In October’s New Jersey, Delaware Bay edition of The Fisherman Magazine, author Tom Pagliaroli ran down the fall stocking schedule for Garden State trout waters (Stock Trip – Rainbows, Fall & Winter).
What was anticipated to include 20,770 newly stocked rainbows featuring a few hundred 17- to 24-inch breeders weighing up to 6 pounds across 20 New Jersey counties, may now be scaled back due to lack of rains.
Pagliaroli provides an update this week in news directly from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. Because stream flows in northern New Jersey are very low and most likely will remain low during the fall trout stocking period which begins on October 11, Division biologists have field checked each fall trout stocked stream and determined that some stream flows are too low and will not be stocked.
As you’re enjoying the October edition of The Fisherman Magazine, keep in mind that late word this week from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife is that the following streams or stream sections will not be stocked this fall:
S/Br. Raritan River (upstream of Rt. 513 / Rt. 517 Bridge in Long Valley): The fish allocated for this area will be stocked in the South Branch of the Raritan River between Long Valley and the Red Mill Dam in Clinton Township.
Black River: Flow in the Black River is so low that trout will not be stocked anywhere in the river. These fish will be stocked in the South Branch of the Raritan River between the Red Mill Dam in Clinton Township and the confluence with the North Branch of the Raritan River.
Wallkill River: No fish will be stocked upstream of West Mountain Rd bridge. These fish will be spread out throughout the rest of the Wallkill River.
Big Flatbrook (upstream of Rt. 206): Flows in this section of the Big Flatbrook are too low for trout stocking. The fish allocated in this section will be distributed downstream of Rt. 206 throughout the rest of the trout stocking locations.
The remaining Fall Trout streams not mentioned above will be stocked where conditions allow. According to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, the driver of the trout stocking truck will determine if the conditions at each stocking point will allow the location to receive its full allotment, less trout than the allotment calls for, or no trout at all; the drive will use his discretion and may stock sparingly. The allocated trout that cannot be stocked at a particular location will be stocked at other stocking points throughout the same stream where feasible.
For more information regarding changes to the fall stocking program in New Jersey refer to the Division’s Website under the Fall Trout Updates section.