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2014 NJ trout stocking changes due to disease at Pequest
- Thread starter Rusty Spinner
- Start date
Rusty Spinner
Active member
I take that to be the case. I do know they had discussions with at least other states, so I'm sure the federal hatcheries were discussed. But they (feds) don't just raise all sorts of extra fish "just because". I'm sure they can replenish brood stock, but that's thousands of fish, not the 600,000+ that Pequest raises annually.
Barleywine
Member
Just looked at the Division's update and list of proposed stocking changes.
Hopefully, waters like the Musky and Flatbrook are only going to receive the non-diseased fish. This still of course will not stop the enormous fishing pressure these waters will get.
Question: Since many bodies of water will not be stocked, will the 3 week closed season still be in effect on those waters?
Did anyone else notice that the Passaic River will get 24,000 trout from the Great Falls to the Dundee dam? Paterson.... the new trout Mecca!!!
Hopefully, waters like the Musky and Flatbrook are only going to receive the non-diseased fish. This still of course will not stop the enormous fishing pressure these waters will get.
Question: Since many bodies of water will not be stocked, will the 3 week closed season still be in effect on those waters?
Did anyone else notice that the Passaic River will get 24,000 trout from the Great Falls to the Dundee dam? Paterson.... the new trout Mecca!!!
Rusty Spinner
Active member
Just looked at the Division's update and list of proposed stocking changes.
Hopefully, waters like the Musky and Flatbrook are only going to receive the non-diseased fish. This still of course will not stop the enormous fishing pressure these waters will get.
Question: Since many bodies of water will not be stocked, will the 3 week closed season still be in effect on those waters?
Did anyone else notice that the Passaic River will get 24,000 trout from the Great Falls to the Dundee dam? Paterson.... the new trout Mecca!!!
Still a few unanswered questions, but I don't see why they wouldn't still have the 3 week closure. If nothing else, it helps build up the Opening Day mentality of the large throngs that only fish opening day and some of the in-season stocking days after 5 pm. Yes, only fish testing negative that were never treated will be released into trout waters, but that's only 20% of the total reared trout, so expect a heck of a lot less fish this year.
I'd like to see a no-kill for the upper SBR down to the Solitude dam if they plan zero stockings in that stretch for an emergency closure this year. Hard to say if that river will see a lot of angler traffic once word gets out that it isn't stocked, but those creeling fish would be taking out mostly wild fish with some holdovers mixed in and I don't know how long the resource can withstand a pounding like that. Bad situation regardless of how you deal with it. No winners, only losers.
Rusty Spinner
Active member
There and the new 4.2 mile stretch of the Flat Brook from rt. 206 downstream past Three Bridges to the (silver) Roy Bridge are our new no-kills, artificials only.
Agust
Resident TU Rat Bastard
Sorry I was unable to make Sparse Grey Matter, where I'm sure this was a hot topic of discussion. First i must stress that the official word from the division will come out at the March meeting. I can address certain common sense and public knowledge things and other I'll just not mention.
Regarding closure and opening day. Those are dictated by the fish code and title 23, changing them would require amending the fish code and/or legislative intervention. Not likely to be able to happen in the time frame we have to work with. So pre-season closure and in season closure on the days normally stocked are likely to remain in effect even if there are no fish being stocked. Unsure of enforcement, but that would be a valid question for March 8th.
As to where the negative fish will be stocked, I suspect that is as yet undecided. Input from the public and biologists is still likely to play a part in the actual allocation of the unexposed fish. For instance the wild fish in Ramapo may yet play a role, keeping in mind that NY stocks from the Rye hatchery in that river, where they have developed several strains of trout that are resistant to furunculosis.
As to getting trout from another source, because we have in the past. Uh, not to my knowledge. At least never since the Pequest opened 30 years ago. There are some exchanges with states for landlocked salmon and musky and pike but not trout and never to Pequest.
The folks at Pequest have been absolutely disease free for 30 years, which is why this is so upsetting especially to them. This did not originate in the hatchery, but was brought from outside. There may have been lots of trades back when Hayord was the only trout hatchery, after all they faced furnunculosis every year. (which is one of the reasons Pequest was constructed.)
I hope my comments about the cannons and other contrivances was not misconstrued as they took birds lightly at Pequest. Quite the contrary they have been fighting to keep birds and predation out of there in an on goign battle for many years. Considering how successful the Osprey recovery has been in NJ, their efforts have been pretty amazing.
Regarding closure and opening day. Those are dictated by the fish code and title 23, changing them would require amending the fish code and/or legislative intervention. Not likely to be able to happen in the time frame we have to work with. So pre-season closure and in season closure on the days normally stocked are likely to remain in effect even if there are no fish being stocked. Unsure of enforcement, but that would be a valid question for March 8th.
As to where the negative fish will be stocked, I suspect that is as yet undecided. Input from the public and biologists is still likely to play a part in the actual allocation of the unexposed fish. For instance the wild fish in Ramapo may yet play a role, keeping in mind that NY stocks from the Rye hatchery in that river, where they have developed several strains of trout that are resistant to furunculosis.
As to getting trout from another source, because we have in the past. Uh, not to my knowledge. At least never since the Pequest opened 30 years ago. There are some exchanges with states for landlocked salmon and musky and pike but not trout and never to Pequest.
The folks at Pequest have been absolutely disease free for 30 years, which is why this is so upsetting especially to them. This did not originate in the hatchery, but was brought from outside. There may have been lots of trades back when Hayord was the only trout hatchery, after all they faced furnunculosis every year. (which is one of the reasons Pequest was constructed.)
I hope my comments about the cannons and other contrivances was not misconstrued as they took birds lightly at Pequest. Quite the contrary they have been fighting to keep birds and predation out of there in an on goign battle for many years. Considering how successful the Osprey recovery has been in NJ, their efforts have been pretty amazing.
Oliver10
Profishional Cupcake
Think that most of this plan sound reasonable based on a bad situation. All the trout in the Raritan below Duke dam, does anybody think some my run out to sea? The 20 plus thousand going into the Passaic is retarded. They would be better off in my mind stocking tons of small local ponds all around the state for kids to learn to fish.
I don't think the Federal hatchery system is in good shape after years of cuts. For example, the Lamar Hatchery you cross going to Fishing Creek in PA has mostly grass growing in their raceways lately. Tunison Lab in Cortland is working on Atlantic/landlocked salmon restoration in the Great lakes, but that is a special project that cuts across state lines. I don't think the federal hatchery system has the funds to be the backup for state hatchery problems and they seem to focus on rare nongame fish that the states wouldn't deal with and interstate bodies of water.
The birds at the hatchery are incredible. The most I ever saw was 9 osprey and 2 bald eagles at a time. There is a nesting pair of eagles on the ridge across valley now. That doesn't include of course the mergansers (mergansers have gone especially wild IMHO), cormorants, kingfishers, herons, and the vultures who appear when you clean a fish. I've even seen a rare loon in winter coloration. Fish eating birds have come back in a big way in NJ. All except the kingfisher were rare when I was a kid. Good for birdwatchers; tough for hatchery managers. The old management tool of a 10 gauge shotgun is no longer an option.
Finally, I imagine it must be tough for the hatchery staff. In the 2013 the number and condition of trout stocked in NJ was incredible. I never saw NJ streams so full of fish. Now in 2014 it is nothing but problems.
The birds at the hatchery are incredible. The most I ever saw was 9 osprey and 2 bald eagles at a time. There is a nesting pair of eagles on the ridge across valley now. That doesn't include of course the mergansers (mergansers have gone especially wild IMHO), cormorants, kingfishers, herons, and the vultures who appear when you clean a fish. I've even seen a rare loon in winter coloration. Fish eating birds have come back in a big way in NJ. All except the kingfisher were rare when I was a kid. Good for birdwatchers; tough for hatchery managers. The old management tool of a 10 gauge shotgun is no longer an option.
Finally, I imagine it must be tough for the hatchery staff. In the 2013 the number and condition of trout stocked in NJ was incredible. I never saw NJ streams so full of fish. Now in 2014 it is nothing but problems.
FIN-ITE 34
Well-known member
There is plenty of good water that could be stocked in the lower Whippany River below the Speedwell Dam instead of tossing all those fish in the Passaic River. I'm actually surprised that the state doesn't have a more extensive stocking policy in the Whip below Speedwell. Lots of good pocket water, real nice stretch along RT 10 in Whippany.
Oliver10
Profishional Cupcake
I agree. All along 287 is good pocket water. The stream you are talking about along RT 10 is that the Whippany? I think that is Malapardis Brook or am I insane. That could be stocked for sure.
PRomano
Fishizzle, I never use worms!
The Whippany does run parallel to route 10, kind of. It runs past South Jefferson within walking distance of my office. I think I know that Malapardis Brook you're talking about. That is a sweet looking little stream. It's very fishy looking indeed, everytime I drive by, I look for rising fish.
FIN-ITE 34
Well-known member
The Whip runs behind the Shell station at Rt10 & Whippany Road, then down behind the Whippany Diner. Good water all along there to back behind the PC Richards on RT10. I catch some nice smallmouths in that stretch every year. And yes the stretch along 287 has good water too. Also good water above and below the Eden Mill dam.
Malapardis Brook runs out of Malapardis Pond, behind the Hanover Twsp. Police Station and does run along RT10 and dumps into the Whip by Billy's Red Room.
Malapardis Brook runs out of Malapardis Pond, behind the Hanover Twsp. Police Station and does run along RT10 and dumps into the Whip by Billy's Red Room.
Thursthouse
Tight Loins
I wonder if the catch and keep crowd will be smaller this year - I wouldn't want to eat one of these potentially diseased fish, regardless if humans have never been infected with it... not worth risking the potential (regardless of how small) infection for the dull boring taste of a stocked trout.
Oliver10
Profishional Cupcake
The Whippany does run parallel to route 10, kind of. It runs past South Jefferson within walking distance of my office. I think I know that Malapardis Brook you're talking about. That is a sweet looking little stream. It's very fishy looking indeed, everytime I drive by, I look for rising fish.
I looked at a mao. The Malapardis flows into the Whippany by 10 and flows along 10. I was wrong and thought that the section along ten was still the Malapardis. They should stock that entire run. They should stock anywhere else but the lower passaic.
Well I am looking forward to the benefits of this bad situation. I love the idea of stocking the passaic from the falls to the dam. I might get some fishing in between little league games this spring. The river is nicer than you think and definitely more interesting. You can catch everything from Hammer heads to brook trout in that river.
Rusty Spinner
Active member
Nobody is getting sick in any other of the many, many states this disease persists nor did they here in NJ when it was in the old Hayford Hatchery in Hackettstown which used to raise our trout until Pequest came on line 30 years ago. I'm sure license sales and/or trout stamps will be negatively impacted just as pheasant stamps were after the Halloween snow storm crashed many cage nets and allowed so many hatchery pheasants to escape just before hunting season three years ago.
But that's life when your focus is hatchery and not habitat.
Thursthouse
Tight Loins
I'll be 'educating' catch and keep anglers on stocked waters that there is a very high potential for infection :rofl:
FIN-ITE 34
Well-known member
24 f'ing thousand fish for the Passaic? Nuts! For about a half mile stretch of water below the falls and all the rest to the dam frog water of the worst kind. Should make for some good eating for the resident pike population and that's about it.
DG138
Top Water Frogs, Dry Flies and Nymphs, oh my!
Here's the actual numbers for the proposed stocking:
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/2014/trout_allocation14-sched.pdf
:crap:
FIN-ITE 34
Well-known member
Passaic & Hackensack Rivers, 36 thousand pre-season stocking. I still think that they could have stocked the lower Whippany and Rockaway below JC res. where the water is much better as is the environment. They should have those waters on a regular stocking schedule anyway.
PRomano
Fishizzle, I never use worms!
I think the goal of the hatchery stocking that many in the Passaic and hackensack is to make sure these fish die ASAP! They're that bad. :beingsick:I'm sure that is the reason.
DG138
Top Water Frogs, Dry Flies and Nymphs, oh my!
I don't have much faith in THE MAN but you can still make comments on this until March 9th:
NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife - 2014 Spring Trout Comment Form
Holy moly, I checked out the street view at the 'Great Falls National Park' and I already felt like my life was in danger. Those will be 24,000 fish that I spoil by sparing them my fenwick
FIN-ITE 34
Well-known member
DG, that is my point about the environmental conditions. Put the damn fish where you don't have to worry about losing your life to some thugs. And yes I used the term thugs as a synonym for criminals.
Pete
Trout Hunter
That river has two banks.
If you're unarmed, or timid, you can fish from the Fair Lawn side.
Rusty Spinner
Active member
I'm a little confused with your question. The fish are only being stocked for 4 weeks and not for 7 as a normal spring would bring. Hence it (stockings) will end sooner for those water bodies that are even being stocked. Do you mean why not spread out the stockings to 7 like normal and just put in less fish? If so, waste of fuel and personnel.
MACFLY
Too many streams too little time
That wax the question and you have answered it
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