2018 - 2019 Proposed Fish Code Changes

[NJSquatch]

http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2017/fishcode_proposal18.htm

some interesting changes proposed including increasing the Musky size limit

IMO the trout rules are getting way too complicated for the average angler to understand....

[Chrisper4694]

still not sure why they don't slot all game fish, but whatever.

oh crap increased size on eels...now what am i going to eat :confused:

[Fred E. Goose]

oh crap increased size on eels...now what am i going to eat :confused:

Big eels :D

This one gets me...

"Private Fishing Clubs Located On Publicly Stocked Waters May Fish During the Three-week Pre-Season Closure"

So it's closed to everyone, even kids, unless you're part of a prestigious club? I'm not big into trout, but I know plenty of guys that get their kids into fishing by heading out opening day and nailing a few. Private clubs of advanced fishermen shouldn't be allowed to deplete the numbers before it opens up to the rest of the public.

[NJSquatch]

This one gets me...

"Private Fishing Clubs Located On Publicly Stocked Waters May Fish During the Three-week Pre-Season Closure"

So it's closed to everyone, even kids, unless you're part of a prestigious club? I'm not big into trout, but I know plenty of guys that get their kids into fishing by heading out opening day and nailing a few. Private clubs of advanced fishermen shouldn't be allowed to deplete the numbers before it opens up to the rest of the public.

well at least i get something for my 17k!

http://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98584

[AndyS]

Adding 2 more miles of trout stocking on the Rahway river.

[Lard Almighty]

IMO the trout rules are getting way too complicated for the average angler to understand....Agreed, these proposed changes will make things a lot more convoluted. The bucket brigaders will have to start pairing up: one guy fishes, the other guy looks out for the CO!

[thmyorke1]

Interesting. They're really trying their best with brook trout it seems.

Wild Trout Stream changes:
"To help reduce competition with more adaptive exotic trout species
there is no minimum size limit for Brown and Rainbow Trout in these native trout waters"

+ Barbless hooks and only 1 treble.

That note to just kill other trout species that swim with brook trout seems bold.

Also they're going to stop stocking on Rockaway Creek S/Br- which was a stream that was in my interest until I noticed there's hardly any access to it.

Funny how they removed the closure on the black river in Hacklebarney- they admitted that they dont even send game wardens out there because it's too far. (1/2 a mile via trial? Id walk that up via river if the fishing was good!)


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So are these all going to be effective or are they simply proposed?

[youngdumbandfulloffish]

Adding 2 more miles of trout stocking on the Rahway river.

Finally they got something right! That puts them right in my backyard. :p;)

Does anyone know what the last stocking point on the river was?

[Billfish715]

It's still confusing. Take the changes to the SBR for one. The Claremont section will now be a WTS and not a TCA. The WTS will be extended up to the Bartley-Drakestown Road access. That stretch will have no more stocking. The stretch above there will be a Wild Brook Trout sanctuary. You may keep any trout of any size as long as it is not a brook trout.

On the WTS on the SBR you will now be permitted 2 trout ( no brook trout) at 9" and not 1 at 15"

The stream below Schooley's Mt.Rd. will be stocked as usual but you may not harvest any brook trout and only 2 brown trout at 12" may be included in your limit.

As for the Rahway River......Will it get more trout? Will the stream branch coming out of Milton Lake be stocked too?

Don't try to take in all of the changes. Just try to understand the changes that affect where and how you fish.

[NJSquatch]

It's still confusing. Take the changes to the SBR for one. The Claremont section will now be a WTS and not a TCA. The WTS will be extended up to the Bartley-Drakestown Road access. That stretch will have no more stocking. The stretch above there will be a Wild Brook Trout sanctuary. You may keep any trout of any size as long as it is not a brook trout.

On the WTS on the SBR you will now be permitted 2 trout ( no brook trout) at 9" and not 1 at 15"

The stream below Schooley's Mt.Rd. will be stocked as usual but you may not harvest any brook trout and only 2 brown trout at 12" may be included in your limit.


Exactly!!! Way to complicated. What happens when you harvest a legal fish in one zone and make a move to a stretch where that fish is now illegal? Just ridiculous. Especially an issue if you want to check out new waters during the day.

I am a big fan of KISS (keep it simple stupid)

Why not make statewide rules something like this:
9" Min for Rainbows, 6 fish daily creel limit
12" Min for Browns, max 2 fish of 6 fish daily creel limit
Brookies C&R only
TCA C&R only

If the proposed regs go through FGW will have to produce a detailed map showing the limits and regs for each area. I would suggest a large insert in the digest.

Or you could just join a private trout club and do whatever you like....

[AndyS]

I've been asking for a 2 mile extension of trout stocking down to Manville on the Raritan river for better than 5 years now, guess it just fell on deaf ears.

[Billfish715]

Limestone! Mother Nature did the lower Raritan a major disservice by giving it a shale bottom and not limestone. It would have been stocked long ago and would be a world-class trout stream by now. Quite frankly, with all of the different species in the river, it would be hard for F&G to regulate it at this point and you know they would have to do so.

I do agree that with all of the concerns over protecting trout and then dumping trout into places where their life is unsustainable seems a bit hypocritical. The Raritan certainly has demonstrated its ability to support an extended trout stocking program.

[AndyS]

It seemed like many anglers wanted a 2 trout limit in the fall. With the colder months ahead it would seem like the majority of the trout would survive.
The fall stocking is only a fraction of what is stocked in the spring.

[tycomps]

It seemed like many anglers wanted a 2 trout limit in the fall. With the colder months ahead it would seem like the majority of the trout would survive.
The fall stocking is only a fraction of what is stocked in the spring.

I was wondering why there was such a difference between spring/fall quantities too when there's greater longevity in the fall. I ended up keeping a few spring stockies that I caught after the water warmed up because the stress of catching them turned them into floaters when released.