Some intel from the hatchery

[Michael82929]

Just a heads up from some inside intel

Hatchery has more fish than estimated for spring trout stocking.

Last week and this week - most trucks had 2200 - 2400 fish for stocking but were upped to 3200 which is almost a full truck.

Should happen again this week.

This should happen for the major streams in NJ

All stockies, but sometimes they have soem big fish left over and they throw them in, but just so you know, once the browns start going into the water, they stop throwing in the bigones

[Capt. Lou]

Here's some intel from Capt Lou, I have not caught a medium trout yet this year. I'm referring to 15 to 20" fish! I have a couple of big girls & mucho stockies but that intermidiate size is missing in my creel. Usually get about two dozen or so in that range not this season. Albeit some caught in fall as well.I only fish three major streams and I must conceed that my stream travels were limited until now with a bad sprained knee & sometime by high water.
However I can still get to many of the spots I ahve previuosly caught those med trout, nada this season! Any intel on this or is it just my bad luck!!

[Michael82929]

I would have to say bad luck

The brood stock which is stocked in the preseason up until half way thorough the stocking season

Preseason say up until week 2 have a mix of 16 - 21 inch fish

Week three and four (over the last two years) they have been putting those bomber browns and rainbows in from 4 - 9 pounds. I mean there huge. Trying to fling them in the nets is funny compared to throwing stocked fish.

Last two seasons, the stocked fish, they way the biologists grew them had a bunch of chunky 12 - 15 stocked fish which was really nice to see

This year, wasnt the case with not as many 12 - 15 stocked fish.

Years past - the stocking would go preseason to week two of all sizes from 16 -21 inches.

Week two/three would have just 16 - 19 inch brood stock and the last week would have bomber browns and rainbows to 6 pds.

So I would say its bad luck.. there are a ton of fish in the stream right now and with the high waters, June should be really good for NJ trout anglers.

Hope this helps

[Capt. Lou]

Thanks for your reply, however after 30 some trips on a couple of bodies of water that are majors & I really only target big trout hard to believe.
Furthermore on opening day usually I witness several caught not this year witnesed a 14" brookie taken other than that zilch. I even left my favorite body of water at noon w/o a touch!! Past yrs a have consistently caugth ypwards of 20 plus on the oprener with a couple of mid sizr thrown in ! I'm not doing anything different, high water can throw you a few curves but I've caught under those conditions for many years! I don't know I must really be in a slump!!

[Michael82929]

Lou - this was the worst opening day I can remember......

The season started off slow and this weather hasnt helped...

[Almaink]

I saw a guy pull a 28" Brook trout from the D&R canal last week. Biggest fish I've even seen come out of there. Biggest fish I've caught this year was 14 1/2" smallest was 7" and I was shocked they stocked one that small in the canal.

[AndyS]

I don't think they did stock the canal. There were a few floods where the canal and the raritan river became one. The biggest river trout I've seen taken in NJ have come out of the raritan river.

[Almaink]

D&R Feeder canal I'm talking about Andy. It's in West Trenton and yes it is stocked.

[AndyS]

I always get the "canal" mixed up, right away I think the lower end of the D&R canal here in South Bound Brook, which by the way has a good population of walleye according to local intel.

[Capt. Lou]

Originally Posted by Michael82929

Lou - this was the worst opening day I can remember......

The season started off slow and this weather hasnt helped...

Don't get me wrong prior to these floods I have been taking 6 to 10 on a abbreviated day, with my re haabed knee curtailing the normal ground I could cover. I'm sure that I would be taking upwards of 20 a day if I were not restricted. I also bagged a couple of bows over 6 #'s ,so I'm only saying with all my trime on the water it's really tough to believe I can't catch one of
those mid size trout if even by accident!! The streams I key in are are the primo in NJ , hell in previous yrs, I've done better with mid size fish in the fall winter season, but I always got several in spring,very frustrating this yr.
I'll keep at it I fish thru June if wtaer remains good temp wise for non kill releasas I'll fish thru as much of summer as I can. All this rain just might keep temps reasobnable, who really knows until its over.
Thanks for your input !!