New Jersey’s fall and winter trout stocking gets underway in October.
The Garden State’s trout fishing “October Classic” indeed, and a ‘bow-dacious one at that as 20,440 wide bodied 2-year-old rainbow trout will be released in 35 waters in 20 of New Jersey’s 21 counties during a six-day span mid-month. These will average a hearty 14 to 16 inches and nearly 1-1/2 pounds.
For South Jersey anglers, keep in mind that Cape May County’s Ponderlodge Pond will be stocked during the November Winter Stocking schedule.
Icing on the harvest season pie this season is 1,000 or so 3-year-old broodstock ‘bows taping anywhere from 18 to a torpedo-like 22 inches, weighing in the neighborhood of 3 to 5 pounds, some possibly a tad longer and heavier. (A personal October best was 23 inches/5-1/2 pounds that sipped a Pautzke yellow jacket egg on the Big Flat Brook above Route 206.)
Predicated on size and stocking allocation, every venue will receive a share of breeders per load. The bigger (surface acreage) or longer the swim, the more that will be included in the respective cargoes.
“Great Fall Trout”
| LICENSE & STAMP – OR NOT |
| On Saturday, October 18, the second of two free fishing days will be held in New Jersey when no freshwater license or stamp is required to freshwater fish in New Jersey. Other than that final free fishing day of 2025, anyone age 16 and older must have a license to freshwater fish in New Jersey (including privately owned waters) with handline, rod and reel or with a bow. Fishing for trout or salmon in the Garden State also requires a trout stamp. A resident fishing license (ages 16-64) costs $22.50, just $12.50 for seniors, while a resident trout stamp costs $10.50. For non-residents the cost for a freshwater license is $34 for all those ages 16 and over, with the non-resident trout stamp costing $20. Purchase online at njfishandwildlife.com. |
“The rainbows for the October stocking are in excellent shape, said Ed Conley, superintendent at the Pequest Hatchery, describing the soon-to-be released rainbows as being of good body size and great color. “We’re looking forward to getting them out there, said Conley, adding “it looks like it’s going to be some great fall trout fishing.”
What’s become known as simply the “Fall Stocking”, the program was started in the early 80s with the standard size 9-1/2-inch trout being released. A significant change in 2006 was made by the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries in response to feedback from trout enthusiasts indicating they would rather see larger fish being stocked. Something had to give, but it was an agreeable give-and-take – the total would be halved, but the rainbows would be nearly 1-1/2 times the length and certainly heftier.
As such, the 2-year-old cycle was established, with the Pequest Trout Hatchery personnel making the necessary changes to stripping/rearing/raising schedules and raceway accommodations, producing approximately 20,000 (usually more as is the case this year) high octane rainbows for October’s stocking.
Indeed, these “Terrible Twos” are hefty, muscular and perfectly capable of snapping the light lines and tippets of the unprepared. The rip-snorting attitude plays to an aggressiveness that makes these ‘bows, so excitingly ideal for the salmonid angling experience during the Indian Summer splendor. Add the possibility of a buster breeder, and it’s just a fantastic time to be stream or lake side.
The Fall Arsenal
The fall stocking roster includes a cross section of venues ranging from bucolic to suburban to urban. There’s a strong emphasis on moving waters; however, the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries formulated a masterful blend of ponds and lakes, primarily in the southern tier counties, and a few lakes and rivers in the central, that provide exemplary trout fishing opportunities.
| BY THE NUMBERS |
| Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries personnel will be monitoring river flows in the weeks prior to the stocking, and if any levels are found to be subpar, adjustments will be made to the trout stocking roster below (trout numbers in parenthesis). Updates can be found at njfishandwildlife.com.
Tuesday, October 14: North Branch Metedeconk (160), South Branch Metedeconk (270), Toms River (260), Toms River TCA (100), Manasquan River (480), North Branch Raritan River (940), Black River (330), Paulins Kill (1,580). Wednesday, October 15: Pequest River (1,410), Pequest River TCA (210), Wallkill River (510), Musconetcong River (2,730), Musconetcong River TCA (210). Thursday, October 16: Big Flat Brook (1,530), Pohatcong Creek (1,010), Rockaway River (1380). Friday, October 17: South Branch Raritan River (1,950), South Branch Raritan River TCA (260), Wanaque River (370), Ramapo River (970). Tuesday, October 21: Giampietro Park Pond (180), Mary Elmer Lake (210), Hammonton Lake (230), Oak Pond, Grenloch Lake, Sylvan Lake, Lower Echo Park Pond (180 each), Speedwell Lake (230), Crystal Lake (230), Maurice River (180). Wednesday, October 22: Verona Park Lake (310), Greenwich Lake (190), Schadler’s Sand Wash Pond (160), Iona Lake (220), Swedesboro Lake (220), North Hudson Park Lake (310), Roosevelt Park Pond (190), Rosedale Lake (210), Colonial Lake (190). |
As per the optimum autumn water temperatures that will have the rainbows in near constant chow mode, it’s a wide open option, be it bait, hardware or fly. Be aware of special regulation Trout Conservation Area (TCA) and No Kill beats in the fall stocking lineup. The former include the Toms River (1 mile; End of Riverwood Park down to Route 571), the Musconetcong River (1.2 miles; Penwell Road Bridge down to Point Mountain Bridge), and the Pequest River (1.4 miles; Conrail Rod Bridge down to the Pequest Furnace Road Bridge). On these, artificials only with a one-trout limit at a minimum of 15 inches. The latter include the South Branch of the Raritan River (2.2 miles; Ken Lockwood Gorge), and the Big Flat Brook (4.2 miles; Route 206 Bridge to the Roy Bridge). Artificials/barbless hooks only, and all trout must be immediately released.
When it comes to the lakes and ponds, go with the dough, as in the Berkley PowerBait Dough and Nuggets, Turbo Dough, and Gulp Dough offerings on a slip sinker rig. Stringer filling, but be loaded as in at least four-pack (or more) of colors as the vermilion-slashed Pequest raiders can sometimes prove selective as the seductive scents fill the olfactory senses. Under a tiny bobber, salmon eggs, kernel corn, meal worms, garden worms and a feisty fathead minnow (or killie) will bend the rod.
Spinners and spoons? Yeah, Mepps, Thomas, and Worden’s (Rooster Tail) and Phoebe especially, but beware the sinking leaves that grab trebles. As we do, snip one or two of the trebles and mash the other barbs. A Trout Magnet under a twitch ‘n go float? Potential limits for sure, but again, pack a few grub colors. The gold, black and chartreuse heads remain a constant. Spinners and spoons do the deed in the rivers, with downsized plugs such as the Yo-Zuri Pins Minnow an electrifying advantage on a slow but steady or rip/stop/twitch/go pace.
Fly by ‘bows? Oh, yes, this is ideal terrestrial time! Surface pattern ant, cricket, beetle, moth (read: White Wulff) and hopper patterns drifted along grassy and/or brush strewn banks will bring October ‘bows topside. Hatchery rainbows? Better believe it! Subsurface inhalations will be to the likes of the simple-but-deadly “basic” beadhead Pheasant Tail, Hare’s Ear and Copper John nymph patterns, and the Royal and Leadwing Coachman, and Black Gnat wets. Craving an arm yank? Strip a black or blue Woolly Bugger.
The daily limit is four at a minimum of 9 inches, the exceptions being the aforementioned special regulation waters, and there are no closed stocking dates until 5 p.m. In other words, you can fish before and during while the fish are being stocked!
