New Stretch of River (at least for me)

[njcatchrelease]

I got out for a few hours early on Saturday to try a section of the Rockaway River that I have never fished before. Spent about 2.5 hours on the river and managed to land 3 rainbows and lost a few others.

Here are a few photos.

[MikeB]

Nice work bud, good looking fish. Always fun finding new waters.

[cappy]

Nice pics. I fish that stretch occasionally, nice looking water but has severe thermal issues during the Summer and few to none holdovers, exception would be the deepest pools.

[njcatchrelease]

Nice pics. I fish that stretch occasionally, nice looking water but has severe thermal issues during the Summer and few to none holdovers, exception would be the deepest pools.

The pools weren't that deep except for the run just after the dam. Hopefully it will stay cool enough to fish for a while longer.
Have you ever fished the river above that lake? I was wondering what it is like up stream more.

[cappy]

Should be OK for this month, especially with the cool temps and rain we have been getting this Spring. Wish more people practiced C&R there, lots of limits taken out. Never fished above the lake, not stocked and not a WTS, to many impoundments.

[Rusty Spinner]

Should be OK for this month, especially with the cool temps and rain we have been getting this Spring. Wish more people practiced C&R there, lots of limits taken out. Never fished above the lake, not stocked and not a WTS, to many impoundments.

If they can't survive summer temps, then that is the perfect river for catch and creel IMO. If a river has wild fish, that's another story.

[cappy]

Should be OK for this month, especially with the cool temps and rain we have been getting this Spring. Wish more people practiced C&R there, lots of limits taken out. Never fished above the lake, not stocked and not a WTS, to many impoundments.

If they can't survive summer temps, then that is the perfect river for catch and creel IMO. If a river has wild fish, that's another story.

True. What I didn't get across was it would fish better if people just took a couple of fish each trip instead of a limit, and more. I'm a C&R guy but will take a fish or two from that river during an outing, depending on how they are biting. I've seen three guys fish a small pool and each walk out with a limit, once the stocking stops the amount of fish decrease dramatically. Deep shaded sections can hold trout for the creel into the beginning of Summer extending the season and the fun. Once the steady heat comes and water level decreases it's sunnies and chubs.

[Drossi]

Should be OK for this month, especially with the cool temps and rain we have been getting this Spring. Wish more people practiced C&R there, lots of limits taken out. Never fished above the lake, not stocked and not a WTS, to many impoundments.

If they can't survive summer temps, then that is the perfect river for catch and creel IMO. If a river has wild fish, that's another story.

That particular section does get too warm. Lower down river there are more cold water influences and fish will hold over and the occasional wild brown will show up. The Rockaway is popular with the catch and keep crowd as it should be since much of it gets too warm. Another week or two and I'll cull a few for the grill myself.

BTW - the Iso hatch is great there right now. They've really come back in the last 15 or so years once the industries moved out of watershed.