  |
Fall Trout Fishing in New Jersey |
|
|
Fall trout-stocking during the second and third weeks in October has become of the most popular stocking programs offered by Fish and Wildlife, particularly since 2006 when the Division began stocking only larger two-year old trout. Anglers enjoy the additional fish provided by the Division as well as the opportunity to fish the waters of New Jersey during one of the most beautiful times of year. The big fish, cool water, great weather and spectacular scenery combined to make the fall season what many consider to be New Jersey’s premium trout fishing season.
Fall stocking began Tuesday, October 6 in 2020 and will conclud Wednesday, October 14. All trout are raised at the division's Pequest Trout Hatchery and measure approximately 14" to 18" in length. Any trout not caught during the fall will also be available all winter long for anglers to enjoy. Many are even caught the following spring.
Trout anglers will be given extra opportunities to catch trout in 2020 as the Division will be stocking 6,000 additional fish. These extra fish equate to each waterbody receiving roughly 25% more fish per waterbody than in a typical fall season. A total of approximately 27,000 trout will be stocked in 40 waters over the two weeks.
In addition to the extra fish, four additional waterbodies that have not traditionally been part of the Fall Program will also be stocked this fall.
The 4 new waterbodies are:
Dahnert's Lake - Bergen County
Holmdel Park Pond - Monmouth County
Manny's Pond - Hunterdon County
Pohatcong Lake - Ocean County
All fall-stocked waters may be fished as soon as they are stocked (no "closed waters" during fall stocking).
|
Enjoy the magic of fall trout fishing!
Click to enlarge |
|
|
The complete list of fall-stocked
waters is on the Stocking Schedule page
or through the Trout Stocking Hotline 609-633-6765. An actual schedule will not be posted in 2020. Waterbodies stocked will be noted at the end of the day they are stocked. This is to prevent crowds gathering at popular stocking points, making social distancing difficult.
If
you need help finding one of these trout-stocked waters, refer
to the list of fishing access locations linked
below for directions.
Other waters offer fine trout fishing opportunities even though they are not stocked in the fall. The Holdover Trout Lakes, like Lake Aeroflex and Lake Wawayanda, provide year round trout fishing opportunities. Those waters, along with Tilcon Lake in Allamuchy Mountain State Park, are included in the landlocked salmon stocking program, now in its 13th year. All three yield harvestable size salmon (12 inches).
Our two Trophy Trout
Lakes, Round
Valley and Merrill
Creek Reservoirs, are also great trout fishing destinations. Shoreline
fishing on Round Valley is particularly popular in the fall, as big
rainbows cruise the shallows (See the current Freshwater
Digest for special area regulations.)
|
Trout fishing will really heat up once fall stocking gets underway.
The line-busting, bragging-size trout being stocked in October will
test the skills of anglers fishing with lightweight tackle, leaving
some anglers with fond memories, to last a lifetime, about the big
one that got away. Whether you chose to fish for stocked or wild trout,
there are plenty of trout-fishing opportunities in the Garden State.
So take the time from your busy schedules to enjoy trout fishing during
the splendor of fall.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
|
