Each spring the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife stocks over 570,000 brook, brown, and rainbow trout in nearly 200 streams, lakes, and ponds statewide. The popular spring stocking 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 of the trout stocked in the spring are 1½ years old and average 10½ inches and ½ pound each. 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.
After the broodstock are 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 stocks higher numbers of broodstock in 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.
The 10 waters selected for 2013 are listed in the table below and are shown on the accompanying map. By concentrating 400 of these large trout in 10 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 are stocked prior to the opening day of the trout season on Saturday, April 6, 2013.
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 2013. And remember - trout season begins this year on Saturday, April 6 - so fine tune your tackle and be ready for another exciting year of trout fishing in New Jersey!
Bonus
Broodstock Waters Location Map (.gif, 60kb)
Bonus
Broodstock Waters Location Map (pdf, 67kb)
| 2013
BONUS BROODSTOCK PONDS AND LAKES |
| Waterbody |
County |
Waterbody
Size
(acres) |
Pre-season
Trout Allocation1 |
Pre-season
Broodstock Allocation |
| 2013 |
2012 |
| Colonial Lake |
Mercer |
10 |
370 |
50 |
10 |
| Grenloch Lake |
Gloucester |
8 |
360 |
50 |
02 |
| Hamilton Fire Pond |
Monmouth |
2 |
150 |
30 |
5 |
| Milton Lake |
Union |
10 |
450 |
50 |
10 |
| Mountain Farm Pond |
Hunterdon |
5 |
350 |
30 |
5 |
| Mt. Hope Pond |
Morris |
18 |
410 |
50 |
10 |
| Ponderlodge Pond |
Cape May |
8 |
470 |
303 |
50 |
| Sylvan Lake |
Burlington |
12 |
420 |
50 |
10 |
| West Hudson County Park Pond |
Hudson |
4 |
340 |
30 |
5 |
| Whites Pond |
Bergen |
6 |
430 |
30 |
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 - Grenloch Lake was not stocked in 2012 due to a diesel spill that occurred near the lake. It traditionally receives 10 broodstock annually.
3 - Due to its extreme southern location and being a new addition to the trout stocking program in 2012, it was decided to make Ponderlodge Pond a Bonus Broodstock Lake again in 2013.
|
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