Fridays in NJ rant

[C&R]

Fridays suck in NJ.

I have off from work every other Friday and I just hate the fact that I can't fish my usual favorites: Flat Brook, Musky, and Pequest.

I'm really tired of going to the SBR where its overcrowded on Fridays.

A whole day off and all I get to fish is the Ramapo.

Why does NJ lump those three together especially on a Friday?

Rant, rant, rant.

 

[Trouser Trout]

Give the paulenskill or vkb a shot.

 

[Trout Nazi]

Man, if you have a whole day to kill, get in the car and drive your ass up to the Catskills or Pennsyltucky.

 

[leadhead]

I believe this is the last week of stocking so you can fish anytime. And w/ less pressure from the truck followers.



lh

 

[Bobby_Wilds]

go and fish the salt for some monster blues and bass on the fly

 

[NJTroutbum]

Why not? They closed?

 

[C&R]

Why not? They closed?

Yup, weekly stocking.

 

[Ryan R]

Fridays suck in NJ.

I have off from work every other Friday and I just hate the fact that I can't fish my usual favorites: Flat Brook, Musky, and Pequest.

I'm really tired of going to the SBR where its overcrowded on Fridays.

A whole day off and all I get to fish is the Ramapo.

Why does NJ lump those three together especially on a Friday?

Rant, rant, rant.

Not for nothing but get out of the Gorge and you'll find there's more troutfishing on the SBR and much of it isn't crowded on any day. The Musky and Pequest both have TCAs that are open on Fridays and at least at the Pequest TCA anything that's not between the bridge and hatchery outflow is mostly uncrowded. But there are several streams nearby any of those streams you mention that are open on Fridays and fish quite well.

And like TN said, a whole friday off and you're not exploring a PA or NY stream? C'mon man get with the program here.

 

[JeffK]

I love the concentration in crowds - leaves me plenty of open water.

I too have off every other Friday and often fish the SBR. I have yet to see another flyfisherman on a Friday. Of course I avoid the Gorge. Plus there are over a 100 other streams to explore. Then maybe a trip to PA or NY and Fridays are no problem.

One of my observations is that this is the most concentrated crowd year I have ever seen in NJ!! The TCAs are mobbed and the open water looks like they are giving away free $20 bills on stocking days. A day later and you have the stream to yourself. Pools you had to take a number at 10 years ago are empty other than stocking days. Seems to be plenty of willing fish this year, so I don't see a need to stick to a few spots.

An example. This weekend I went to Penn's Ck at Ingleby. During the "magic hour" in the evening there seemed to be someone fishing every 100 ft or so the entire length of the stream. All parking areas were completely filled. Got three one night; one the next. Fished Spring Ck one day - wall-wall people (and wall-wall wild browns). Monday I fished the SBR - not a soul in sight and probably got 10 wild brooks and browns (OK, they weren't as big as the Penn's Ck fish). Last night hit the Muskie. Once again, not a soul in sight and there were rising fish non-stop the whole time I fished. I'm not going to complain about the crowds or the fishing in NJ. I didn't see another person in NJ; had to fish around dozens in PA.

 

[C&R]

The Musky and Pequest both have TCAs that are open on Fridays and at least at the Pequest TCA anything that's not between the bridge and hatchery outflow is mostly uncrowded.

Actually only Musky TCA is open tomorrow...​

Pequest River—fishing is not permitted during the first six in-season stocking closure dates. (See Trout Stocked Waters Closed to Fishing on Spring Stocking Dates, page 18). Fishing is permitted during the last in-season stocking closure date (May 28), but all trout caught between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. must immediately be released.​

And like TN said, a whole friday off and you're not exploring a PA or NY stream? C'mon man get with the program here.

Trying to stay within an hour of home. Besides I never got a NY/PA license this year.

 

[coolkyle]

If I were fishing NJ tomorrow I'd definitely fish a WTS. There's some really good brookie fishing in Jersey, no need to get stuck on a few stocked rivers.

 

[G Lech]

If I were fishing NJ tomorrow I'd definitely fish a WTS. There's some really good brookie fishing in Jersey, no need to get stuck on a few stocked rivers.

yea what he said

 

[NJpatbee]

If you're in Wayne you have some great water nearby in the PQNK - plenty of WTS and a Seasonal TCA. What about the Wanaque? There is some great trout water in NY & PA, but I understand that the Poconos or the Catskills may be a bit of a ride for a half-day outing which would leave you about 1 hour or less fishing time, but there is some great NJ water within an hour's drive from Wayne that is open on Friday's during the stocking season. I have trout fished in NJ for over 40 years and came to the realization that there is a ton of water, even on popular rivers like the Musky, BFB, and SBR, that I have not explored, so I skipped my PA and NY licenses last season and had one of my best seasons. I have no self-imposed restrictions on myself this season, and at some point I will spend a couple of days in the Catskills or go back to some of my regular haunts in PA (35-40 minutes away), but to date I am having too much fun locally and only have a Jersey license. Have some fun and explore!

 

[C&R]

If you're in Wayne you have some great water nearby in the PQNK - plenty of WTS and a Seasonal TCA.

Fished it earlier in the season. Recall my thread about the garbage the lines the banks of the TCA.

What about the Wanaque?

Closed on Fridays due to stocking.

Would love to try some new WTS, problem is I don't get out often enough to discover new ones unless I tag along with someone. But with low water conditions now its probably not such a good idea anyway. Besides I only know of one WTS that is local to me.

 

[PRomano]

Check your PM.

 

[Pete]

.... What about the Wanaque? ....

...Closed on Fridays due to stocking.....

As far as I can tell, the new WTS section of the Wanaque (Wanaque Reservoir dam to Wanaque Ave, Bridge--Pompton Lakes) is open on Friday.

Upstream of the reservoir, and downstream of the bridge, are closed Fridays for stocking.

 

[Drossi]

Think outside the box...............................Nah just go to KLG, that's the only place that holds trout in NJ.

 

[Future Fanatic]

Think outside the box...............................Nah just go to KLG, that's the only place that holds trout in NJ.

How many spots are available in the parking lot?

 

[NJpatbee]

Fished it earlier in the season. Recall my thread about the garbage the lines the banks of the TCA.

I agree that the TCA could use some attention from TU, Boy Scouts, PQ Watershed Assoc., etc. In the meanwhile, head North to one of the 2 TCAs for a real challenge - wild browns close to home.

 

[Future Fanatic]

Just thought I'd share what this past Thursday looked like at a spot on the West Branch of the D... THURSDAY. I'm glad I don't fish on the weekends.

 

[blue dun]

I believe this is the last week of stocking so you can fish anytime. And w/ less pressure from the truck followers.



lh

That sounded good so I checked the DFW website. All the streams with closed stocking days are still closed during this last week of stocking.

 

[The Royal Coachman]

I'm normally not off on Friday's but I was this past Friday. I had made plans for the day but did have some free time in the afternoon. I fished the South Branch above Hoffman's Crossing and caught a bunch in two hours of fishing. I didn't have the place to myself but it wasn't crowded.

It's off topic but I've kind of given up on the gorge. It's just way too crowded . All those people running their dogs, walkers, runners, kids throwing rocks in the stream :down: If I go it's at daybreak for just a few hours.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Fished the lower Musky late yesterday with JeffK and leakywaders after our riparian buffer planting project and had the river all to ourselves. And the fish were cooperative, I managed a tri-fecta of the three species and the other two also caught a bunch of fish during our short time fishing it together. And that's a Saturday evening when you might expect crowds. I know what you mean by Fridays being crowded on the SBR on stocking days because so many nearby streams are closed, but if you drive above Califon, you'll have the river much more to yourself. Try Middle Valley for some open water without crowds if on the SBR on a Friday.

 

[JeffK]

The other comment on yesterdays fishing was that there was a pod of freshly stocked browns that would barely touch a fly. I tried a little since they were an attractive nusiance, but I just got reminded me of the view in my neighborhood (I live near the Muskie) that the fish stocked Friday wouldn't really hit well until Tuesday. The fish-heads near me generally avoid the Muskie on Friday.

Best rising fish are the rainbow culls that got stocked last fall. They are pretty much the size of the stockies by now and look better and take flies better.