Fly Fishing the Musconetcong River. Brian Cowden

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      50 . Musconetcong River

       Location: Northwestern New Jersey, about a 1-hour ride from Newark; a 1-hour ride from New York City; and a 1½-hour ride from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Full-service airports are available at all three cities.

      The Musconetcong River, or the Musky as it is known locally, is New Jersey’s longest trout stream. It is also arguably the most popular.

      Indigenous people have inhabited the Musconetcong Valley for more than 10,000 years. The Plenge Site on the

      lower river is one of only two major Paleoindian archaeological sites in New Jersey, and one of the most significant in the Northeast. The Leni Lanape tribe named the Musconetcong, which means “river that flows from two lakes.” The river begins at the dam at Lake Hopatcong at the Morris County–Sussex County border and flows through Lake Musconetcong. The Musky is roughly 42 miles long, about 25 miles of which is designated as a federal Wild & Scenic River.

      The Musky has benefited from the efforts of Trout Unlimited and other parties who have worked to restore and protect the river. To date, six obsolete dams have been removed. This provides passage for trout and anadromous fish, such as American shad and striped bass in the lower river. There has also been significant channel restoration throughout the watershed. This benefits both trout and insects. More restoration work is planned.

      The Musky leaves developed and congested Hackettstown and flows through farm country for the rest of its length. As it flows southwest toward its termination at the Delaware River, it mixes with water from the limestone aquifer and cools down. The best trout habitat is actually in the lower two-thirds of the river. This runs from Mansfield Township down to Riegelsville. As a result of the limestone aquifers cooling and improving water quality in the lower river, it is known as an upside-down watershed.

      The Musky is home to native brook trout and nonnative browns. Both species reproduce in the