Fall Trout Fishing in New Jersey - 2008
August 26, 2008
2008 Fall Trout Stocking Schedule
Trout Fishing Facts & Information (When, Where, How) (pdf, 18kb)
Fantastic fishing opportunities await trout anglers at dozens of fall trout-stocked streams and lakes in New Jersey. This year fall stocking begins Tuesday, October 7 and continues through October 15. Over this period a total of 20,000 brook, brown, and rainbow trout averaging 14 to 16 inches, and weighing 1½ - 2 pounds, will be distributed in 16 streams and 16 lakes and ponds statewide. All trout are raised at the division’s Pequest Trout Hatchery.
These two-year old trout are noticeably bigger than the 10-11 inch trout typically stocked in the spring. This is the 3rd consecutive year that Fish & Wildlife has stocked bigger trout for the fall season. In addition to the 20,000 standard production fall trout, another 1,000 exceptionally large rainbow trout broodstock, measuring 18 - 21 inches, and weighing 3 - 5 pounds, are also mixed in with each truckload of fish.
Waters stocked during the first week of fall stocking are the 16 large streams and rivers in northern and coastal areas, such as the Big Flatbook, Pequest River, South Branch Raritan River, Musconetcong River, and the Manasquan and Tom’s Rivers. All fall-stocked waters may be fished as soon as they are stocked (no “closed waters” during fall stocking).
During the second week, 16 ponds and lakes in the central and southern portions of the state are stocked. Some of the more popular waters are Farrington Lake, Oak Pond, Greenwich Lake, and Mary Elmer Lake.
The complete list of fall-stocked waters and the stocking schedule is available at www.njfishandwildlife.com/flstk.htm or through the Trout Stocking Hotline 609-633-6765. If you need help finding one of these trout-stocked waters, refer to the list of fishing access locations linked below for driving directions.
Other waters offer fine trout fishing opportunities even though they are not stocked in the fall. The Holdover Trout Lakes, like Lake Aeroflex and Lake Wawayanda, provide year round trout fishing opportunities. The landlocked salmon stocking program at these two lakes, now in its 3rd year, is starting to yield harvestable size salmon (12 inches). Our two Trophy Trout Lakes, Round Valley and Merrill Creek Reservoirs, are also great trout fishing destinations. Shoreline fishing on Round Valley is particularly popular in the fall, as big rainbows cruise the shallows (See the current Freshwater Digest for special area regulations.) Also, sea run brown trout begin returning to freshwater in the Manasquan River during the fall and early winter.
A distinctly different trout-fishing experience awaits anglers who fish the wild trout streams scattered across north Jersey. These small streams are not stocked with trout and anglers can expect to catch small, colorful trout, with most measuring less than ten inches.
Thirty-five streams are managed under special regulations to provide anglers with opportunities to catch stunning, stream-bred trout (see the current Freshwater Digest for information). All trout captured from designated Wild Trout Streams, from September 16, 2008 to April 11, 2009 at 8 a.m. must be released, and be sure to leave the bait buckets home - these streams are artificials only.
Trout fishing will really heat up once fall stocking gets underway. The line-busting, bragging-size trout being stocked in October will test the skills of anglers fishing with lightweight tackle, leaving some anglers with fond memories, to last a lifetime, about the big one that got away. Whether you chose to fish for stocked or wild trout, there are plenty of trout-fishing opportunities in the Garden State. So take the time from your busy schedules to enjoy trout fishing during the splendor of fall.
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Pullen Creek Upstream of Broodstock Weir Open to King Salmon Fishing
August 5, 2008
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today that effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 2, 2008, Pullen Creek, upstream of Department of Fish and Game markers at Pullen Pond, in Skagway, is open to sport fishing for king salmon. In this area, the bag and possession limit for all anglers (Alaska residents and non-residents) is four king salmon of any size and the nonresident annual limit for king salmon does not apply. This regulation will remain in effect through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, September 14, 2008. This additional opportunity is being provided to allow harvest of hatchery-produced king salmon released at Pullen Creek where returning king salmon are exceeding broodstock needs.
The department reminds anglers that Pullen Creek downstream of the Department of Fish and Game markers is closed to king salmon fishing. All king salmon entering Pullen Creek are captured at the weir and fish needed for hatchery broodstock are held in net pens located in Pullen Creek. All fish in excess of broodstock needs are released upstream and are available for harvest in Pullen Pond and Pullen Creek upstream of the Department markers.
In past years tampering with the broodstock collection weir has resulted in the release of adult king salmon before enough eggs were collected. Further interference with broodstock collection will result in closing the entire Pullen Creek drainage to king salmon sport fishing and will jeopardize the success of this king salmon enhancement program and the local king salmon fishery.
Anglers sport fishing for king salmon are required to purchase a 2008 king salmon tag in addition to a 2008 sport fishing license. Exceptions to this requirement are listed on page 3 of the Southeast Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary.
For additional information contact Richard Chapell, Haines/Skagway Assistant Area Biologist, (907) 766-3638.
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Chinook fishery reopens on 3 Columbia tributaries; hatchery steelhead limit rises to 6 per day on 2 rivers
June 26, 2008
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Starting today, anglers may once again keep hatchery-reared chinook salmon they catch while fishing on the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers in southwest Washington.
Also today, the catch limit for steelhead will increase to six hatchery steelhead per day on the Cowlitz and North Fork Lewis rivers.
Pat Frazier, regional fish manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), said fishing rules for those rivers can be liberalized now that it appears enough fish are returning to meet hatchery production goals.
“Spring chinook returns have been nip and tuck this year for some hatcheries,” Frazier said. “But after a late surge of fish, it now appears that the hatcheries will get the fish they need for broodstock.”
In recent weeks, anglers have been required to release any chinook salmon they caught on the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers in response to lagging returns.
Under the new rules, anglers will be able to retain six salmon – including two adults – per day on designated portions of those three rivers through July 31. On the Cowlitz River, however, only one of those two adult salmon may be a chinook.
All wild chinook and wild coho salmon, which can be identified by an intact adipose fin, must be released.
On the Cowlitz River, the new chinook-retention rules will be in effect from the boundary markers at the mouth to Mayfield Dam. On the Kalama River, anglers will be allowed to retain chinook salmon from the boundary markers at the mouth to the Kalama Falls Hatchery. In addition, chinook retention will be permitted from the mouth of the mainstem Lewis River to the mouth of the East Fork and from there to Merwin Dam on the North Fork Lewis River.
Frazier said hatcheries on the Cowlitz and North Fork Lewis rivers now have all the steelhead they need to meet egg-take goals, allowing fishery managers to increase daily catch limits for hatchery fish on those rivers. Through last week a thousand steelhead had returned each of the facilities on the Cowlitz and Lewis and more are on the way.
“Boat anglers are reportedly doing very well fishing for hatchery steelhead on both of those rivers, although bank angling is somewhat limited by high flows,” Frazier said. “Steelhead fishing on the Cowlitz has been best around Blue Creek.”
The new six-fish steelhead limit will be in effect on the lower Cowlitz River from the Highway 4 Bridge at Kelso upstream to Mayfield Dam. On the North Fork Lewis, it will be in effect from the Interstate 5 Bridge upstream to Merwin Dam.
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Lewis River Anglers Must Release Chinook Salmon
June 5, 2008
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Starting Saturday (June 7), anglers will be required to release any spring chinook salmon they intercept on the Lewis River under a new fishing rule approved today by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
The new rule will be in effect until further notice from the mouth of the Lewis River to the mouth of the East Fork, and from the mouth of the North Fork Lewis to the overhead powerlines below Merwin Dam.
Pat Frazier, WDFW regional fish manager, said the new rule is designed to increase the number of spring chinook available for hatchery broodstock. As with the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers, which were closed to chinook retention last month, chinook returns to the Lewis River are falling short of hatchery production goals, Frazier said.
“As most anglers know, spring chinook returns to the Columbia River and several of its tributaries have fallen short of expectations,” Frazier said. “If we don’t meet our hatchery production goals, we could wind up with an even bigger shortfall in future years.”
Through June 4, collections of female chinook salmon on the Lewis River were 200 fish short of the number needed for hatchery broodstock, Frazier said.
Meanwhile, the steelhead return has been strong this year to both the North Fork Lewis and Cowlitz rivers, where WDFW has increased the catch limit to three hatchery fish per day. The three-fish limit, adopted in mid-May, is not affected by the requirement to release chinook salmon on those rivers.
On the North Fork Lewis River, the three-fish limit will remain in effect through Sept. 30 from Colvin Creek upstream to the overhead powerlines below Merwin Dam and through Oct. 31 from the Interstate 5 Bridge upstream to Colvin Creek.
“Returns of hatchery steelhead have been better than expected, allowing us to increase catch limits for those fish on some rivers,” Frazier said. “Once conservation goals have been met, we look for every opportunity to increase fishing opportunities where we can.”
The Grays and Elochoman rivers, for example, were recently opened for spring chinook, providing additional fishing opportunities while also helping to remove stray hatchery fish. It was one of a number of in-season management actions designed to align fishing rules for Columbia River tributaries with fish available for harvest.
Catch limits and other rules noted below replace those referenced in the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm:
Cowlitz River: All spring chinook salmon must be released through July 31 from boundary markers at the mouth to Mayfield Dam. However, anglers may retain up to three hatchery steelhead through Oct. from the Highway 4 Bridge at Kelso upstream to Mayfield Dam.
Drano Lake: Anglers may retain up to six hatchery spring chinook salmon, including two adults, through June 30 downstream from markers across from the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery and upstream of the Highway 14 Bridge. However, all fishing at Drano Lake will be closed June 11 to avoid gear conflicts with Yakama tribal fisheries.
Elochoman River: Anglers may retain up to six hatchery spring chinook salmon, including two adults, through July 31 from the mouth to West Fork.
Grays River: Anglers may retain up to six hatchery spring chinook salmon, including two adults, plus two hatchery steelhead through July 31 from the mouth of the mainstem Grays River to the South Fork and from the mouth of the West Fork Grays River to the hatchery intake/footbridge.
Kalama River: All spring chinook salmon must be released through July 31 from boundary markers at the mouth of the river to the upper salmon hatchery.
Wind River: Anglers may retain up to six hatchery spring chinook salmon, including two adults, from the buoy line/markers at the mouth of the river upstream to a point 400 feet below Shipherd Falls; from a point 100 feet above the falls to 400 feet below the coffer dam; and from a point 100 feet above the coffer dam to 800 yards below the Carson National Fish Hatchery.
Meanwhile, the mainstem Columbia River remains closed until further notice for salmon and steelhead fishing below Interstate 5, but will open no later than June 16.
For any additional regulation changes, anglers can call the Fishing Hotline (360-902-2500) or check the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).
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Pendills Creek National Fish Hatchery Closed to Public for Raceway Construction
May 6, 2008
The Pendills Creek National Fish Hatchery in Brimley, Mich., will be closed to the public for extensive renovation May 1 to November 15, 2008. The hatchery will receive 16 new rearing units or “raceways” to replace the original units that were constructed in the 1950s. The raceways will average 30 inches deep and each set of four units will be spaced far enough apart to allow for Service vehicles to drive between. These rearing units will be used to produce more than 1.2 million fish each year.
The Pendills Creek National Fish Hatchery received $1,227,590 in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service construction funds to build the new raceways. Project Leader Curtis Friez expects the hatchery will re-open to the public in late November of this year.
The Pendills Creek National Fish Hatchery rears lake trout as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Program. The hatchery produces 850,000 yearling lake trout for spring stocking, 15,000 lake trout broodstock, and more than six million eggs annually.
Since 1871, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries Program has played a vital role in conserving and managing native fish and other aquatic resources. For more information about the Fisheries Program, go to http://fisheries.fws.gov.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov
-FWS-
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