navigation bar
   
njdep  
  New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife
 
njdep home f&w home
Facebook Logo Instagram logo

Bonus Broodstock Lakes

 

BONUS BROODSTOCK PROGRAM SUSPENDED IN 2020

Due to the accelerated stocking program resulting from the COVID-19 situation, it was not possible to stock the designated waters below. We apologize as we adapted to provide as much trout fishing as possible under present conditions.

See the Updates section for latest information.

Help keep WMAs open by observing proper social distancing and not congregate in parking lots or on shorelines!
Subscribe to the Freshwater Fishing E-mail List to receive season updates and information.

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 quality 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 18 to 24 inches. These large trout are called "broodstock" or "breeders" because they are mature fish (3½ years old) that were used the previous fall to obtain and fertilize eggs as part of the hatchery's continuous production cycle.

Bonus trout ready to go 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 2020 and are listed in the table below and shown on the map. By concentrating 400 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 2020. And remember - trout season begins this year on Saturday, April 11 - so fine tune your tackle and be ready for another exciting year of trout fishing in New Jersey!

Bonus Broodstock Waters Location Map (gif, 100kb)

2020 BONUS BROODSTOCK PONDS AND LAKES
Waterbody County Waterbody
Size

(acres)
2020 Pre-season
Trout Allocation1
Pre-season
Broodstock Allocation
2020 2019
Birch Grove Park Pond Atlantic 12 400 50 10
Burnham Park Pond Morris 4 350 30 5
Crystal Lake Burlington 20 550 50 10
Dahnert's Lake Bergen 3 260 30 5
Franklin Lake Monmouth 15 370 30 5
Lower Echo Park Pond Union 6 410 30 10
Mountain Farm Pond Hunterdon 18 360 30 5
Shaws Mill Pond Cumberland 30 520 50 10
Spooky Brook Park Pond Somerset 12 400 50 10
Verona Park Pond Essex 13 480 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.

See Fishing Access Locations on Trout Waters for directions to these and other trout-stocked waters.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

arrow Spring 2020 Trout Information
arrow Landlocked Salmon in NJ
arrow Places to Fish - Ponds
arrow Places to Fish - Streams
arrow Fishing Regulations
 
back to top
bottom footer contact dep privacy notice legal statement accessibility statement nj home nj home citizen business government services a to z departments dep home

division of fish & wildlife: home | links | contact f&w
department: njdep home | about dep | index by topic | programs/units | dep online
statewide: njhome | citizen | business | government | services A to Z | departments | search

Copyright © State of New Jersey, 1996-2020
Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402

Last Updated: November 19, 2020