New State record from Skunksville:

[AndyS]

17 pound Hybrid Striped bass !!

[thmyorke1]

wow what a chunk. Hybrids are FUN !!!

[Jigman13]

Jesus christ. That's massive...

[Mark B.]

I recall that just before I retired from NJDF&W on 9/1/18, a very small number of hybrids were stocked in both Monksville and Splitrock Reservoirs along with publicity hyping anglers "to go out and get them!" Many of us thought it foolish,.........drops in the buckets of those big reservoirs,.....with no chance of anglers ever catching any. Who would have thunk it: 2 consecutive State Records from Monksville.

[thmyorke1]

do you think this will promote more stocking of hybrids in other lakes? And perhaps more quantity than just a few? From what i understand alewives and hybrids go well together

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by thmyorke1

do you think this will promote more stocking of hybrids in other lakes? And perhaps more quantity than just a few? From what i understand alewives and hybrids go well together

I don't know about the stocking of hybrids in other lakes, as I am out of the loop now. But yes, hybrids require a good population of alewives to flourish.
I just remembered that those few hybrids were BIG when stocked. Probably 6lbs+ or more. Their size was the basis of the publicity hype. They were "found" in one of the many Hackettstown Hatchery ponds. The hatchery pushed for their stocking in Monks and Splitrock. At The Fish Lab, we thought it would have been better to stock them in lakes (Spruce Run, Hopatcong,...) with existing hybrid populations where experienced anglers were targeting them.

[thmyorke1]

thanks Mark, yea it was a great decision. Putting unicorn fish in different lakes just to spice up lake and its potential. And in this case the state record, woah!

[Mark B.]

When they first discovered those big hybrids in one of the ponds at Hackettstown the workers had a blast catching & releasing them on hook and line. I floated the idea of inviting a limited number of public anglers who had never caught a hybrid to fish the pond. Catch a big hybrid for the first time, release it, and then stock them in public lakes. Figuring that would be good publicity / generate more interest in hybrid fishing. Apparently, I was the only one who thought so.

[NJSquatch]

I find it unbelievable that 2 out of the 5 stocked fish have managed to survive this long without being kept or weighed in as potential state records. Wonder if someone is moving fish from nearby lakes

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by NJSquatch

I find it unbelievable that 2 out of the 5 stocked fish have managed to survive this long without being kept or weighed in as potential state records. Wonder if someone is moving fish from nearby lakes

Could very well be. Over the years, NJDF&W's fall gill netting at RVR have revealed: Hybrids, Channel Cats and Walleyes. None of which were stocked by NJDF&W.