CJTU is one of New Jersey's leading advocacy and conservation groups leading the fight to protect cold water fisheries and their environment. Our members represent a diverse cross-section of New Jersey and its surrounding areas, but all of us are joined together by a love of trout fishing and a commitment to preserve cold water fisheries for future generations.
Our mission is to conserve, protect and restore New Jersey's trout streams and their watersheds. In order to achieve our goals, we conduct habitat improvement projects, stream restoration projects, stream clean-ups, and educational programs such as Trout in the Classroom, among other activities. We strive to educate the next generation about the importance to preserve the environment and wild trout. While engaged in conservation efforts, we manage to have a lot of fun, whether at monthly meetings, chapter fishing trips, fly tying, fly fishing, or stream projects. We invite you to join us.
General Meeting
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Dave Rothrock
Tying and Fishing Non-Beaded Flies/Drop-Shot Nymphing
It's not so much about tying and fishing non-beaded flies as it is about why to do so. Versatility is a key component in my approach to fishing nymphs. Tying non-beaded nymphs allows for more flexibility to suggest specific naturals or generally a wider range of nymphs by varying both size and color.
A drop-shot rig can be used whether fishing a sighter system (contact/tight-line) or an indicator. Being able to make adjustments in weight to present flies at a desired depth and change quickly as well as being able to change flies with minimal effort: This and more is where fishing a drop-shot rig really shines.
Dave Rothrock has been pursuing trout and other species with a fly rod since the mid-1960's and he's been tying flies for a bit longer than he's been fishing them. He has fished throughout the East, into the Midwest, and Europe where he fished great waters in Austria and Slovenia.
Over the years Dave's articles have appeared in Fly Fisherman, American Angler and
Pennsylvania Angler magazines as well as other publications. His fly patterns have have
graced the pages of various publications, books and calendars. He has presented programs on fly- fishing related topics to groups throughout the Eastern U.S. and Canada. Dave is also a co-author of the book “Keystone Fly Fishing: The Ultimate Guide to Pennsylvania's Best Water.” He also authors his website blog at www.therantingangler.com. Dave teamed up with John Kolb for the YouTube channel The Ranting Angler which offers flly-fishing related content.
In 2004 Dave and George Daniel teamed together to compete in the northeast regional qualifier for Barrett Productions' Fly Fishing Masters competition. As a team they placed first out of 36 teams in the two day casting competition.
Dave is a former Orvis Endorsed Guide as well as a former FFI Certified Casting Instructor . He has worked as an instructor in the L. L. Bean fly fishing schools and has taught fly fishing, casting and fly tying classes for various fly shops and groups. Dave currently guides and teaches fly fishing and casting through his business, Salmo-Trutta Enterprises.
He utilizes many of the best trout streams in central and north central PA as his classroom environment.
Dave serves as an Ambassador Pro with Douglas Outdoors and also serves on the Pro Staff of HMH Vises, Cortland Line and Flystones.
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Rich Liptak
Flyfishing for Trout on the Delawares “Other Half”, Callicoon NY to Port Jervis NY
This presentation goes on a 45 mile float from Callicoon NY to Port Jervis NY . Rich will discuss trout fishing on the Delaware Rivers little known trout zone, offering a fantastic alternative to the upper reaches of the river. Characteristics, techniques, access sites, and expectations will be covered.
Rich Liptak has been flyfishing the Delaware for 47 years as well as other rivers and streams in the Catskills and Poconos. Additionally Rich has fished many other areas throughout the country and out of the country in both fresh and saltwater.
American Legion Hall
137 New Market Road
Dunellen, NJ
Meetings starts at 8:00 PM
Non Members are always welcome!
News & Events
Annual Musky River Cleanup - Point Mountain
Saturday, April 12th, 2025 9:00 am
CJTU members will again gather at Point Mountain for the Annual Musconetcong River Clean-up on April 12th at 9am. We come together to show our concern and caring for the River as we gather to bag trash.
Bags and gloves will be provided and we will supply grabbers out to help with picking up wet trash. Please bring reusable water bottles. CJTU will supply water. After the Clean-up at 12pm the Musconetcong Watershed Association will sponsor a complimentary BBQ at their office at 10 Maple Avenue, Asbury, NJ for all Volunteers.
If you are interested in being part of the CJTU Clean-up Team please contact Marsha Benovengo by email at volunteer@cjtu.org or by text or phone at (908) 216-4855. Sign up sheets will be available at the 2/11, 3/11 and 4/8 meetings.
Please bring a friend or family member!
Thank you for all that you do!
Califon Trout Fest
Saturday, April 12th, 2025
Rutgers Day
Saturday, April 26th, 2025
The Last Spring Point Mountain Stocking
May 24, 2024
The CJTU stocking team concluded the spring stocking of the Point Mountain stretch on May 24th when we put over 200 fish into the river. So far this spring we stocked over 1600 fish in the stretch. Working with Hunterdon County we spread the fish along the stream from the Point Mountain bridge to a point about a mile upstream Since this area is a TCA, trout conservation area, you can only take 1 fish a day over 15 inches. Most of the fish should hold over and provide good fishing throughout the year.
We will have one more stocking in the fall where we will put some bigger fish in the river. Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped out during the spring stockings.
Ed Kordyla, CJTU Stocking Coordinator
Califon Troutfest 4-20-24
On Saturday, April 20, we participated in TroutFest in Califon. This event, hosted by South Branch Outfitters, featured live music, food and beer trucks, local craft vendors, fishing competitions, and a kid's fishing derby. This year's attendance dwarfed previous events and was the best attended to date.
2024 CJTU Picnic Meeting
June 11, 2024
Rutgers Day
Saturday, April 27, 2024
This was probably the biggest Rutgers Day for us since we started going there several years ago and it's our best opportunity to interact with the general public. The big crowds were back!
We had a constant flow of people from the start at 10:00 am until we packed up at 4:00. The guys doing the fly casting were constantly on the field and the kids were sometimes lined up 6 deep to get a chance with the Orvis Practicaster.
We answered questions that ranged from what Trout Unlimited does and coldwater conservation to where to go fishing around the area. There was also a lot of interest in the Trout in the Classroom program from the general public and from teachers who want to get involved with the program in their classrooms.
Time to start planning for next year!
Subscribe to Mainstream
Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter "Mainstream" by entering your e-mail address in the box on the right and click on the "Go" button. You will be taken to a page where you can enter additional information. Receiving Mainstream will guarantee that you are kept up to date on meetings and other chapter events.
If you don't see the sign up box, turn off any ad blockers for this page!
Within a few minutes you should receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your subscription request. Be sure to click on the link provided or just reply to complete the process.
If you do not receive the e-mail asking for confirmation, check your spam mailbox and make sure that if you are running a spam filter, it can accept mail from
The process is complete when you receive an e-mail thanking you for subscribing.
Central Jersey Trout Unlimited’s Advertisers and Supporters
