very light. They shouldnt bother and dump em all in RV and MC to fatten up. Forget the trout stamp complainers, I buy a license for myself and my girl w trout stamps every year and havent fished for them in years. I just imagine the young kid catching a trout and the smile on their face, thats worth the 20 bucks to me anyday

[FASTEDDIE29]

Everytime I've gone bait fishing recently I've been greeted by some nice sized Browns averaging 12-15 inches. The fish are there, go get em! I'm sure Fish & Game is doing everything possible to fix the issues there having. No worries, there's always something to catch in our lil state of NJ! Be patient and the Trout will be plentiful again for all. I've had my fair share of limits this summer and most of them were accidental catches. CHILLAX boyz and girlz! ITS ALL GOOD!!!!:D

[Mikey topaz]

So those 9 inchers are really those 6 inchers they dump in every year.....

[catfishonthelake]

Thanks goodness. Need those trout to fatten up the muskies in a couple waters I frequent.

[Jigman13]

Thanks goodness. Need those trout to fatten up the muskies in a couple waters I frequent.

Lol nice...

[Capt. Lou]

When ur counting on one hatchery to supply just about all ur trout for the entitre states stocking then someone should have been up on the hatcheries
possible weak points!
This pro active management style not reactive should have been followed to prevent this disease from occuring or at least stemming its huge impact on trout its now having.
Im not hindsighting anyone , just wondering why this disease was not prevented or at least controlled to a better degree.
The NJ hatcheries record is exemplery on all fronts until this occurence, I cannot believe all those managers were not up to speed on something as important as disease prevention or control to mitigate some of this impact on the states fish.
I buy out of state license since I'm a PA resident & will contuine to do so,Ive always felt its worth the extra few bucks since many prime streams r close by.
Summing it up Ive had a great year since angling pressure way down, so im not personally upset, just wondering can this happen again & perhaps be wider spread or R proper steps being taken to curtail this in the future?
I know money is a constant issue but if a small increase in license fees would help I would ante up no ?'s asked!!:cool:

[jimcnj]

theres still lots of trout in the rivers even tho the stocking was very light. They shouldnt bother and dump em all in RV and MC to fatten up. Forget the trout stamp complainers, I buy a license for myself and my girl w trout stamps every year and havent fished for them in years. I just imagine the young kid catching a trout and the smile on their face, thats worth the 20 bucks to me anyday

Same. I'm going to buy the stamp anyway. My daughter caught one trout on opening day and it was worth it.

[Michael82929]

Their is a reason they are releasing the 9 inch trout into the water.

Most likely to make room since they probably need to mass produce fish now so they can allot for the next three years to replenish the brood stock.

Since these fish have already been in the hatchery, they are probably looking to get every strain out of the runways just in case you have a sleeper fish with disease not to spoil "the bunch"

Just an opinion.. not fact but can look into it...

[Dave B.]

The main reason they're releasing 9" trout is because that's all they have. These fish are from last fall's eggs and they've been able to accelerate their growth a bit via tight rearing controls (i.e. population densities in the raceways, temp/flow/O2 levels, etc) and a bit of extra feed to achieve the 9" length in time for the fall stocking.
These fish will grow rather quickly once in the streams, and as others have stated will not only provide some sport this fall but as well many will holdover and grow to provide additional action come spring.

On top of all that I can assure you in no uncertain terms that there are still plenty of trout left in the major waters from this spring! I've been fishing the Flatbrook, Paulinskill, Musky and even the Pequest a time or two and all have ample quantities of mighty nice sized spring rainbows still swimming around in them. Many of those fish have already grown to 14-15+ inches and have become damn hard fighters!
Even the S.Br.Raritan has trout a-plenty still swimming around as Andy has proven so many times this summer with the pics he's posted!
With the addition of these fall stocked fish the autumn trouting ought to be pretty damned good in my humble opinion! Get out there and get ya some in between chasing those toothy Esox critters and stalking whitetails and turks!

[liveitup1.75liter]

Im 100% cool wit the state fillin up my outdoor bait tanks!!! Especially if we get that ice again this year.. chow up chow up toothy monsters.. give the state a break ppl they been keepin us in excellent fishing in all my years.. could they have done things diff.. yea.. but unforeseen probloems is reffered to as life.. no one else predicted it but now wanna say they should have done this or that..really ladies..