Trout Unlimited Fundraiser for restoring a public Musconetcong River stretch

[americandesi]

Hello everyone. If you enjoy spending time and/or trout fishing on the Musconetcong River please consider donating to a restoration fundraiser. No amount is too small, even it is just $10. Every bit helps.

There is a publicly accessible stretch of the Musconetcong River in Warren County that Trout Unlimited is working to restore so that it provides better year round trout habitat for the wild and stocked trout. I've caught some beautiful trout months after stocking in other restored waters of the Musky. So I wouldn't be posting here if I didn't feel asking for donations would be worth it. Plus also the stretch is open to all types of fishing (spin, bait, fly).


Right now they have partnered with Orvis in a fundraiser where Orvis will match private donations for the next 3 days. The link to donate is below. Please donate if you enjoy trout fishing the Musky, I know the trout will appreciate it.

https://embraceastream.org/projects/central-new-jersey

P.S. If you PM me, I'll share with you how to access the spot.

[acabtp]

have had some great days on the musky. donation sent. thanks for posting this, hopefully a bunch of funds come in while orvis is matching.

[americandesi]

Thank you acabtp!

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by AndyS

The Musconetcong River is one of New Jersey’s premiere cold-water trout rivers and one of the few rivers with a population of wild Eastern Brook Trout.
Really ?? The water comes from Lake Hopatcong and drains into that swamp Lake Musconetcong. The water above Saxton Falls, yes that huge warm water lake. Not taking away from the work of TU but with all the dams on that river and private clubs ?? I fished under Rt. 31 and counted no less that 15 tires in the river in a small section.

You know the Raritan starts in the swamp Budd lake, right? Every ribber's gotta start somewhere haha

[Dave B.]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Yes, and Budd lake is actually naturally made, not man made like the others.

For the record Andy, Lake Hopatcong was an existing natural lake before the dam was built to increase the size and depth and for flood control. The lake is up to 50 feet deep, the dam height is only 17 feet.

Dam Name: Lake Hopatcong Dam Year Completed: 1925

Dam Length: 271 feet Dam Height: 17 feet

Surface Area: 2474 acres Drainage Area: 25.4 square miles

All that aside, by the time the river reaches Changewater, about halfway down its length, it has fully recovered from the thermal issues resulting from the impoundments you mentioned. If the Penwell dam could be removed this would actually be achieved by the time the river gets below Beattystown and on down to the Cliffdale Park area.
From Changewater on down it receives so much limestone influence that in mid to late summer when most other waters have warmed to the point of stress or even death for trout the lower Musky is running in the mid 60's. And yes, it does have wild brookies in the mainstem in the large lower river sections, something that will never happen in the Raritan.
As for tires in the rivers, using old tires for bank stabilization was a standard practice for farmers for a looong time, so removing them can become a lifelong endeavor without end. While unsightly they realistically do little to no damage to the stream environment and in many case actually provide some in-stream habitat where none would otherwise exist, as well as still providing some degree of bank stabilization in areas where they're still anchored to the shore, thus helping to maintain a narrower channel which is better for the overall health of a stream.

I digress...The Musky is a great stream on a strong road to recovering from well over a century of mistreatment. While it will clearly never be what it was before humanity screwed it up, it yet has excellent potential to become a great year-round fishery for many miles of river, and on the 2nd largest Delaware trib in NJ. I don't get to fish it as often as I'd like, but I very much appreciate the efforts being undertaken to improve its overall condition, and on those occasions I am able to wet a line in its waters I am very thankful for the fine angling I can enjoy there even in the middle of the hottest summers.

All that being said, my donation is on its way!

[thmyorke1]

For sakes of more argument; what exactly is being done to make waters more suitable? What's going behind the restoration work? I find it odd how the musky, which is a good stream already, is getting work and other streams aren't. Can't the same operations apply?

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by thmyorke1

For sakes of more argument; what exactly is being done to make waters more suitable? What's going behind the restoration work? I find it odd how the musky, which is a good stream already, is getting work and other streams aren't. Can't the same operations apply?

from the link

The project that we propose will remediate the man-made problems along this 1,200-foot stretch by excavating six pools, making them deep enough to connect to groundwater, providing trout with thermal refuge in summer months. The project will also enhance riffles for macro invertebrate growth and trout spawning, provide in-stream structures to give trout prime feeding lies, and the banks will be restored then planted with native species to prevent future erosion. The project will turn this stretch of the Musconetcong into a much-needed year-round trout refuge.

these kinds of projects could (and do) happen throughout the state. it just takes a dedicated person or organization to plan it, consult with engineers/habitat experts etc, collect funding, and then manage the project to completion. certainly not a small task, but doable. from boots on the ground to donations being sent the more people get involved the more projects can happen, so if you want to see something happen in a particular spot, easiest way to make sure it happens is to get involved

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by acabtp

from the link


these kinds of projects could (and do) happen throughout the state. it just takes a dedicated person or organization to plan it, consult with engineers/habitat experts etc, collect funding, and then manage the project to completion. certainly not a small task, but doable. from boots on the ground to donations being sent the more people get involved the more projects can happen, so if you want to see something happen in a particular spot, easiest way to make sure it happens is to get involved

Thanks for the info. Neat idea to connect it to groundwater to keep it cool.

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by AndyS

An Emergency Clean Up coordinated by Brian Cowden, Trout Unlimited Musconetcong Home Rivers Initiative Coordinator was held on June 25, 2008 to remove the tires and other debris that were revealed under the former Gruendyke Mill Dam pool.

wow... CJ stream team would have a field day there

[acabtp]

Andy, what is the point of this nonsense? Nobody can care about any river but the Raritan?