Trout Season Opens Soon; Get Your Kids Outside, Off Phones

Looking for signs of spring? Let's start with trout season. Trout season will begin across the state on Saturday, April 7, at 8 a.m., and if you're looking for a reason to get your kids out of the house and away from their electronics for a few hours, this is a great opportunity.

The state Department of Environmental Protection said more than 184,000 rainbow trout will have been stocked around New Jersey for the spring season, including in a number of freshwater sites in Ocean and Monmouth counties.

"New Jersey can take pride in offering some of the finest trout fishing found on the East Coast," Acting DEP Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe said. "Trout season offers anglers a chance to relax and spend quality time in the outdoors. We strongly encourage newcomers to try their hand at trout fishing and discover a rewarding way to enjoy the splendid scenery of early spring."

If you're looking to get your kids involved in fishing, one place to start is the annual Shark River Surf Anglers' Kids Trout Contest, held at Spring Lake in Spring Lake. The fishing club stocks the lake with a variety of trout and offers prizes for kids in a variety of age groups, along with refreshments and more.

A fishing license and a trout stamp is required for anyone age 16 or older. Anglers can buy and print a fishing license and trout stamp online at www.nj.wildlifelicense.com or through license agents. Children under 16 and New Jersey residents 70 and older may fish for free. Certified disabled veterans and National Guard personnel receive special pricing.

The trout stocked in local waters come from the Pequest State Trout Hatchery in Warren County. The state Division of Fish and Wildlife has been stocking waterways with rainbow trout and will continue to do so into May. More than 570,000 trout will be released in 173 streams, rivers, lakes and ponds throughout the state. Some of the local waters receiving trout include the Metedeconk River's north and south branches, the Toms River, the Manasquan River (well inland), Prospertown Lake in Jackson, Lake Shenandoah in Lakewood, Mac's Pond in Manasquan, the Shark River and Holmdel Park Pond.

Most of the released trout will average 10½ inches long, but large breeders, known as broodstock, also will be distributed in the early weeks of the stocking season. Broodstock measure 15 to 21 inches and weigh up to 5 pounds.

The state's 14 major trout streams are stocked every week following opening day. These streams are closed to fishing from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day of stocking to allow the trout a chance to disperse. All other trout-stocked waters are open to fishing on stocking days. These waters are generally stocked three times during the season.

A list of broodstock lakes can be found by clicking here.

Full information on the spring trout stocking program can be found here.

Stocking information is also available through the Trout Stocking Hotline by calling (609) 633-6765.

The Pequest State Trout Hatchery is supported with proceeds from the sale of trout stamps and federal funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Sport Fish Restoration Program. The dedicated funding received from the purchase of a fishing license and fishing equipment enables the Division of Fish and Wildlife to enhance fishing opportunities in New Jersey and protect the quality of the state's waters for fish, wildlife and people.

If you want to see where and how the trout are raised, the Pequest Trout Hatchery has an open house and flea market scheduled for June 2 and June 3. The event was rescheduled from earlier this month due to weather conditions.

Photo by Karen Wall, Patch staff