Pequest Trout pics/reports for 2011

[fishgalore]

The bite on flies, nymphs or dry, was dim today. I managed a couple of smaller Browns on nymphs but a nice male Rainbow wouldn't touch anything we put in front of its mouth. Not even lures!

Headed downstream where I found some more fish and no interest in my offerings at all. Then as I was about to leave I decided to try either a wooly bugger or muddler minnow. BINGO..............muddler was the ticket. First a 3+lb male Rainbow then a bigger female about 5 lbs. slammed it a short while later. I'm glad I stayed!!! I finally landed some more bigger fish it's been at least 2 months since.

[T30]

 nice fish

[bigfish]

nice rainbow 

[fishgalore]

Last night was productive! Chris was 8 or 10 for like 14 hook ups. One was a 7 lber that broke him off after a 2nd leap outta the water. All were released unharmed. None were out of the water for more than 20 seconds.

Here's a couple of pics.
4 lb female

Pretty sure this is the same male I caught on Saturday......3+lber

3+lb female  tiny pic downsized from phone.

[fishgalore]

Good to get back to the Pequest for a 1/2 day outting with Gillripper1! We had some good action as the water levels remain higher than normal for this time of year (about double the norm). The water was clear enough to see bottom but not super clear; enough murky water to help hide the presentation a bit.

Started above the bridge with the CP and float fished. First, with a trout bead then with flies. Had a taker about an hour in but didn't get a good hook set. I had just switched to a small golden stonefly and #18 RS2 behind it. I left the 10 mm trout bead on about 4" above the stonefly as an attractor. Switched the RS2 to a scud under the float and whammo, a nice Brookie took the golden stonefly presentation about 100' downstream. I got a good hook set with that 13' rod. This fish was one fat Brookie. Measured about 14 1/2" but he looked much bigger. Even Gillripper1 said when he saw it fighting that it was a nice size fish. Size with that CP set up was hard to gauge. The 13' rod absorbs a lot.

Man has the river changed too. Lots of trees down across or in the river where there was none before. Some holes are much deeper while others more shallow. Looks like some relearning of the river for many guys.

We moved down river later in the day and I switched to the fly rod. I used the same flies, golden stone and scud, and near another favorite spot landed a bigger female, also on the golden stone,  21" Rainbow about 4+ lbs. What a difference in fight between these fish and the Steelhead up in the Great Lakes tribs, SR & OZ. Boy do those Steelies fight.!

Gillripper1 had several bigger fish on in the am but didn't land any of them. One broke him off. But he landed a nice mix of Browns & Bows between 15"-18", maybe 7 or so fish.

Here's a couple of shots:-
I tried to get the CP in this shot but it didn't happen.

COD was on top of a pile of wood that was not there in mid August for this shot

Same fish, different perspective

[fishgalore]

Well yesterday with the high water raging levels and the CP it was a complete strikeout effort for about 4 1/2 hrs. I drifted the edges where it was possible as very little wading could be done safely.

However, today with a reduced water flow rate of about 551 (about 240 cfs less down from 791 cfs the previous morning) and the right spot on the river I had probably my best day of fishing all year. The action was crazy stupid for about 2 1/2 hrs.

Started out a bit slow even though I could sight some nice fish nearby. I landed a couple of nice Bows on the Golden Stone by about 8:30 am and a couple of missed hook sets to boot. Nothing smaller than 16". Then about 1/2 hr after Mike arrived the whole scene changed. All of a sudden many more fish showed up at the spillway......... like 50-60 fish. Some on my right and left. At first I was like what the heck is happening? Then I noticed they were like sharks on a feeding frenzy. But what were they feeding on? Turns out it was trout eggs.........I thought gee is the hatchery releasing eggs from the spillway? Duh, nope............they were spawning right before our eyes. The eggs were skin colored cream and likely only about 5 mm in diameter. There was no interest in the Golden Stone and Olive Midge, initially. So I told Mike put on a bead. So he puts on a Chartruese. Not good. They were not interested. So I said I have the right color bead for the job and added to the Stonefly and Midge a trout bead dropper..........cream colored with a blood dot. BINGO!!! Slamboney fest for over an hour. These fish were practically rubbing up against our waders and many more within 3 feet of either side of my location. Others were waiting in the run just next to faster moving water. Mixed in were a couple fish taken on both the Midge and Stonefly but about an hour after the frenzy started. I landed at least 15 fish and 10 of them were 3-4 lbers. Only one was 14" the rest were 16" or more. Foul hooked and or missed another 10 fish all on the flyrod. All fish were released.

Mike said they laid off the bead eventually and hit some other flies like an RS2 but in the 20-22 size range. Much smaller than the Golden Stone.

I only took a few pics since it was fun just catching and releasing. Also the phone camera has limited space to save pics.

Here's an early bird on the Stonefly


On the Trout bead


Another one fat momma trout bead

[fishgalore]

The conditions for fishing the Pequest right now are excellent in my opinion. I don't have the clout that Orvis has but their last report has it at "good" on 11/18/11. That was the same report condition previously noted.  The water clarity is much improved and you can see bottom but it remains a little murky so as to somewhat mask the presentation.

Add to midge (cinnamon colored..........black) the smaller the better #20-22 but 16 also worked, add to list of flies..........golden stonefly #10, caddis puppa & pheasant tail.

You can find this report here:- http://www.orvis.com/fishing_report.aspx?locationid=7363

[privateeyes]

Dang fish galore! you belong on TV!

[fishgalore]

Dang fish galore! you belong on TV!

Thanks man, I'm pretty interested in doing something for income involving fishing in the next 3-5 years. I've got some ideas but starting a business or a new career is harder these days.

[privateeyes]

I see the pequest hatchery continues stocking nice brook trout. They are the finest eats imo. Is most the pequest catch and release? O release most my trout these days with the exception of a few openers and those delicious char.

[fishgalore]

I see the pequest hatchery continues stocking nice brook trout. They are the finest eats imo. Is most the pequest catch and release? O release most my trout these days with the exception of a few openers and those delicious char.

Not most but there are regs to be concerned about especially in the TCA areas. I believe you can keep 1 fish 15" or larger right now. I'm basically a C & R guy.

[privateeyes]

Good deal! I'm going to research the regs and maybe try  Jersey 2012. tya

[fishgalore]

Good deal! I'm going to research the regs and maybe try  Jersey 2012. tya

Scroll down to p 4 to view TCA regs:-   http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/2011/trtregs11.pdf

[fishgalore]

Well, no ice in sight so some of the boys went river fishin.....I  had things to do today. Next week for me if there is no ice.

Here's the Orvis report..........fishing is just ok..........according to them. But I'd rate it a step up at "good" even though the water level remains higher than normal and the clarity is still a bit murky.

http://www.orvis.com/fishing_report.aspx?locationid=7363

The hot flies today were stonefly, golden stonefly, WD40, RS2, pheasant tail & caddis puppa. The real stoneflies in the river were small and the caddis were olive colored.

Here's a beauty 25 1/2" female without a mark on her.........meanwhile there are plenty of others that are spawning. hmmmmmmm I wonder why? She doesn't appear to be carrying eggs either.

[privateeyes]

I wish I lived close to that trout stream, cool picture and another nice hatchery spawner  Is it over developed along the pequest like the ramapo river by me?  it looks like the best fly stretches in nre jersey are along the pequest stream near the state hatchery.   the barn is either slow or the mods there have issues.. was hoping to get some inshore party boat reports.. wish it wasn't stormy SC advisory..now all I have a shot at is after xmas. gl and have fun waiting for ice season