Manasquan River Trout - Not!

[Cuz]

Met my son Doug at the Manasquan River in Howell this afternoon. What a sorry ass place to trout fish or even stock trout for that matter. It reminds me of the mudhole Passaic River off of Rte 78 and King George Rd. Warren, N.J. (They stopped stocking there years ago.) No rocks, stones, of gravel bottom. I can't fathom how a trout could possibly survive in this mudhole stream.
I slipped and fell down a muddy bank but luckily not into the water. Walk the river a ways and found most of it inaccessable due to years of growth. I caught a dozen bluegills and some chubs. Got back to my vehicle at last light, took my muddy cloths off and drove him in my underwear! Can't wait to get back to the South Branch and Pequest.
It's always great fishing with my son. But he has to give up this river and fish some real productive trout waters this state has to offer. And there are plenty.

[Wilson]

Mudhole...AGREE

[surfrod]

They don't call it the muddy-squan for nothing!

It, along with the Shark "River" and Hockhockson Brook, are 3 distinctly NJ coastal streams and not true trout waters.

The Squan has it's places that are fun to fish but you always have to be prepared for mud, and wear lug bottom boots, never felts. I've slid down those banks many times and well, to fish it is to have to deal with mud, period.

As to accessibility, I don't know the area you fished, but a lot of that growth is from one season, not years. Realize that very few trout can hold over there in the summer, if any and especially this year. Thus there are long stretches of the river that see no activity after 1st week in June. I see this on the Hock all the time (though the town has actually put in a nice trail... perhaps the scouts helped, whatever, a lot better than it used to be)

But no argument about the much much better trout waters up nawth.

[Lard Almighty]

I'm in total agreement. Besides Hockhockson, the Manasquan is the closest trout-stocked water to where I live, and I refuse to fish it!

BTW surfrod, there is at least one hole on Hockhockson that holds trout year-round, believe it or not.

[surfrod]

Lard, I know the Hock has some holdover spots...one in particular

I used to live a mile from the old grist mill... no longer, but I'm up that way visiting from time to time

I JUST took the plunge on a 2011 fw license/trout stamp, believe it or not.

Plan on hitting the squan and toms, and perhaps the shark and hock just for kicks... though I understand they didn't get any surplus fingerlings this year.

[Jerseydix]

Tried that mud pit today, tossed and lost a few lures. Very muddy. Maybe the state should stock some Smallies in there?