Another Piece of the Sea-Run Puzzle?

[Lard Almighty]

Made an interesting catch today. I stopped by Squankum Dam on the Manasquan since it was between spots, hoping I could get some sunnies or a sucker or something. But what picks up my worm, but a brown trout! It was about 10-11" and pretty thin. It was definitely a hatchery fish, as the pectoral fins were healing but still pretty mangled. Coloration was a tiny bit silvery (!), but nothing I haven't seen on river brownies before.

DF&W doesn't normally put the surplus fish in the stream until the late fall, so this was not a fresh fish. It was either left over from the batch they threw in last fall, or it was stocked in spring. Either way, it survived the hottest part of summer in the river. Due to its small size and the time of year, I am doubtful that it was a sea-run brown, but it does show that at least a few trout can hold over in the river. Makes me wonder how big they can get.

[Wilson]

You were fishing with worms

Real worms or the rubber ones

[surfrod]

Surplus fish are never 11" when stocked so most likely a holdover

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by Lard Almighty

DF&W doesn't normally put the surplus fish in the stream until the late fall, so this was not a fresh fish. It was either left over from the batch they threw in last fall, or it was stocked in spring. Either way, it survived the hottest part of summer in the river. Due to its small size and the time of year, I am doubtful that it was a sea-run brown, but it does show that at least a few trout can hold over in the river. Makes me wonder how big they can get.

Sometimes, DF&W stocks surplus brown trout there in the late summer. They average 4 – 5”.

Yes, it was probably stocked last spring or fall. And, the water in the Manasquan River stays cold enough in the summer for trout to hold over. Such a coastal river, that is classified Trout Maintenance all the way to the freshwater license line (Bennetts Bridge) gives the best chance of survival for sea-runs & resident freshwater trout.

The biggest reported sea-run catch was 8.5 lbs., Dec. 2000 @ the Parkway Bridge.

[surfrod]

this week would be a good time to retry your worms on the squan.