Native Brookie

[Billfish715]

This brook trout is apparently a native from the Musconetcong River. What a shame the biologists at Pequest couldn't find a way to start a strain of NJ brook trout from native fish that are breeding in our streams. By the way, this fish was not near a stocking point when I caught it. What fish there were to be caught were not very far from where they were put in. We need a good rain on a stocking day or before to allow the trout to spread out. That's another story.

Enjoy the picture because there are fewer and fewer natives and it doesn't look like the state will be stocking any for awhile or at all.

[River Renegade]

Very awesome trout enjoy the feasting!!

[Sako1]

Great looking fish, thanks for posting

[Delawareriver]

Originally Posted by Billfish715

This brook trout is apparently a native from the Musconetcong River. What a shame the biologists at Pequest couldn't find a way to start a strain of NJ brook trout from native fish that are breeding in our streams. By the way, this fish was not near a stocking point when I caught it. What fish there were to be caught were not very far from where they were put in. We need a good rain on a stocking day or before to allow the trout to spread out. That's another story.

Enjoy the picture because there are fewer and fewer natives and it doesn't look like the state will be stocking any for awhile or at all.

Having a brook trout strain that spawns in our waters isn't the problem. Having a strain of brook that is resistant to furunculosis is the problem. Just because they are spawning in the wild doesn't mean they won't catch furunculosis in a hatchery setting.
As far as trout staying near stocking points has always been an issue for dry springs. Still plenty of hold over trout and trout that move in the bigger waters that it can be worth while to take a walk away from.the crowds but its a learning curve. Some areas hold lots of trout other time you may have to walk a mile or more to find water the trout hold up in.

[Billfish715]

There was no feasting. Pictures allow me to Catch Photograph and Release (CPR). In this case, we can all feast with our eyes. As for the spread of trout, the Musky must be at least three feet lower than it should be at this time of the year. True, the larger streams can hold more trout but, again, there are fewer hiding places for them. I've really had to adjust my techniques. The deeper pools always hold trout, but the secondary and tertiary runs and pools can't. They are too shallow or are dried up.

It's too bad NJF&W is having such a hard time raising New Jersey's designated State Fish ( brook trout).

[AndyS]

Great photo, very nice !!