Manasquan River Trout - Not!

[Cuz]

Originally Posted by Mark B.

Yes, the Muddysquan. I too, being used to north jersey mud, have taken a couple of good slides on it!! They are what they are,…..the few trout maintenance streams (cold enough to hold trout over the summer)in the area: ‘Squan, Mingamahone, Toms, North Branch Metedeconk. They ain’t no Ken Lockwood Gorge, but are good for resident anglers who don’t want to travel too far to catch trout year ‘round,…..maybe even an elusive searun in the ‘Squan (also gets all of the State’s surplus browns, in addition to the bit larger, “searun trainees”). Whenever the State has surplus rainbows & brooks, they go to the Hock. & Toms, respectively, as there have been reports of searuns of those species (steelheads & salters), there.

In addition to the ‘Squan’s slippery mud (must have some clay in it?), all have many snags and overgrown banks, making wading necessary to fish them. Many fly anglers use severely shortened blanks, and backcasts, to avoid getting hung up in the shoreline thicket. Very deep holes,…….especially on Toms.


Below is my response to an angler’s recent, age old question: “Went fishing on the day the State stocked it. Fished hard & didn’t get a nibble. Did the State really stock it?”



The trout just weren't biting that day.

The Manasquan River received 650 trout on 10/11/11. All stocking points were stocked.

One of our fisheries technicians was there that day, conducting an angler count. He counted 12 adult anglers, and 1 juvenile @ three of the more popular stocking points: Squankum Dam, Hospital Rd., and Brice Park. No trout were caught on a variety of lures & bait. However, two white suckers were caught on worms.

Those 12 anglers commented to the fish tech., that yeah,..........they saw the hatchery truck stock the trout (some nice ones!). They even saw some of the trout rising,....furthering their frustration.

So, you weren't alone!

Better luck fishing in the future,....I assure you,...they're out there!



Mark Boriek, Principal Fisheries Biologist
Mark.Boriek@earthlink.net

NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife
Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries
P.O. Box 394, 1255 County Rt. 629
Lebanon, NJ 08833

(908) 236-2118 Fax: (908) 236-7280

Visit our website at www.NJFishandWildlife.com <http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/>

Who is responsible for keeping the river clear of debris? There are thirty years of falling trees in it impeteing its flow. I'm talking trees 12"-16". Who can walk in a river that has a tree across it every thirty feet or less?