Lake trout stocking for 2013:

[AndyS]

Lake Trout—9"
• Merrill Creek Reservoir (1,300) • Monksville Reservoir (4,007)

Since the biologists have seen a steady increase in the number of naturally reproducing lake trout in Merrill Creek they are slowly stopping their stocking efforts there. We can only hope in the future, the number of lake trout stocked in the state goes to 0. Why keep a program alive for only 2 lakes, and if Round Valley is any indication on how anglers perceive lake trout then I really see this program shutting down soon.

The numbers stocked last year at Merrill Creek were 3,250, and Monksville was 2,430. I know alot of people target lake trout in Monksville (yeah right!) More like we get alot of big muskies fattening up on small lake trout there.

[FASTEDDIE29]

I can assure you most of the Lakers in Monksville get destroyed by the Eyes and Musky! Most of em that survive wind up in the Wanaque res. Lakers in Monksville, bad idea F&G, just like the silly trout they used to stock. MUSKY CANDY!!!

[Skunk City]

Hybrid Striped Bass in Monksville would be a whole lot more exciting...

[AndyS]

Want changes ? Do what I do. Attend meetings open to the public and when I'm not fishing I am writing letters.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/contactform.htm

Like I said before, now more than ever they guys at F&G want to know what you want and what you think.

[flatcreek]

Originally Posted by Skunk City

Hybrid Striped Bass in Monksville would be a whole lot more exciting...

Never fished Monksville, but hybrid anywhere sounds good to me. They are my favorite freshwater fish, lake trout not so much.

[acabtp]

i like the lakers

[jrock]

I dont understand all this hate for the lake trout. They are good table fare and readily willing to bite in all seasons. I can go out to round valley and catch lake trout on just about every outing. I love the fact that I can catch panfish in a ditch one day and troll 120 feet of water for lakers the next without leaving the state. Noone seems to have a problem with monksville res. Which is a beautifull place, that is stocked with walleye, musky, and lake trout with so few reports of any of these fish being harvested. Now I consider myself a decent life long fisherman and have caught musky, walleye, and lake trout in just about every available lake in the state yet have spent countless hours on monks. Without a single musky walleye or laker. And I have Hurd countless similar reports. Now are these fish geneticaly altered to be smarter lol don't think so but regaurdless in my opinion I don't care what the state says I don't believe everything they tell us, I believe they are not stocking it as reported or the res for whatever reason can not hold as many fish as people assume. And if they are stocking it well and the fish are in there what's the point if they are not being caught. Maybe stock times should be listed and people can witness these stockings and not just pay for the licenses and increase's because the state says they are expanding. Just one fishermans humble opinion.

[AndyS]

I'm sure by now everyone on here knows my beef with lake trout. Hook them, they roll like a catfish, blow bubbles and float to the surface. Gimme a big brown trout anyday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZt2HquSvbA

[Fishon1982]

Don't know much about fish going over into the wanaque res but I would like to just stick to stocking eyes and musky and make it a great fishery for them. Stick trout stocking to lakes that have them in there already and try to make different waters for different species instead of try to make them all have multi species fish men will travel to fish I drive a hour and a half to fish Merrill and round valley I will travel for different fish if the lake are really great to fish that's just me tho.

[Fishon1982]

And I enjoy catching lakers too just like any other fish a big fish will fight like a big fish all fishing is fun from sunnies to 30lbs salmon