Mayhem in Manville ! 4/24/18:

[AndyS]

Taking my lumps lately on the river. Last week fished the Somerville stretch before the clean up, not a sniff. April 23 fished the Headgates area, Duke Island Park, Robert Street and Orlando Park with only one little stocked Rainbow to show for my efforts. Today 4/24 I decided to hit the Manville/Bridgewater stretch behind Torpey Athletic Field. I wasn't fishing more than 5 minutes when I got locked up into something big ! Fought like crazy running me up and down the river. Finally eased her into the net, ut oh, net too small, she flops out, 2nd attempt with her head way down, got it, a HUGE Rainbow Trout ! Look for a good spot to take a photo on the bank. Took the jig out and laid out the net with the trout on top, reached for my camera and with a flip of her body, bloop, right back into the water !! All I could do was stand and smile as she swam back into the depths. Nice clean fish, great color, full fins, every bit of 5lbs and at least 2 feet long. I have a photo of a similar trout I caught on the Raritan river a few years ago near Robert St and that one was an obvious Brood Stock, this trout was much nicer, and caught far from any stocking points. Some fish were just not meant to be photographed ! Took a photo of the empty net anyway

[thmyorke1]

Good catch! At least you got it in the net. Hate it when I cant even scoop em out and they swim off.

[BT67]

nice, a little something for the effort. I have one of those rubber nets and the damn thing is too shallow, fish flop out all the time.

[kcritch]

Way to go Capt. Glad you got a good one. That river is gonna be rippin in that area tomorrow after the rain. Good you got out there today.

[akoop]

Andy, Great fish! Well done sir.

[Capt. Lou]

Dam nice fish Andy , easy 5+# er ! 🐟😱

[AndyS]

Luke set the bar with that nice Brown from the N. Branch, I was trying to set the bar higher. The high bank behind me was all sand and I didn't want a photo of a Panko crusted fish, so I chose stream side. Still wish I got that photo, really nice color and fins.

[FASTEDDIE29]

That’s a great little hole down that way. Maybe there’s not a ton of fish in that spot but when there is it’s usually a biggun’! Sounds like a huge holdover to me. 2 feet long? That’s 5 lbs. easy!!! YEA BUDDY!!!

[Doug Vitale]

Andy, you came up with a another Raritan beauty. I wonder if it was stocked this year or if it's a holdover from last year. Thanks for sharing the photos and for being a bud by sharing where you made your catch. Now you just need to reveal what lure you used!

[15FOOTER]

Nice fish..am I missing something though? It has a hatchery nub for a fin. It looks like a recent stockie. Still a huuuge troutskie though. Hope he holds over.