Writing NJFG

[tycomps]

It takes a while but it works-

Roger,

Thanks for your concern and the information you provided. Following the dam
restoration and fish habitat work, we stocked Best Pond on 7/2/2009 with
nearly 2000 largemouth bass (1.2 in.), 1000 sunfish (5 in.) and 1000 fathead
minnows. We followed up by seining on 7/13/11 and the results yielded
plenty of fish. Some fish may have been lost in relation to the events of
Hurricane Irene. I am actually sending out a crew to seine both ponds this
Thursday to evaluate if restocking in necessary.

Once again, thank you for the information and I can let you know what they
find and what our subsequent plans are. (If you don't hear from me within a
week or two, please feel free to shoot me an email.)



Shawn Crouse
Principal Fisheries Biologist
N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife
P.O. Box 394, 1255 County Route 629
Lebanon, NJ 08833
Tel: (908) 236-2118
Fax: (908) 236-7280
shawn.crouse@earthlink.net

[Wilson]

It takes a while but it works-

Roger,

Thanks for your concern and the information you provided. Following the dam
restoration and fish habitat work, we stocked Best Pond on 7/2/2009 with
nearly 2000 largemouth bass (1.2 in.), 1000 sunfish (5 in.) and 1000 fathead
minnows. We followed up by seining on 7/13/11 and the results yielded
plenty of fish. Some fish may have been lost in relation to the events of
Hurricane Irene. I am actually sending out a crew to seine both ponds this
Thursday to evaluate if restocking in necessary.

Once again, thank you for the information and I can let you know what they
find and what our subsequent plans are. (If you don't hear from me within a
week or two, please feel free to shoot me an email.)



Shawn Crouse
Principal Fisheries Biologist
N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife
P.O. Box 394, 1255 County Route 629
Lebanon, NJ 08833
Tel: (908) 236-2118
Fax: (908) 236-7280
shawn.crouse@earthlink.net

Whats the other pond, watchung?
I used to mohawk 'em back in the day at Best pond.

[AndyS]

I like writing letters to F&G. I think it helps on both ends, your input and their response. It never hurts to drop a line. Keep up the great work.

[tycomps]

Whats the other pond, watchung?
I used to mohawk 'em back in the day at Best pond.

yup, watchung and best. gonna try to be there thursday when they do it.

[Eskimo]

That guy has a cool job.
I should have done something like that with my life.

That mansion they built near Best Pond are is so huge, when it was under construction, I though they were building a hotel!
Maybe, I should have done whatever it is that they do with my life.

[Jigman13]

I've seen some massive bass in Watchung Lake earlier in the year. Caught some decent ones but couldnt get the big girls to chew... All on senkos and 3 inch white grubs with 1/4 oz jigheads.

[tycomps]

Roger,

Just wanted to let you know that we stocked Best Pond with:
Largemouth bass: 50 (total weight 15 lbs.) (average length 8.4”)
Brown bullhead : 30 adults

Thanks for the input!

Shawn Crouse
Principal Fisheries Biologist
N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife
P.O. Box 394, 1255 County Route 629
Lebanon, NJ 08833
Tel: (908) 236-2118
Fax: (908) 236-7280
shawn.crouse@earthlink.net

[Wilson]

Wow 80 whole fish, I bet the bucket brigade has 40 of them already:D

[Eskimo]

Wow 80 whole fish, I bet the bucket brigade has 40 of them already:D
LOL - yeah, any bass living that close to that section of Route 22 is definitely living a precarious existence.

I have to hand it to the N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife. They are stocking bass in an urban area where a lot of non-avid anglers fish from shore. If NJ is going to continue growing its base of outdoorsman and fishermen, this is what is going to do it. If all the kids can catch are stunted sunfish, they probably won't continue to fish into adulthood and buy licenses, trout stamps, tackle, bait, etc.

50/15= 0.3 x 16 oz. = 4.8 ounces each.

The stocking of pike in the Passiac was an excellent idea, also.

A lot of other stocking efforts don't reach the urban youths and people new to fishing. Trout season is chaotic and probably too competitive for anybody who doesn't know what they're doing. Hybrid stripers are usually not caught for shore, so the people persuing those are generally avid anglers who own boats.

[jimmythegreek]

great job, its always good to get involved. I personally think the biggest problem we have in NJ is limits. Theres nothing wrong w fishing and keeping some fish, but I have seen lots of abuse thru the years. Every body of water needs room for growth, and too many fish keeps the water full of cookie cutters. There should be slot sizes implemented, keep the big girls and youngsters in the water, and the slots on the table. When the bucketeers show up and keep everything they catch I get angry. Ive kept 4 fish this whole year if I was like them I'd have a walk in freezer full of em......

[tycomps]

great job, its always good to get involved. I personally think the biggest problem we have in NJ is limits. Theres nothing wrong w fishing and keeping some fish, but I have seen lots of abuse thru the years. Every body of water needs room for growth, and too many fish keeps the water full of cookie cutters. There should be slot sizes implemented, keep the big girls and youngsters in the water, and the slots on the table. When the bucketeers show up and keep everything they catch I get angry. Ive kept 4 fish this whole year if I was like them I'd have a walk in freezer full of em......

thanks. that was basically the reason I wrote, to see if they'd answer and apparently they do listen. plus, can you imagine how big the five remaining bass will be in ten years :D

FROM: Shawn Crouse

One more thing... Watchung Lake was also restocked and although I don't yet have the exact numbers, it was stocked at a similar rate, with similar species.

update- Just got the #'s for Watchung Lake

10/15/12 300 Largemouth Bass 4.5 inch avg. 3.7” – 7.0” range

Shawn Crouse
Principal Fisheries Biologist
N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife
P.O. Box 394, 1255 County Route 629
Lebanon, NJ 08833
Tel: (908) 236-2118
Fax: (908) 236-7280
shawn.crouse@earthlink.net

To: Shawn Crouse
Subject: Re: Watchung Lakes

Thank you Shawn, I spoke to the guys the day they were there seigning and thanked them for coming out. Also wanted to let you know that Stony Brook, the body of water formed by the spillover of Best and Watchung Lake is filled with Chubb, Bullheads, and Sunfish of every flavor which may have been washed over the dam in previous storms.