More than 21,000 super-sized trout have been released throughout New Jersey, and now's the time to get out on the water and get in on some of the best trout fishing action in the tri-state area.
Contrary to the widely held belief that you have to be there when the stocking truck arrives or you're out of luck, many of the stocked trout - 14 inches to 20 inches, are still out there to catch. Unlike the smaller trout stocked in the spring, which spend less time in the hatchery, these older fish are not caught quickly. In fact, staff with the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife saw surprisingly few trout caught by anglers waiting for the stocking trucks at various stocking points during the past two weeks.
Observations on the water and reports from anglers indicate these two- and three-year-old fish take a while to acclimate and to begin feeding again after stocking. By now, they have spread out, found good water and are feeding again. These big fish will be available to anglers throughout the fall and winter and even into the spring.
The Star-Ledger visited the Pequest Hatchery during stocking to film the large trout being loaded onto the stocking trucks. Check out the video at the following link, and don't miss out; go trout fishing this fall or winter -
http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2008/10/bigger_trout_for_the_fall_seas.html .
If you haven't yet purchased a fishing license and trout stamp this year, simply visit
http://www.wildlifelicense.com/nj/ to buy and print your license and trout stamp online.
