Round Valley Reservoir will be stocked with trout in the upcoming days:
April 30th – NJ DEP will stock 6610 brown and rainbow trout. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/trt_allocation12_dates.htm
May 6th – Round Valley Trout Association will stock 400 rainbow and brown trout between 16 and 17″. https://www.fishrvta.com/
Myself and some readers got skunked last week and the howling winds have not helped but I want to reassure everyone (myself included) that there are in fact fish in this reservoir!
Round Valley Trout Association (RVTA) Trophy Trout stocking took place on Saturday 3/24 at 10am from the dirt boat launch. 100 + trout from 5 to over 10 lbs were stocked. Visit Lebanon Bait and Sport‘s Facebook page for pics of the stocking and more info.
The first RVTA trout fishing tournament will held April 15th from 6am to 3pm. You can get more information on the RVTA website. I’ve personally competed (and I use the term competed lightly) in a handful of these in my lifetime. They’re a good reason as any to get out and fish! And while, I’ve never come close to winning anything, I have learned that you do need a boat to have a decent chance. Here’s a list of 2012 monthly tournament dates. You can register at the boat ramp, day of the tournament.
A special fishing tournament to commemorate the late Steve Welgoss, owner / operator of Lebanon Bait & Sport will be held on Saturday, May 26th from 5:30am to 3pm. Entry fee of $50 per adult angler. Juniors fish free with paid adult. You may pre-register at Lebanon Bait & Sport or at the April or May RVTA meeting. More info on the RVTA Website. You can also follow Lebanon Bait and Sport‘s Facebook page for up to date fishing and hunting reports in the region year-round.
March 20, 2012
Dave Chanda
Director
Division of Fish and Wildlife
NJ DEP
MC501-03
PO Box 420
Trenton, NJ 08625-0420
Mr. Chanda;
I am writing to you concerning the stocking of Lake Trout in Merrill Creek Reservoir and Monksville Reservoir. Myself and many NJ anglers feel the time has come to stop stocking Lake Trout in New Jersey waters.
Presently, I am the moderator for the freshwater section of www.njfishing.com. I talk, and fish, with many anglers who agree that the Lake Trout stocking program should come to an end.
I have fished Merrill Creek Reservoir for better than 10 years now and keep accurate log books. Recently, it seems I can not fish through the Lake Trout to catch other species. Years past, I did well with Rainbow and Brown Trout, now all I get are Lake Trout. One of the problems with Lake Trout in Merrill Creek Reservoir is that anglers really don’t target them there, many people focus on Bass. Some of the heavier tackle used to catch lake trout like downriggers and lead core line is not used at Merrill Creek because of the electric motors only regulation. As far as Monksville is concerned, the focus for most anglers there are walleye and muskellunge, not lake trout.
Many freshwater anglers fish for the fight and not so much for the table, the fight of a lake trout can be compared to reeling in a wet beach towel. So far my family has 2 trout mounted and hung on the wall, my wife has her former state record, an 18 lb. Brown Trout from Round Valley and my 11 lb. Brown Trout from Merrill Creek. I was holding out hope for the return of big Brown Trout but it seems the Lake Trout have all but taken over.
I do not understand why there is a closed season for Lake Trout at Merrill Creek if no natural reproduction is taking place. I understand testing has been done at Merrill Creek to see if natural Lake Trout reproduction is taking place, as anglers we would refute that claim. I have personally caught Lake Trout at Merrill Creek that were full of eggs.
In New Jersey, we only have a few lakes with the qualities to produce trophy trout and the power company is kind enough to let us fish one of them. Merrill Creek is my favorite lake.
A major concern is that lakes like Merrill Creek and Monksville will lose their forage base the same way Round Valley did. I still find it strange that the limits on Round Valley Lake Trout have been raised in an effort to reduce the Lake Trout population there, but less than an hour drive away Merrill Creek gets 3,250 lake trout annually.
Overall, I think Fish and Game has done a great job handling our resources, but I think it is time for a change; end the closed season on Lake Trout, and stop stocking Lake Trout.
I feel so strongly about doing away with the Lake Trout program, I am taking the time to sit down and write this letter to you. I am sure if you stop the Laker program now there would be praise for the decision from many of New Jerseys freshwater fishermen.
I will be taking my vacation in late May again this year in hopes of finding big Brown Trout in Merrill Creek but my hopes are fading as I reel in one Lake Trout after another. Maybe some day the big Brown Trout will make a come back and make fishing headlines once again.
Sincerely,
Andrew Still
Middlesex NJ 08846
Stillville4@yahoo.com
If you are looking to do some shoreline trout fishing at Round Valley from now till the ice moves in, you cannot beat the following technique. Now this may not be the most exciting or glamorous method of trout fishing, but it does catch Rainbows and Brown Trout.
marshmallows, mealworms and live shiners (in the bucket)
Tackle:
Use the tried and true All Purpose Round Valley Fishing Rig.
Bait:
Live Shiner, Powerbait, Mealworms, Garden Worms, and Mini Marshmallows.
Method 1:
Fish any combination of baits above (except the shiners) on the bottom. Cast out, set your pole down and wait. Do not reel your line in just for the heck of it, chances are you’ll get snagged on something. leave it out there for a good 20-30minutes before reeling in and checking your bait. Some people like to use a strike indicator like a bell during the day or little glowstick at night. I hope you brought a chair and thermos of soup.
Rod resting in holder, awaiting some action.
Method 2:
The trout are cruising the shallows looking for a river to spawn so they tend to be in very shallow water. I like to fish a live shiner hooked through the dorsal fin under a bobber. It does not have to be a slip bobber for this time of year because the fish are shallow. I set my hook about 3 feet below the bobber and cast out so i’m in 10 to 15 feet of water and that’s just fine. Wait for the bobber to go completely under, reel in your slack line and while counting 3 or 5 seconds. Is the bobber still under? If yes, set the hook. If it came up, just wait.It’s not uncommon for the trout to come back around and take it again.
That’s it. Have fun out there. Stay warm!
As evident by fishing reports from the last few weeks at Round Valley Reservoir, Shore fishermen and women have been picking up some nice sized Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and Lake Trout. Follow these tips to help you get started on the shore trout action.
Trout are quite wary of boat traffic and shore traffic so getting out on Memorial Day weekend… probably not the most productive day to wet a line. If given the opportunity, get out on weekdays or misty weekends. Also, trout are predatory fish that use the changes in lighting at dawn and dusk to their advantage, targeting disoriented prey or just ambushing unsuspecting fish and insects. There is also very little boat traffic at dawn and dusk.
Spring and Fall Round Valley Trout cruise all around the perimeter of Round Valley seeking out ideal water temps, blooms of Gammarus and schools of baitfish to feed on. One of the most common and effective methods for catching these cruising trout is to fish the dawn or dusk hours, plus an hour or so on either side.
Parking: Some of the great fishing spots like Ranger Cove and the Southern shoreline can only be accessed through The Round Valley Recreation Area. Unfortunately, the recreation area is only open from 8am to 7pm at the moment, but those times change as we get closer to the summer months. Call the park office (908) 236-6355 for current open/close times. Conversely, the fishing lot of the reservoir is open 24/7 to fishermen with a valid NJ fishing license or individuals with a boat ramp maintenance permit.
Fishing Spots: You will have less of a chance of getting snagged on the bottom if you fish from the sandy shore areas. If you fish the rocks, you will definitely get snagged on the bottom so keep this in mind when selecting a spot to drown your bait.
Bait: mealworms, garden worms, marshmallows, live shiners, PowerBait, wax worms, you name it! Any bait can work at any time on the reservoir so mix it up. I like to fish one rod with mealworms and marshmallows (to keep the bait off the bottom), one rod with a garden worm on the bottom and one with a live herring or shiner hooked under the chin and out a nostril fished on the bottom OR fished under a slip bobber and hooked through the dorsal. Remember too that, “When fishing from the shoreline, no more than three fishing rods, handlines or combination thereof may be used”.
Terminal Tackle: small hooks, small weight. I like to use small hooks like size 6, 8 or 10 egg or gamakatsu octopus hooks. These hooks are lightweight allowing the bait to float off the bottom better than bigger or thicker hooks. For the weight I use a barrel sinker just heavy enough to keep the line from drifting. On a calm day fishing worms, ¼ ounce is all you’ll ever need. If you’re fishing live shiners though, go with ¾ or 1 oz. barrel sinker.
Rod, Reel, Tripod: Your reel should be loaded with 6, 8 or 10lb monofilament. Your rod should be delicate enough to notice a finicky trout mouthing at your bait 50yards away. Propping your rod up on a cooler or stick might be free, but it could cost you a missed fish. Invest a few bux on a collapsible tripod and lay your rod tip low to the water to minimize the effects of wind on your line.
Lights: Get yourself a headlamp. Both your hands will be free for fishing, knot tying and more.
Chair: Bring a comfy chair, some warm clothes, follow the above advice and you’ve put yourself into a great position to get lucky.
