Re: Fall trout stocking:
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!
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