Random rainbow trout from raritan tributary

[thmyorke1]

After the council meeting I had time to kill while around bound brook.

Figured I'd explore a different stretch of a stream, hoping for new creek chub spots.

Wasnt long till I hit a nice hole. Looked like chub-gardens, but soon something went unexpected! Get a weird hit and soon this large fish comes off. Trout? No cant be... Big fallfish? I continue. Get a follow right when Im about to reel in my lure to the bank. Rainbow behind it! No connection. Keep fishing around with high hopes.

Turned out catching two fall-stockie-like rainbow trout.

This stream is only stocked in the spring, and not even this stretch of river, and these are no spring-stockie trout judging by size + fins are still worn.

My guess is that trout from raritan N/S branch stocking points swam all the way down to bound brook ( at least 9 miles downstream, over two dams) Then entered this tributary, then swam up roughly 2000 ft.

But idk, you be the judge of this raritan miracle





...

Unfortunately I caught no chubs tho

[AndyS]

Where is this stream stocked in the spring ?

[NJSquatch]

The chubby chaser getting the pretty girl! Nice work

[Dave B.]

I'd say likely spring stocked holdovers that made an anticipated spring spawn run up that trib. It appears you have a male and a female. The fins are nicely healed from the old raceway damage so it's likely they've been in the stream awhile. Nice job on yet again finding nice trout in an unlikely setting! Keep up the good work, and document all these locations, especially the main stem Raritan tribs!

[Skunk City]

Love seeing unexpected catches in our rivers. Very cool.

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Where is this stream stocked in the spring ?

East Branch middle brook,however I was downstream and in the main stem if middle brook.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Great catch from the brook man. There’s trout in there for sure. Main stem hits 24 on the gage and at 35,000 cfs!s the fish are gona need somewhere to hide. Gotta hit all the tribs for sure!!!

[Drossi]

With the high water all year we're going to to see more holdover trout popping up in streams sections where their not usually expected. Those damned fish do this funny swimming thing to move around a lot!

[AndyS]

If F&G wants to put chips in trout to track them they should try the Raritan river instead of the Flatbrook.
Yes the stream spring stocked way up in Bridgewater.

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by AndyS

If F&G wants to put chips in trout to track them they should try the Raritan river instead of the Flatbrook.

Unnecessary.

No mystery there. When the river is high & cold they can swim wherever they want.

In the summer, as the river drops & water temperatures rise, they swim upstream to Trout Maintenance waters, or seek out cold springs / seeps in the lower river.