Hockhockson Brook 5/3/11

[Lard Almighty]

Met up with Doug Vitale at 5:30 for some after work trout fishing at The Hock. We started about 3/4 mile upstream from the falls and worked down. We picked at them for about two and a half hours, ended up getting three apiece, all brookies, mine on the white jig, Doug's on garden worms. It was a meat day for me so I kept them all, except for one that was lucky to be so scrawny. A pretty modest day all told, but we had fun.

Doug had the surprise of the day when he landed a mirror carp below the falls! I had never seen one up close, they are a neat looking fish!

[AndyS]

The difference between mirror and common carp is both genetic and visual - biologically they are similar. The mirror carp was the first mutation of common carp, owing to two alternative genes, the S allele and the N allele. The genetic term for a mirror carp is "ssnn" (all minor). Common carp have an even, regular scale pattern, whereas mirrors have irregular and patchy scaling, making many fish unique and possible to identify individual fish by sight, leading to most carp in the UK over 40 lb being nicknamed. This lack of scales is widely believed to have been bred in by monks in order to make the fish easier to prepare for the table.

Contrary to popular belief, Leather carp are not Mirror carp without scales; there is a distinct genetic difference. Leather carp are permitted a few scales; however, the dorsal row of scales is either absent or incomplete. Leathers also have reduced numbers of red blood cells, slowing growth rates.

[Wilson]

Here's one from central PA I caught a couple of years ago.

[surfrod]

very interesting catch... never know what hangs out below the falls.

every march there is a sucker run up that stream that is unbelievable and I never knew that many suckers even existed in monmouth county until I saw those runs on the Hock and Yellow

never caught a carp there but I never fished worms always fly or lures.

nice report and pics!