Assunpink Creek x 2

[pacrags]

With baby back ribs on sale at shop rite this week, i was planning to break out the smoker this weekend and try to do some trout in addition to ribs.

Went to the Assunpink creek where it crosses under rte 130 at dusk Wednesday night but all i caught were about a dozen sunfish that would have been nice catfish bait.

This morning i blew off work for a couple hours and tried out some lightweight waders and new wading boots that i recently got on clearance and did catch 1 12 inch Bow and had one follow, as well as a small perch and another half dozen or so bait sized sunnies.

water was still higher than normal, but still shallow enough to get in much deeper than I could with my hip boots. Can't wait to try the waders out in the raritan or millstone.

[Finprof]

I fished Assunpink Creek where it crosses Old Trenton Road on Wednesday. Caught two 10 inch fish and one 14 inch fish. We ate the trout last night. The larger fish had pink flesh and tasted like salmon. I have only seen that kind of flesh on native fish and not stockies, but there is no way a native could survive in Assunpink Creek.

This was the first time I fished for trout in New Jersey in 10 years even though I have lived there since 1999. I usually fish in PA. My close by stream is Tohickon Creek in BUcks county but my favorite is the Yellow Breeches.

[Drossi]

Originally Posted by Finprof

The larger fish had pink flesh and tasted like salmon. I have only seen that kind of flesh on native fish and not stockies, but there is no way a native could survive in Assunpink Creek.

Even the flesh from a stocker will turn pink if they are in the stream long enough, especially if the predominate forage is fresh water shrimp (scuds). I usually try to get one of the fall stocking holdovers in March right before the closed season. By that time they've been in the stream for 5+ months and taste much better. It was likely a long term holdover, you'd be surprised but they will occasionally holdover in what is considered even marginal water.

[AndyS]

No shortage of spots on the main stem Raritan river !! Glad you got out.

[Fluken-Around]

[QUOTE=Drossi;507342]Even the flesh from a stocker will turn pink if they are in the stream long enough, especially if the predominate forage is fresh water shrimp (scuds).

Most private hatcheries feed the trout a shrimp based food a few months before trout season. Turns the flesh pink like it was a wild salmon caught in Alaska. I worked many years delivering/stocking trout at private clubs and would always have people so excited to tell me about wild trout there catching with pink flesh. It would brake there heart when I told them the truth. Eventually i would just say congratulations cause i would feel terrible when i saw disappointment of anglers when i told them the truth.