Governor Murphy Releases Funding to Help Fishing Businesses Affected by COVID

Fish & Wildlife 

"The Nation Behaves Well, if it Turns Natural Places Over to the Next Generation"

Ken Shultz 

Nice Channel Cats Stocked by the State

Fish & Wildlife 

Few Minutes After Sunset: Lost a Nice Trout

 Went over to the river after sunset with my two-weight TFO and a Wooly Bugger. Since the storm is coming, I thought maybe a chance existed of getting a trout to hit. I also thought other fishermen might not be there. 

I was right on both counts.

Almost. One guy had just set up, bottom fishing. One other fished spinners, and he had caught one. I had already begun probing the bottom slowly when I spoke to him, so immediately, I gained on up tempo, stripping the bugger.

That worked. I saw the fish turn sidewise the moment after it hit. A nice rainbow of maybe 18 inches. It had broken my line. A bad knot. 

Took awhile to tie on another bugger. And I got a few stripping retrieves in the gathering dusk before the line got hopelessly tangled. Good reason to always grab the headlamp when you the grab the rod, if you're going to fish late.

On the way out, we struck up more conversation, the same fisherman along with his female partner, who asked me if I hunt. She does. With a bow. She hasn't caught any trout yet. Says she fishes bass and this is different. I imagine she'll catch on. As for myself, I'm definitely going to do this fall trout thing after I retire in about five years. I'm just fortunate today to have unusual hours--9:00 to 5:30--since I'm covering for my manager.