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Week of October 20th: Fall Stocking 2024


The 2024 Fall stocking commences this week!  The cycle of raising and releasing NJ trout must turn and room at the hatchery needs to be made for the next generation.  These 2-3 year-old fish will find the holes and deep places to reside.  The low water has been interesting to see and I have made it out a few times since the last report - two weeks ago.  A client caught some spectacular fish while on club waters; this angler has skill and made some great casts with small gray BWO and emerging caddis patterns that fooled some nice browns in very skinny water.  I wish I could say I was able to do the same on public land.  Without more enforced catch-and-release areas and the pressure we see, it has been tough out there.  


When the fish arrive they will find places where they feel safe and find food.  Yes, the riffles and runs we expect to see have reduced in size and depth.  If you know where the deep runs and pools are, however, you can find where fish hang out until the rivers get back to where they want to be.  An official drought was declared recently, but we have survived worse and this, too, shall pass. While on a stretch of the Musky below Asbury it occurred to me that if I didn’t know the flows were so low and it was my first time to this spot, I would think it was a mighty fine little river.  After seeing the low water through this lens, rather than thinking how I would normally fish that section, I fished it like a little creek and focused on likely places to hold fish. Some of the plunge pools and tailouts are more than adequate to handle an influx of new fish, including some breed stock rainbows ready to be put to pasture.


Watch your step out there - especially now with reduced real estate spawning fish are cramped the redds may be closer together.  This also means it is time to fish those small egg and small midge patterns in tandem.  A miniscule beadhead pheasant tail followed by a pink, peach, or orange micro egg can be deadly.  Caddies, Isonychia, and BWO patterns will work once the stocked fish acclimate to their new digs.  Dry fly fishing in the fall is the best way to avoid catching more maples and elms than fish, so pay close attention to rise forms and think subsurface trailing flies behind high floating elk wing caddis.  Even nymphs can be trailed high in the water column to mimic those aquatic insects as they make a break for the surface or river banks and rocks. I was out early this morning (10/19) and was pleasantly surprised to see a bit of surface action on a public section of the South Branch. 


The shop here is having an event this coming Friday, so check out our social media for the invite and stop by to say “Hello,” on Friday afternoon from 3 until 5 PM.  The fish are on their way and I, for one, could not be more excited.  

See you out there, 

Roy B.


Local Hatch Chart (repost from 2020 report)


Morning 9-11 am:

Little Dot-winged Sedge Neophylax spp. Tan Elk Hair Caddis #16-18, LaFontaine's Tan Sparkle Pupa #16-18, Hare's Ear Soft Hackle #16-18, Tan Bird's Nest #16-18

October Caddis Pycnopsyche spp. Orange Stimulator #10-12

Trio Tricorythodes Trico #20-24


Midday through Late Afternoon 12 noon - 5pm:

Caddis may continue to hatch. see above

Blue Wing Olive Baetis levitans, interclaris, quebecensis, vagans. RS2, BWO, Pheasant Tail Nymph #18-20

Don't forget Ants in Cinnamon or Black and Hopper patterns.

Dun Midge Paraleptophlebia debilis RS2, Adams #20


Evening 6-8pm:

Egg laying caddis and Baetis Spinners






















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