Some great info from the State on spring trout stocking:

[AndyS]

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/news/2014/troutmtg14.htm

It's all there, one stop shopping.

[JimmyMas]

Would like to know what stretches of the D&R canal will be stocked. And The Raritan below Duke Falls receiving 24,000 fish should make for some good fishing now that the three dams below have been removed.

[Wilson]

Surprised to see the Pequest being stocked. I guess it's not a natural reproduction stream and the Saddle River is

[dfish28]

lol ever watch Outbreak?... On a side note, imagine if we had a fishery like other areas where the fish go to sea then actually make it back to breed. I would be happy for my time here if it happened before,nice to see some of the placements... I actually work for Shadow Lake village condos... can you say lunch! maybe even before, but that lake has been stocked every year since I have been there, so I think thats just a slight of hand before they dredge it out... maybe. But thats small in comparison to the Raritan, hope they make it! c.p.r. baby!

[AndyS]

So if you put 1,000 trout per mile in the Raritan river below the Headgates in Duke Island Park, that would mean New Brunswick will see stocked trout in the spring. o_0

[Dave B.]

'Wilson' if you read my post on the S.J. Freshwater Fisheries Forum you'll see that only the un-affected rainbows are being used to stock our trout production waters.

Just for the record it should be known that for MANY years the old Hayford hatchery at Hackettestown stocked trout all over NJ that had been exposed to, infected with and antibiotically treated for Furunculosis. This occurred from the mid 60's until the hatchery was finally taken out of service in 1983. Obviously this was well before the current pathogen guidelines were in place, but the important thing to note here is that virtually EVERY trout stocked water in NJ including those with documented reproduction recieved fish that were potential carriers and yet not a single large outbreak or fishkill has ever been recorded as a result. Below is an excerpt from the Coldwater Fisheries Draft Management Plan.

"...In 1912, the State began construction of its own hatchery in Hackettstown and began producing fingerlings. By 1932, the Hackettstown hatchery was raising over 500,000 trout for distribution across the state. In the years that followed disease outbreaks among the hatchery stock due to the intensive culture increased, as did the demand for other warmwater species. In 1980, the construction of the Pequest Trout Hatchery began and the production of all trout, with the exception of lake trout, was transferred there when the facility opened in 1983..."

My points here are that this is a well known disease, it already exists virtually worldwide as I stated in my other thread, and the potential risk involved for our fisheries is apparently extremely minimal if the past is any indicator.

All that being said, I would strongly urge everyone with an interest in this situation to take advantage of the 'Public Comment' form available in the link that Andy posted. The Div. does listen to us and I have a feeling the outcome of this particular situation may depend a good deal on angler sentiment.

For me personally, knowing what I know I see no issues with stocking previously exposed fish anywhere in the state, but that's just my 2 cents.

[Wilson]

Originally Posted by Dave B.

'Wilson' if you read my post on the S.J. Freshwater Fisheries Forum you'll see that only the un-affected rainbows are being used to stock our trout production waters.

My point was that the Saddle river over the years has been chopped, channeled and storm drained to death.
I guess the state knows their business as far as natural Trout reproduction, but I'm not seeing it.

Thank you for the clarification
Pequest will be railed this spring

[Dave B.]

Originally Posted by Wilson

My point was that the Saddle river over the years has been chopped, channeled and storm drained to death.
I guess the state knows their business as far as natural Trout reproduction, but I'm not seeing it.

Thank you for the clarification
Pequest will be railed this spring

Ahh, I see. Sorry about the mis-understanding, I'm not really familiar with the Saddle R. hence my misperception of your post.

That aside if you're having concerns about the stocking plan as it's currently proposed I would definitely recommend expressing your thoughts via the comment form the Div. has posted. Also if possible make it to the meeting this coming Sat in Hackettestown to voice your thoughts in person. I can absolutely assure you that the overall tone of public sentiment will have an impact upon the final decisions regarding how to address the situation and what should be done with the trout. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend due to prior family obligations, so hopefully someone will post here the details of the proceedings.

[Almaink]

This could go down as the best opening day of all times for those of us who fish Central Jersey. Two times the total trout we've been getting in previous years, stocked at most places, and for a change more fish in the water early, while the waters are still cold enough to support them. Stocking Lake Mercer with trout is interesting. Will they just be muskie food, or catchable there?