2005 SPRING TROUT STOCKING PROGRAM
Bonus Broodstock Ponds and Lakes
Each spring the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife stocks over 575,000 brook, brown and rainbow trout in nearly 200 streams, lakes and ponds statewide. This popular program provides a variety of trout fishing opportunities for more than 100,000 anglers. The trout are reared at the Division’s Pequest Trout Hatchery and most are 1½ years old when stocked, at an average size of 10½ inches and weighing ½ pound each. However, some of the trout that are stocked are considerable larger, weighing 3 to 5 pounds each and ranging from 14 to 19 inches.
Called "broodstock" or "breeders", because they are mature fish (2½ years old), each fall they are used to obtain eggs as part of the hatchery’s continuous production cycle. After the broodstock have been spawned in the hatchery some are stocked in the fall (approximately 1,000). The remaining 4,000 to 6,000 broodstock are stocked the following spring, primarily before the opening day of the spring trout season.
To increase interest and excitement in this popular springtime angling activity, the Division stocked higher numbers of broodstock in nine trout-stocked ponds and small lakes in 2004. This program was well received by anglers and is being continued in 2005. This year a different set of waters will receive five to ten times more broodstock than they have traditionally received in the past (see table below and map).
By concentrating 390 of these large trout in nine relatively small lakes and ponds, it is expected that angler participation and satisfaction will increase as anglers catch these trout themselves or observe others catching them. The bonus broodstock trout will be stocked prior to Opening Day (Saturday, April 9, 2005).
The table below provides information on where the bonus broodstock are being stocked. The map is a separate file in PDF format.
Bonus Broodstock Waters Location Map (pdf, 205kb)
2005 BONUS BROODSTOCK PONDS AND LAKES |
Map Key |
Waterbody |
County |
Waterbody Size (acres) |
Pre-season Trout Allocation1 |
Pre-season
Broodstock Allocation |
2005 |
2004 |
1 |
Barbour's Pond |
Passaic |
12 |
420 |
50 |
10 |
22 |
Verona Park Pond2 |
Essex |
13 |
500 |
50 |
10 |
3 |
Lower Echo Park Pond |
Union |
6 |
420 |
30 |
10 |
4 |
Spooky Brook Park Pond |
Somerset |
8 |
400 |
30 |
10 |
5 |
Amwell Lake |
Hunterdon |
10 |
410 |
50 |
10 |
6 |
Garvey's Pond |
Monmouth |
2 |
170 |
30 |
5 |
7 |
Sylvan Lake |
Burlington |
3 |
420 |
50 |
5 |
8 |
Oak Pond |
Camden |
12 |
490 |
50 |
5 |
9 |
Giampietro Park Lake |
Cumberland |
11 |
410 |
50 |
10 |
1 Note: The pre-season allocation includes the broodstock
allocation.
2 Note: Verona Park Pond replaces Clark's Pond which was originally scheduled to receive bonus broodstock.
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ADDITIONAL LINKS