Every spring the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife stocks more than 570,000 trout in nearly 200 streams, lakes, and ponds statewide. The popular spring stocking program provides fabulous trout fishing opportunities for more than 100,000 anglers.
The trout are reared at the Division's Pequest Trout Hatchery, and most of those stocked in the spring are 1½ years old and average about 10½ inches in length and weigh about ½ pound. However, some of the trout that are stocked every spring are considerable larger, weighing 3 to 7 pounds each and ranging from 15 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.
So imagine going to a small pond or lake and latching onto the trout of a lifetime. Actually, there is no need to imagine - any one of the ponds and lakes in the Bonus Broodstock Program offers the chance to land that 'lifetime trout' during the spring season. Don't miss this exciting opportunity.
After the broodstock are spawned in the hatchery, some are stocked in the fall while the majority 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 stocks higher numbers of broodstock in a few (9-10) trout-stocked ponds and small lakes. Each spring a different set of waters receives about three to five times more broodstock than they traditionally receive.
Ten waters were selected for 2015 and are listed in the table below and shown on the map. By concentrating 460 of these large trout in these relatively small lakes and ponds, it is expected that many trout anglers will experience the catch of a lifetime or observe others catching them. The bonus broodstock trout are stocked prior to the opening day of the trout season.
The list and map below will help you find the lakes and ponds receiving the bonus broodstock for 2015. And remember - trout season begins this year on Saturday April 4 - so fine tune your tackle and be ready for another exciting year of trout fishing in New Jersey!
Bonus
Broodstock Waters Location Map (.jpg, 60kb)
Bonus
Broodstock Waters Location Map (pdf, 74kb)
| 2015
BONUS BROODSTOCK PONDS AND LAKES |
| Waterbody |
County |
Waterbody
Size
(acres) |
Proposed 2015
Pre-season
Trout Allocation1 |
Pre-season
Broodstock Allocation |
| 2015 |
2014 |
| Amwell Lake |
Hunterdon |
10 |
370 |
50 |
302 |
| Barbours Pond |
Passaic |
12 |
420 |
50 |
10 |
| Echo Lake |
Monmouth |
6 |
350 |
50 |
5 |
| Giampetro Park Pond |
Cumberland |
11 |
420 |
50 |
10 |
| Holmdel Park Pond |
Monmouth |
3 |
210 |
30 |
5 |
| Oak Pond |
Camden |
12 |
420 |
50 |
10 |
| Ponderlodge Pond |
Cape May |
8 |
470 |
50 |
10 |
| Seeley's Pond |
Union |
3 |
230 |
30 |
5 |
| Spooky Brook Park Pond |
Somerset |
8 |
360 |
50 |
10 |
| Sylvan Lake |
Burlington |
12 |
420 |
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 - Amwell Lake was also stocked with Bonus Broodstock in 2014. (normally the lake receives 5 broodstock pre-season) |
Directions to these and other trout-stocked waters can be found at www.njfishandwildlife.com/accesswater.htm - Fishing Access Locations on Trout Waters.
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