Week of March 22, 2026: Game Off!
I hope you got in your last licks before it’s “Game off” for the 2026 trout stocking. The publicly stocked rivers will close to fishing for several weeks starting this Monday and open again on April 11th. This year’s digest reminds us that fishing is permitted in streams that “are not trout stocked, however all trout caught during this period must immediately be released.” This includes TCAs, WTSs, and the Delaware, but you should familiarize yourself with the regulations on these protected areas and be vigilant for unscrupulous angers - call (877) WARN-DEP 927-6227 to report rather than engage.
The weather cooperated and flows were exquisite last week - a tad high and off color, but precisely what we want for the end of Winter and start of Spring. The bugs we love to see appeared right on time: stoneflies and BWOs. The nymphs are great to fish when the actual insects are in the air. Mayflies are percolating beneath the surface, so soon there will be more variety for the trout and more choices for the angler. It is a good idea to start fishing the mayfly nymphs now and, if you didn’t know, SBO’s own Connor has made the greatest online Stream Condition link Hatch Chart known to humankind.
The Hatch Chart template originated with Les Shannon’s records which he meticulously recorded on index cards and drafting paper - I think (views expressed in this report are exclusively the author’s and not the SBO as an entity, the owners or other employees). Matt Grobert (correct me if I am wrong) created the chart and timeline many of us are familiar with and which was included on Shannon's Fly and Tackle website. The legacy has been digitized further and expanded into the Bug Encyclopedia, displaying individual insect size, active and peak months, and type. There is also a “Bug ID” tool that allows you to identify an insect you see and want to learn more about.
The Stream Conditions tab includes, of course, the CFS, but also a comparison to prior years to give a quick sense of if the river is up or down it indicates the “fishability” of each river and stream. Below that will be an indication of the hatching insects, size and peak activity! Finally, the current air temperature and brief forecast are there, too. I don’t even check a weather app - just our Stream Condition page! Next, the Hatch chart tells me what I am going to fish or tie next.
Seasonal closure is not a whole lot of fun, but the stocking program is essential to recreational fishing in NJ. Pennsylvania is also currently under seasonal closures, but there are Catch and Release areas that remain open like here in NJ. Their season opens on April 4th, so it is worth an additional license and time to check out some new terrain.
I contemplated where to find my March trout this weekend. I made it out a few times but had yet to find a fish. I figured I would check out my favorite stretch in all of NJ before the closing pushes eager anglers in the TCAs (sweet irony!) and headed to the Musky. I found one fish and it was a good size holdover rainbow. Honestly, I hoping to find some nice brown trout the local TU chapter stocked in December. They may still be there, but not at the end of my line. Today, I will hopefully head out to publicly stocked water - while I can. Maybe the browns found their way out of the TCA and are ready to welcome their new friends from the hatchery.
We are open regular business hours and are here to outfit all levels of angler. Stop by and see us before heading out or on your way in from a day on the stream.
See you out there,
Roy B.