The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Ridgewood NJ, get to know Fish and Wildlife’s Freshwater Fishing Explorer App. We have have everything from Great Fishing Closing to Home to Trout Stocked Waters of NJ!
Continue reading NJ Fish and Wildlife’s Freshwater Fishing Explorer App
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Ridgewood NJ, Trout in the Classroom registration is now open for the 2022-2023 school year. Consider joining this hands-on science-based program that currently reaches 40,000 students a year! Raise rainbow trout from eggs to fingerlings to release while discovering the importance of clean, cold water not only for trout but also for other organisms – including people!
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Ridgewood NJ, preseason trout stocking continues through April 9 at 8:00 a.m. Catch and Release of trout is also prohibited during this time period. (* See Exceptions below). Public waters NOT included in the trout stocking program remain open to fishing.
Continue reading TROUT STOCKED WATERS REMAIN CLOSED TO TROUT FISHING UNTIL APRIL 9
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Ridgewood NJ, beginning October 12, two-year old trout averaging about 14″-16″ in length along with some three-year old broodstock , will be stocked in 36 streams, lakes and ponds throughout New Jersey.
Continue reading Fall Trout Stocking Begins Next Week October 12th
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Ridgewood NJ, Trout in the Classroom registration will close on September 10 for the 2021-2022 school year. Not familiar with this middle school-geared program? Consider joining this hands-on science-based program that currently reaches 40,000 students a year! Raise trout from eggs to fingerlings to release while discovering the importance of clean, cold water not only for trout but also for other organisms – including people!
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Ridgewood NJ, The spring trout stocking program met and exceeded the annual baseline of 570,000 trout with a total of 597,150 stocked. This included 5,745 breeders averaging 15.4″ and another 1,880 beauties averaging 20.2″ The average production fish size was 11.3″, making this spring’s fish some of the largest ever. Many waters will hold trout into the summer, and others provide year-round trout fishing – see the Spring Trout Fishing page for details. And if you enjoy fishing for other species, there’s the new Great Fishing Close To Home App to get you where the fish are.
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Ridgewood NJ, the pre-season catch-and-release period for trout closes today, Friday, April 9, at 11:59 p.m. with the traditional season opening tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, this year’s initial trout stocking began March 15 with waters opening on April 1 for the catch-and-release period. Stocking continued for four weeks and concluded Friday.
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Ridgewood NJ, the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife will open catch and release Trout fishing beginning April 1st.
Continue reading Catch and Release Trout Fishing Begins April 1st
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Ridgewood NJ,folks as far as we know you can still go fishing during the COVID 19 lock-down. Waters being stocked this week are open to angling; for waters under General Trout Regulation anglers can harvest up to 4 trout each day (minimum size 9”). Within designated Trout Conservation Areas anglers can harvest only one trout at least 15” in length.
The Largest Lake Trout ever handled in New Jersey! This trout, captured in 2009, weighed 32 pounds 11 ounces! Photo by DFW Principal Fisheries Biologist, Shawn Crouse
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Hackettstown NJ, Join NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for a public forum to discuss freshwater fisheries research, management and recreational angling in New Jersey. A second forum takes place February 23 at Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest.
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife holds forums to improve communication with the angling public and to solicit public input. Your input can help shape freshwater fisheries programs in the future. The forums are a perfect opportunity for all freshwater anglers to learn about existing programs and to share their views and recommendations.
This year’s topics include Updates on ongoing Restoration Projects and Bass Sampling Highlights in North/Central New Jersey Lakes. There will also be updates on fish production activities. Suggestions for potential regulation changes for 2021 will also be welcomed during the open discussion.
There will be time for open discussion with professional staff to during the extended question and answer period. There is also time for one on one discussions with Division fisheries biologists following the meeting.
Be part of the development of future programs and regulations related to New Jersey’s freshwater fisheries resources!
NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife- Public Forum
10:00 a.m, Saturday, January 19
Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery in Warren County
More info on Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery:
https://www.njfishandwildlife.com/hacktown.htm
Ridgewood NJ, In New Jersey you don’t need a fishing license if you are under the age of 16.
Anyone age 16 and older must have a valid license (see Exceptions) to fish the fresh waters of New Jersey with handline, rod and line, or longbow and arrow. This includes privately owned lakes and other waters. New Jersey does not require a general saltwater fishing license but there are a limited number of saltwater licenses and permits required. Additionally, most saltwater anglers need to register with the free New Jersey Saltwater Recreational Registry Program.