The trout are reared at the Division's Pequest Trout Hatchery, and most of the trout stocked in the spring are 1½ years old and average 10½ inches and ½ pound each. However, some of the trout that are stocked every spring are considerable larger, weighing 3 to 5 pounds each and ranging from 14 to 19 inches.

These large trout are called "broodstock" or "breeders" because they are mature fish (2½ 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 (approximately 1,000). The remaining 4,000 to 6,000 broodstock 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 nine trout-stocked ponds and small lakes. Each spring a new set of waters receives three to five times more broodstock than they have traditionally received in the past.

The nine waters selected for 2008 are listed in the table below and are shown on the attached map. By concentrating 390 of these large trout in 9 relatively small lakes and ponds, it is expected that angler participation and satisfaction will increase as anglers catch these trout themselves or observe others catching them. The bonus broodstock trout are stocked prior to the opening day of the trout season on Saturday, April 5, 2008.

The table below provides information on where the bonus broodstock are being stocked. The map is a separate file in PDF format.

Bonus Broodstock Waters Location Map (pdf, 310kb)

2008 BONUS BROODSTOCK PONDS AND LAKES
Waterbody	County	Waterbody Size (acres)	Pre-season Trout Allocation1	Pre-season Broodstock Allocation
				2008	2007
Dahnert's Lake	Bergen	3	250	50	02
Woodcliff Lake	Hudson	15	500	50	10
Lower Echo Park Pond	Union	6	420	50	10
Manny's Pond	Hunterdon	4	270	30	03
Roosevelt Park Pond	Middlesex	10	440	50	10
Holmdel Park Pond	Monmouth	3	230	30	5
Sylvan Lake	Burlington	12	410	50	10
Oak Pond	Camden	12	490	50	10
Giampietro Park Lake	Cumberland	11	410	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. 2 - Dahnert's Lake was not stocked with trout last year due to a dam repair and dredging project. 3 - Manny's Pond was added to the trout stocking program this year.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

	Places to Fish - Ponds
	Places to Fish - Streams
	Sea Run Brown Trout
	Fishing Regulations
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