A rundown of fall trout stocking in the Garden State.
A bonus on several counts during New Jersey’s November freshwater fishing scene.
In this context, it has to do with the 17 select Garden State lakes and ponds spread over 10 counties (eight north, three central, and six south) that will be graced with 4,480 2-year-old rainbows in the 14- to 16-inch class and weighing upwards of 1-1/2 to 2 pounds on Monday, November 24 and Tuesday, November 25. And this is on top of the Pequest Trout Hatchery truck rolling out of the 20,440 ‘bows stocked in October in a combination of 35 rivers, streams, ponds and lakes spread throughout 20 counties.
This year, the “Thanksgiving Week” stocking as it’s become known over the decades – always considered a “bonus” in the trout stocking/fishing scheme of things – was scheduled for one week prior. Due to water levels being significantly down, the stocking dates were moved back to the holiday week.
The stocking of lakes and ponds was purposeful since the program’s inception and implementation by retired Bureau of Freshwater principal fisheries biologist Bob Papson, but it has been tweaked over time. “Originally, it was meant to provide trout fishing in waters where ice fishing was allowed if they froze over. And the fish were standard size rainbows.”
Papson noted that that it was a given that some would hold over to spring and add to the opening day bounty. “Over the years and after reviews, a few changes were made expanding the program to include some south Jersey waters where trout fishing was popular in the spring,” shared Papson during our once to thrice annual conversations as former Bureau of Freshwater compadres.
The stocking time frame was pushed back a month to November, specifically the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving Week, offering families the chance to enjoy freshwater fishing, especially during the holiday weekend. Several new swims were added. A huge bump to the November releases (and participation) was the change to hefty 2-year old rainbows in 2006 in lieu of the standard 9-1/2- to 10-inch stockies. “That was a big one,” smiled Papson, his tone enjoying the pun.
The venues are a mix of suburban to country, the common denominator (with an exception or two, of course) is that they are easy to reach and offer plenty of shoreline access. Pequest Hatchery superintendent Ed Conley said he is looking forward to the November stocking in that the ‘bows are rambunctious and are in great shape. “Let’s go,” he enthused.
Assistant fisheries biologist and trout stocking coordinator Kyle Civalier is equally pumped. “The November stocking tops off what’s a great trout stocking program and adds to our reputation that New Jersey is a year-round trout fishing state,” Civalier said.
Both energies were palpable.
The drag nipping opportunities in the November stocked waters besides the buster ‘bows includes a “two-fer” or sometimes “three-fer” scenario that adds to the fall trout fishing experience in New Jersey. It’s an all systems go scenario on the November trout stocked venues, and what put ‘bows on the stringer during the spring and, where applicable, October, will certainly result in bent rods.
Baits? Preserved, live, grocery, or lab borne are limit makers.
Hardware? Jigs, plastics, spinners, miniature plugs, spoons all attract trout attention and violent reaction.
| DEPOSIT DATES |
| The November stocking schedule is as follows, including county (trout numbers in parenthesis).
Monday, November 24: Sussex County- Silver Lake (300), Lake Aeroflex (370), Lake Ocquittunk (250), Little Swartswood Lake (350); Warren County- Oxford Furnace Lake (360); Passaic County- Green Turtle Pond (330); Hunterdon County- Amwell Lake (260); Monmouth County- Spring Lake and Topenumus Lake (320 each). Tuesday, November 25: Morris County- Mt. Hope Pond (280); Passaic County- Barbour Pond (270); Camden County- Haddon Lake (210), Rowands Pond (100); Cumberland County- South Vineland Park Pond (190), Shaws Mill Pond (210); Atlantic County- Birch Grove Park Ponds (first two-190); Cape May County- Ponderlodge Pond (170). |
‘Bows by fly? Oh, yeah! Our favorite time to strip streamers or slow twitch weighted nymphs. When lack of wind conditions allow, and there is enough area for a decent back cast like a beach or mowed bank, doors open to some prime long rod encounters with recently released and cruising meaty, broad shouldered rainbows.
Yet another selling factor of this year’s stocking is the timing. Sure, there will be those out as the rainbows are being tossed, and a fair percentage will be caught those first few hours, but on the overall, there will be appreciable loads still available when the youngsters (and fortuitous adults) are freed by the Wednesday of Thanksgiving week and into the weekend. The release a week earlier will give the trout a chance to acclimate to the new environment and by then the feedbags will need to be filled.
While the rainbow trout will bite during open water leading into the freeze, this stocking is a precursor of some hot winter ice action where ice fishing is legal. It’s incumbent upon the angler to check with the governing authority as to whether it’s okay to drill.
Remember the daily limit is four trout at the statewide minimum 9 inches. Fishing is allowed even as the rainbows are being released.
| HOT SPOTS |
| Be versatile knowing the options, whether it’s because the rare times the rainbows prove recalcitrant or, like us, you want to make the most of a road trip. Packing a medium or medium/heavy action is recommended as per an alternative to the rainbow bluster.
Some of our favorite November waters include the following. Oxford Furnace Lake: Keith Kurpicki at Hi-Way Sport Shop says the trout will hit PowerBait nuggets and paste in orange, yellow, and pink, and assail gold Phoebe spinners. Muskies like large live shiners, big stick baits, and ChatterBaits w/fatso trailers. For channel cats, it’s live shiners and gob ‘o ‘crawlers. Ponderlodge Pond: Big Nick from Hands Too Bait & Tackle says the hot pink and black/green Trout Magnet (gold head a hottie), the pink and sherbet PowerBait paste, Rooster Tail spinners, and the Yo-Zuri Pins Minnow are the Ponderlodge Trout pounders. For the big bass, it’s lipless crankbaits. The channel cats are all over ‘crawlers. Amwell Lake: “Rooster Tail spinners and any garlic flavor Power Bait when it comes to the trout,” relayed John from Old School Outdoors. Joe’s Flies also account for good catches. Bass? Spinnerbaits and Senkos. Spring Lake/Topenumus Lake: “Size 1 Blue Fox spinner with a chrome blade for trout in both lakes,” shared Fishermen’s Supply’s Jason the Sensation. The bass inhale Senkos and creature baits, and whack spinnerbaits, the ace big bassers have significant results with the KVD Chad Shad. Aeroflex Lake: Cliff from Skylands Sport Shop insists the pink and the orange PowerBait nuggets and pastes are limit are effective on the lake’s recently stocked rainbows, as are Panther Martin and Mepps spinners. Did someone say “salmon”? Another load measuring 15-16 inches and weighing to 1.5-plus pounds is scheduled for stocking the first week in November, adding to the copious population. Trolling and/or casting blue/silver Phoebe spoons is a lock for lox. Lake Ocquittunk: “Hot pink and meal worm Trout Magnets on a gold head under a float, salmon eggs, garden worms, and meal worms under a bobber, and garlic flavor Power Bait, any color, is killer,” instructs Brian from the Stokes Forest Sport Shop when asked what fills a stringer with trout during November into December season. The horse shoe shaped configured impoundment is a channel catfish hot spot. Whiskers to 15 pounds have been stocked and caught. Says Brian, “We can’t keep the Magic Bait Catfish Bait on the shelf.” Shaws Mill Pond/South Vineland Park Pond: “Lots of November fishing going on down here, and the trout are popular,” says Jeff from Blackwater Sports Center. Trout are crazed for the pink/white Berkley Mouse Tails, yellow garlic PowerBait paste, and Mepps and Rooster Tail spinners. Bass, even in November, whack the Whopper Plopper and the Easy Shiner Kitech paddletail. Birch Grove Park Pond: Hiding in plain sight is the pond/canal structure off GSP exit 36 that offers high return trout fishing during the spring and November stocking. Capt. Dave “The Rave” Showell at Absecon Bay Sportsman Center says the Mepps spinners and Power Bait paste and nuggets keep the “local trouters” happy here and also at the nearby Heritage Park Pond. |
