Merrill Creek lake trout:

[AndyS]

I wrote a letter to the people at MC and warned them of the impending doom regarding lake trout, they wrote back to me:

Mr.........
Thank you for your email regarding the lake trout stocking in Merrill Creek Reservoir (MCR).
Merrill Creek has worked cooperatively with the NJDEP Freshwater Fisheries biologists and a private consultant since the reservoir was created in 1989. This management team has proven to be very effective as we each contribute unique professional expertise that is utilized to make any decisions regarding the overall fishery. The team collaboratively conducts field research, analyzes data and thoroughly discusses any perspective revisions prior to implementing any change to the fishery management plan.
With that being said, we gladly accept any input that will assist us in maintaining MCR as a premiere fishery to be enjoyed by all anglers utilizing the resource. Anglers are an integral component of the overall fishery management plan and we welcome their input. We will use the information that you have provided together with the research that we have conducted and determine if a change is warranted in the stocking of lake trout.

Regards,
Jane Bullis
MCR Administrator
Merrill Creek Reservoir
34 Merrill Creek Road
Washington NJ 07882
(o)908-454-3339
(c)609-932-8395
jbullis@merrillcreek.com

[NorthJerzyG]

I'm assuming this means theres to many there already and theyre going to stock more? The response seems more like a thanks for your interest response instead of a thanks for your input response?

Guess ill have to go try to catch my first wet dish towel in the near future, lol.

[Lard Almighty]

Totally canned response. Did they even read your letter?

[mcfish82]

oh hail andy...the one and only authority on new jersey fishing

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by mcfish82

oh hail andy...the one and only authority on new jersey fishing

thinking of "all hail", perhaps?

1955 Biff: Well, that's very nice, thank you very much. Now why don't you make like a tree and get out of here?

2015 Biff gives 1955 Biff a slap across the head.

2015 Biff: It's leave, you idiot! "Make like a tree, and leave." You sound like a damn fool when you say it wrong!

[ithaca10]

Impending doom, please explain what generated the letter.

[AndyS]

The fishing and all the bait crashed at Round Valley after they stocked thousands of lake trout. I remember at Round Valley when they used to CLOSE the parking lot by 10am, it was packed, it was the big brown trout that people wanted.

Now annually 3500 lake trout go into Merrill Creek when there is KNOWN natural reproduction ! It will be just a matter of time till all the forage is gone and all the fish look like tooth picks.

It took F&G 8 years to figure out that Round Valley had naturural reproduction of lake trout, by then it was too late. Now in a desperate act they are trying to get rid of all the lake trout in Round Valley.

Don't hail to me, if I see something I don't like or I do like I write letters and make phone calls. You can sit on your hands and complain if you like, or post here and complain but it isn't gonna do you any good. We only have so many lakes in NJ, I don't want to see another get destroyed by lake trout.

........and pound for pound I will take a brown or rainbow any day over a lake trout.

[flatcreek]

They changed limit on lake trout at RV but I'm not sure that will do the trick. After going up to MC and catching a few to bring home I have little interest in catching more. We have all decided they fight like beach towels, I've decided they taste like dish towels, so why go after them. It's a shame because they eat the forage that sustain the fish we would really like to catch.

They need the input from people on the street with first hand experiance. Lets hope they have the intelligance to give it consideration.

[acabtp]

smoke them, they are delicious