The trout are reared at the Division's Pequest Trout Hatchery, and those stocked in the spring are 1½ years old and average about 10½ inches in length and weigh about ½ pound. But thousands of the trout that are stocked every spring are considerable larger, weighing 3 to 7 pounds each and ranging from 17 to 24 inches. These large trout are called "broodstock" or "breeders" because they are mature fish (2½ - 3½ years old) that were used the previous fall to obtain and fertilize eggs as part of the hatchery's continuous production cycle.

After the broodstock are spawned in the hatchery, up to 1,000 are stocked for the fall trout fishing season. The remaining 4,000 to 6,000 broodstock are stocked the following spring, primarily before the opening day of the spring trout fishing.

To increase interest and excitement in the spring trout fishing season, the Division picks nine or ten trout-stocked ponds and small lakes every year and loads them up with about five times more broodstock than they would normally receive! The bonus broodstock trout are stocked prior to the opening day of the trout season on Saturday, April 7, 2012.

Imagine going to a small pond or lake and latching onto one of these lunkers. Actually, there is no need to imagine - any one of the Bonus Broodstock ponds and lakes offers the chance to land that 'lifetime trout' during the spring season. Don't miss this exciting opportunity.

The list and map below will help you find the lakes and ponds receiving the bonus broodstock for 2012. And remember - trout season begins this year on Saturday, April 7 - so fine tune your tackle and be ready for another exciting year of trout fishing in New Jersey!

Bonus Broodstock Waters Location Map (.gif, 57kb)
Bonus Broodstock Waters Location Map (pdf, 67kb)

2012 BONUS BROODSTOCK PONDS AND LAKES
Waterbody	County	Waterbody Size (acres)	Pre-season Trout Allocation1	Pre-season Broodstock Allocation
				2012	2011
Barbour's Pond	Passaic	12	420	50	10
Crystal Lake	Burlington	20	550	50	10
Echo Lake	Monmouth	6	360	30	5
Holmdel Park Pond	Monmouth	3	210	30	5
Manny's Pond	Hunterdon	4	280	30	5
Ponderlodge Pond	Cape May	8	480	50	02
Seeley's Pond	Union	3	230	30	5
South Vineland Park Pond	Cumberland	17	540	50	02
Verona Park Pond	Essex	13	470	50	10
1 - The pre-season allocation includes both the production size trout (10½ inch average size) and the broodstock. The pre-season trout allocation is stocked prior to Opening Day. 2 - Ponderlodge Pond and South Vineland Park Pond were not stocked with trout in 2011.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

	Spring 2012 Trout Information
	Fishing Access Locations on Trout Waters
	Places to Fish - Ponds
	Places to Fish - Streams
	Sea Run Brown Trout
	Fishing Regulations
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