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.
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.
Nine waters were selected for 2019 and are listed in the table below and shown on the map. By concentrating 370 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 2019. 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, 135kb)
Bonus Broodstock Waters Location Map (pdf, 350kb)
| 2019 BONUS BROODSTOCK PONDS AND LAKES | ||||||
| Waterbody | County | Waterbody Size (acres) |
2019 Pre-season Trout Allocation1 |
Pre-season Broodstock Allocation |
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| 2019 | 2018 | |||||
| Grenloch Lake | Gloucestser | 8 | 400 | 50 | 10 | |
| Lake Ocquittunk | Sussex | 8 | 380 | 50 | 10 | |
| Mac's Pond | Monmouth | 2 | 160 | 30 | 5 | |
| Manny's Pond | Hunterdon | 4 | 290 | 30 | 5 | |
| Mt. Hope Pond | Morris | 18 | 430 | 50 | 10 | |
| Nomahegan Park Pond | Union | 6 | 400 | 30 | 10 | |
| South Vineland Park Pond | Cumberland | 17 | 480 | 50 | 10 | |
| Sylvan Lake | Burlington | 12 | 440 | 50 | 10 | |
| Whites Pond | Bergen | 6 | 450 | 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. | ||||||
See Fishing Access Locations on Trout Waters for directions to these and other trout-stocked waters.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
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Spring 2019 Trout Information |
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Landlocked Salmon in NJ |
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Places to Fish - Ponds |
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Places to Fish - Streams |
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Fishing Regulations |
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