The trout are reared at the Division's Pequest Trout Hatchery, and those stocked in the spring are 1½ years old and average about 10½ inches in length and weigh about ½ pound. But thousands of the trout that are stocked every spring are considerable larger, weighing 3 to 8 pounds each and ranging from 17 to 24 inches. These large trout are called "broodstock" or "breeders" because they are mature fish (2½ - 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, up to 1,000 are stocked for the fall trout fishing season. The remaining 4,000 to 6,000 broodstock are stocked the following spring, primarily before the opening day of the spring trout fishing.

To increase interest and excitement in the spring trout fishing season, the Division picks nine or ten trout-stocked ponds and small lakes every year and loads them up with about five times more broodstock than they would normally receive! The bonus broodstock trout are stocked prior to the opening day of the trout season on Saturday, April 9, 2011.

Imagine going to a small pond or lake and latching onto one of these lunkers. Actually, there is no need to imagine - any one of the Bonus Broodstock ponds and lakes offers the chance to land that 'lifetime trout' during the spring season. Don't miss this exciting opportunity.

The list and map below will help you find the lakes and ponds receiving the bonus broodstock for 2011. And remember - trout season begins this year on Saturday April 9 - so fine tune your tackle and be ready for another exciting year of trout fishing in New Jersey!

Bonus Broodstock Waters Location Map (.gif, 60kb)
Bonus Broodstock Waters Location Map (pdf, 67kb)

2011 BONUS BROODSTOCK PONDS AND LAKES
Waterbody	County	Waterbody Size (acres)	Pre-season Trout Allocation1	Pre-season Broodstock Allocation
				2011	2010
Burnham Park Pond	Morris	4	330	30	5
Dahnert’s Lake	Bergen	3	250	30	5
Giampetro Park Pond	Cumberland	11	410	50	10
Lake Ocquittunk	Sussex	8	360	30	5
Mac’s Pond	Monmouth	1	150	20	5
Oak Pond	Camden	12	420	50	10
Roosevelt Park Pond	Middlesex	9	410	50	10
Spooky Brook Park Pond	Somerset	12	360	30	10
Sylvan Lake	Burlington	5	420	50	10
Woodcliff Lake	Hudson	16	510	50	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.

Directions to these and other trout-stocked waters can be found at www.njfishandwildlife.com/accesswater.htm - Fishing Access Locations on Trout Waters.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

	Spring 2011 Trout Information
	Places to Fish - Ponds
	Places to Fish - Streams
	Sea Run Brown Trout
	Fishing Regulations
back to top