Winter Trout Stocking Next Week

In its third round of trout stocking, New Jersey DEP’s Fish & Wildlife will be releasing rainbows the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week in the highly anticipated “Winter Trout Stocking” program.

As with the October releases, these 4,480 two-year old rainbows will be averaging 14-16 inches. There won’t be any breeders released, as during the spring and fall stockings, but these ‘bows are broad of shoulder and loaded with attitude, making them enjoyable to catch on ultra-light and light spinning tackle, and, for those so inclined, #4-5 weight fly rods.

What’s especially notable is that the stocking occurs during Thanksgiving Week, and with the long holiday weekend, makes it a great time to get out with the family and enjoy the scarlet slashed late November bounty. An added bonus is that with the recent history of moderate winter weather, particularly in southern region of the Garden State (read: no ice cover), trout fishing opportunities will be available well into the New Year, with an additional seasonal gift being that those ‘bows not pulled will survive into next spring and will be available for the April 5, 2025 statewide trout season opening day.

The waters stocked will be a select 18 ponds and lakes spread over 11 counties, from Sussex to Cape May. These easy to reach swims are also easy to fish via plenty of bank side access. What’s more, these fish are aggressive and will, after of day or two of acclimating to their new digs, will be on the chow. Sure, some will be caught minutes after being stocked, and more later that day, but over the decades we’ve enjoyed more success waiting a day or so.

Still, it’s fun watching the trout being stocked and making casts when they’re swimming around in pods, sometimes striking at a spinner whizzing by. Yeah, fun no matter when you’re fishing.

Besides the aforementioned spinner (Mepps, Rooster Tails, Panther Martins, Blue Fox), rainbows will also wax small spoons (Mepps Ultra-Lite Syclops, Phoebe) and miniature plugs (Rapala Minnow, Yo-Zuri Pin’s Minnow).

What over the past few years has proven a rainbow wrecker is the diminutive (1/64 oz.) Trout Magnet. Fished 12-18 inches under a small float with the autumn breezes imparting motion is it bobs along, it oftentimes proves irresistible to cruising ‘bows.

Various baits, both preserved and otherwise, are very effective on these brash and bodacious stockies. Berkeley’s PowerBait Dough and Nuggets, Gulp! Dough, Power and Gulp! Eggs are trout catching godzillas. Salmon eggs, garden worms, and meal worms under a small float are sure to be inhaled, as will a small minnow (or killie) presented as such.

Some fun sport can be had with the fly rod should conditions (read: calm, no wind and minimal leaves on the surface) allow. Nos. 10 and 12 bead head nymph patterns like the Prince, Pheasant Tail and Hares Ear, and Nos. 8 and 10 bright colored streamers twitched (former) and stripped (latter) a few inches under the surface all will induce takes.

The daily limit is four, and fishing is allowed even as the fish are being stocked. A freshwater license and trout stamp are required.

The dates, waters, county and number of fish listed below.

Monday, November 25: Green Turtle Pond (Passaic /330); Lake Aeroflex Lake Ocquittunk, Silver Lake, Little Swartswood Lake (Sussex/370, 250, 300, 350); Furnace Lake (Warren/360); Amwell Lake (Hunterdon/260); Spring Lake and Topenemus Lake (Monmouth/200 each); Lake Shenandoah (Ocean/240).

Tuesday, November 26: Barbour’s Pond (Passaic/270); Mt. Hope Pond (Morris/280); Haddon Lake and Rowands Pond (Camden/210, 100); Shaws Mill Pond, South Vineland Park Pond (Cumberland/ 210, 190); Birch Grove Park Ponds (Atlantic/190); Ponderlodge Pond (Cape May/170).