NJ Salmon Stocking

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

Trout fishing has changed drastically.. Now everyone wants overstuffed, morbidly obese grease fed trout that swim under and around big undulating masses of landlocked alewives.. If they put brookies in those lakes with alewives they would do the exact same thing.. Even in the freestone creeks and streams. what does everyone long for? To catch a fat old cow 2 years past her breeding prime that gets thrown in there so some kid can catch the fish of a lifetime on a Zebco rod and reel combo and a glob of garden worms.. it is what it is... Today its often more about catching than fishing no mater where you go and what you fish for.. bob

I think the desire that people express with brookies + browns is the opposite tho, they want to catch the different variety of species, and will trade off the slob rainbows for the chance to hook two different trout species rather than the same rainbow trout. I heard from those who fished back when they did stock all three that each species would have a different character to what bait/lures they wanted, where they would position in the river, etc. Despite being all stocked trout, the three would add some variations to the experience. I unfortunately started my fishing adventures after the state went rainbow-only so I dont have experience with this myself.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by thmyorke1

I think the desire that people express with brookies + browns is the opposite tho, they want to catch the different variety of species, and will trade off the slob rainbows for the chance to hook two different trout species rather than the same rainbow trout. I heard from those who fished back when they did stock all three that each species would have a different character to what bait/lures they wanted, where they would position in the river, etc. Despite being all stocked trout, the three would add some variations to the experience. I unfortunately started my fishing adventures after the state went rainbow-only so I dont have experience with this myself.

browns are way better survivors than rainbows so I don't understand what NJ DEC is doing... they are way more tolerant of higher temps and lower oxygen levels than rainbows.. Brookies are tough because they require clean cool water, and in NJ with its development mania is becoming less hospitable for their needs.. NJ once had a lot of brookies if you knew where to look.. I used to catch them in tiny farm creeks back in the 60's.. brookies need to be left alone.. they don't seem to do well in highly developed areas.. browns do fine however, as long as the water has enough oxygen and doesn't get above say 75 degrees for long periods... Could be because browns are not aggressive feeders, and are simply not as easy to catch as rainbows... bob

[Drossi]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

browns are way better survivors than rainbows so I don't understand what NJ DEC is doing... they are way more tolerant of higher temps and lower oxygen levels than rainbows.. Brookies are tough because they require clean cool water, and in NJ with its development mania is becoming less hospitable for their needs.. NJ once had a lot of brookies if you knew where to look.. I used to catch them in tiny farm creeks back in the 60's.. brookies need to be left alone.. they don't seem to do well in highly developed areas.. browns do fine however, as long as the water has enough oxygen and doesn't get above say 75 degrees for long periods... Could be because browns are not aggressive feeders, and are simply not as easy to catch as rainbows... bob

NJDFW claims the hatchery needs some additional work to keep it disease free before they start raising browns again. IMHO I think it's cheaper for them to raise rainbows and that the brookies and browns aren't coming back in the near future.

You are right about the browns holding over, you'll even find wild ones even in the most marginal of river systems. They are harder to catch too.

[AndyS]

You will never EVER see Brook Trout stocked in New Jersey again, and I heard that from the top ! Which is a damn shame considering what I saw come out of the Raritan river.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by AndyS

You will never EVER see Brook Trout stocked in New Jersey again, and I heard that from the top ! Which is a damn shame considering what I saw come out of the Raritan river.

Andy, its been decades since I was really aware of what is happening in the small streams in sussex county, warren county, northern passaic and bergen counties, but I would bet a lot of the small creeks that run through farmland and are spring fed tribs of larger streams still hold native brookies.. Just have to know where they are, leave them alone pretty much, maybe use strictly barbless hooks when you do fish them, and then tell NO one... NJ had a lot of brookies years ago, and I would think a lot of them are still there.. they are not a fish that can take a lot of pressure... bob

[bigfishy]

Originally Posted by AndyS

You will never EVER see Brook Trout stocked in New Jersey again, and I heard that from the top ! Which is a damn shame considering what I saw come out of the Raritan river.

Looks like a sea run!!!!

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by bigfishy

Looks like a sea run!!!!

It does.. a "salter"

Raritan and its small tribs has native wild brookies, so its not surprising a few run out past the tide line.. lots to eat out there.. unless something eats you first!

here's my take on it.. the Brookies were there before the Raritan even had a name.. They belong there, the bows don't but because the rainbows are bigger and more adaptable, they are king... bob