Looking for small, urban NJ park ponds to seine

[Mark B.]

In 2016 NJDFW conducted warmwater fish reproduction checks (seining) @ the below ponds.

Some had been seined many years ago, some had never been seined.

As a result, we plan to stock them with a variety of warmwater fish.

Does anyone know of any other small, public ponds that we should seine in 2017?

Mark Boriek (Mark B.)
Principal Fisheries Biologist
NJDF&W
Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries
PO Box 394
1255 Route 629
Lebanon, NJ 08833

908-236-2118
mark.boriek@dep.nj.gov


Thielke Arboretum Pond (3 acres) in Glen Rock

Coopers Park Pond (3 acres) in Bergenfield

Veterans Park Pond (2 acres) in Hazlet

Silver Creek Pond (4 acres) in Mahwah


Durand Park Pond (4 acres) in Freehold


Zabriske Pond (4 acres) in Wyckoff


Whites Pond (6 acres) in Waldwick


Van Saun Pond (3 acres) in Paramus


Parkside Park Pond (5 acres) in Harrington Park


Haworth Park Pond (8 acres) in Haworth


Roosevelt Commons Pond (0.59 acres) in Tenafly

[antgogz]

Here's a few that I know have produced fish but it does not get stocked too often:


Frank Zaccaria Park Rifle Came Rd, West Paterson (nice pond with sprinkler in the middle

Barbours Pond Woodland Park, NJ (needs bass)

Main Memorial Pond Clifton, NJ (I Have heard there is crappie in there but not positive)

All ponds should be catch and release! They get fished out too quickly and many people keep way past the limit!

Thanks Mark!

[Chris_JC]

I would love to see what you find in the pond at Lincoln Park in Jersey City.

[nsell]

Dear Mark,

I would appreciate your seine project to include the following here in Somerset County.

Ann Van Middlesworth Park Pond
and the following ponds in Colonial Park
SpookyBrook Pond
Mettler's Pond
Powder Mill Pond

Thank you,

Noel Sell

[Polelock]

I second the ponds in Colonial Park... Hard to keep the kids interested while there...

[ScowardNJ]

Here's a few more for the Bergen County list.

Mill Pond – Park Ridge
Wood Dale County Park – Woodcliff Lake
Pascack Brook County Park Pond – Westwood
Otto Pehle Lake, Saddle River County Park - Saddle Brook
Glen Rock Duck Pond off Prospect – Glen Rock
Norwood Community Center Pond on Broadway – Norwood
Wild Duck Pond – Ridgewood
Darlington Lake - Mahwah
Fyke Brook Pond, Campgaw County Park - Mahwah

Hey Mark, would the results of your seines happen to be available to the public anywhere?

[23cardinal]

Would love to see lower twin lake assesed (wanaque /pompton lakes)
Rainbow valley lake(wanaque) but both may be too large for this
Bogues pond (Bloomingdales)
Silas condict park pond (Kinnelon)
Campbells pond and diamond mill pond in south mountain
Nomehegan park Cranford
Greenview park in pequannock- prob the smallest of the bunch
Thank you

[Mark B.]

Here's a few more for the Bergen County list.

Mill Pond – Park Ridge
Wood Dale County Park – Woodcliff Lake
Pascack Brook County Park Pond – Westwood
Otto Pehle Lake, Saddle River County Park - Saddle Brook
Glen Rock Duck Pond off Prospect – Glen Rock
Norwood Community Center Pond on Broadway – Norwood
Wild Duck Pond – Ridgewood
Darlington Lake - Mahwah
Fyke Brook Pond, Campgaw County Park - Mahwah

Hey Mark, would the results of your seines happen to be available to the public anywhere?

Currently, we are in the process of writing the 2016 Field Report. When complete, it will be posted on the below page.

For 2015 see: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bfwf_highlights.htm

Scroll to the bottom & click on “Field Report – Research and Management 2015” & go to page 71:

“Warmwater Seining Assessment / Reproduction Checks”.

[NJSquatch]

Currently, we are in the process of writing the 2016 Field Report. When complete, it will be posted on the below page.

For 2015 see: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bfwf_highlights.htm

Scroll to the bottom & click on “Field Report – Research and Management 2015” & go to page 71:

“Warmwater Seining Assessment / Reproduction Checks”.

Great Report Tons of information. There goes my productivity for the day!!!!

[ScowardNJ]

Great Report Tons of information. There goes my productivity for the day!!!!

haha, yup!

[Jigman13]

That's pretty cool info right there

[thmyorke1]

I'd like to give a shout out to Washington valley's reservoir, aka the big dam by chimney rock.

Connects to middle brook and right north of the quarry.

There's tons of life in that but I've never seen anyone there pull anything but sunnies out of it. Spent a lot of time there myself before even getting into fishing.

The brook that enters the reservoir from the West contains white suckers and bluegill I believe. A third fish could be creek chubs or tiny bass that can't grown much since there isn't much water.

The above is all based on eye sight, hence why idk if it's either bass or chub.

I plan on taking a hike around the east branch, the part connecting to buttermilk falls. I heard that part is actually stocked with trout. (Above the falls only?)

Thanks for the hard work and including us as help!

[NJSquatch]

Morris County thoughts

Hedden Park Lake - Dover
Fox's Pond - Rockaway
Foote's Pond - Morristown
Burnham Park Pond - Morristown
Sunrise Lake - Morristown

[Lard Almighty]

I'd love to see you take a look at Ardmaer Pond in Bridgewater. It was quite the fishery before they dredged it several years ago. Largemouths to 5 pounds, and INSANE crappie fishing, sometimes 50+ fish days! I'd be curious to see what the current status is, I'm not sure if the township ever restocked it.

Other options:

Bernardsville Municipal Pond, Bernardsville
Wampum Park Pond, Eatontown
Bucks Mill Park Ponds (2), Colts Neck
Colts Neck Municipal Ponds (2), Colts Neck
Lake Takanassee, Long Branch

[Skunk City]

Here's a few that I know have produced fish but it does not get stocked too often:


Frank Zaccaria Park Rifle Came Rd, West Paterson (nice pond with sprinkler in the middle

Barbours Pond Woodland Park, NJ (needs bass)

Main Memorial Pond Clifton, NJ (I Have heard there is crappie in there but not positive)

All ponds should be catch and release! They get fished out too quickly and many people keep way past the limit!

Thanks Mark!

All good little "urban" spots, all within 5 minutes of Paterson.

[phil]

id love to see the results of veterans park in hazlet, I used to ride my bike there as a kid and fish all day. it was filled with bullheads at the time, not even a sunnie to be found. then I went back years later and it was filled with sunnies, and not a bullhead to be found. I assume the geese eventually filled it with their excrement and it froze through, or was drained or something bad happened.

you should come do the no name pond in cranford off Mohawk dr, if for no other reason than id like to see all the beautiful carp that I cant catch in person.

[Eskimo]

Currently, we are in the process of writing the 2016 Field Report. When complete, it will be posted on the below page.
For 2015 see: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bfwf_highlights.htm
Scroll to the bottom & click on “Field Report – Research and Management 2015” & go to page 71:
“Warmwater Seining Assessment / Reproduction Checks”.

Thanks for the link. I just wasted half a day at work reading those reports. Amazing stuff.
Now I have to figure out what to bill those hours to...

How about Watchung Lake and Best Lake next to the Watchung traffic circle? Those lakes have been stocked with bass in the past and have received bass from fish salvage missions before they drained Surprise Lake.
Despite the stocking, those lakes are fished by a 'catch-and-bucket' demographic, so I would interested to see what remains in those waters.

.

[tycomps]

I'd like to give a shout out to Washington valley's reservoir, aka the big dam by chimney rock.

Connects to middle brook and right north of the quarry.

There's tons of life in that but I've never seen anyone there pull anything but sunnies out of it. Spent a lot of time there myself before even getting into fishing.

The brook that enters the reservoir from the West contains white suckers and bluegill I believe. A third fish could be creek chubs or tiny bass that can't grown much since there isn't much water.

The above is all based on eye sight, hence why idk if it's either bass or chub.

I plan on taking a hike around the east branch, the part connecting to buttermilk falls. I heard that part is actually stocked with trout. (Above the falls only?)

Thanks for the hard work and including us as help!

Not sure if the reservoir qualifies as a "small public pond" but I'd love to see it included. Though I rarely catch anything noteworthy there I have seen good size LMB and always wonder why it isn't stocked as it's a decent size and depth.

[briansnat]

Silas Condict Park pond (if has a name I have no idea)
Saffin Pond in Mahlon Dickerson

And one I would really like to see is Lake Sonoma in Norvin Green SF. I've heard everything from it's barren other than a few sunnies to there are some monster bass in there. Its a bit of a hike in and I've never taken my rod along but I've often wondered because it looks like it could be a prime bass lake.

[23cardinal]

Silas Condict Park pond (if has a name I have no idea)
Saffin Pond in Mahlon Dickerson

And one I would really like to see is Lake Sonoma in Norvin Green SF. I've heard everything from it's barren other than a few sunnies to there are some monster bass in there. Its a bit of a hike in and I've never taken my rod along but I've often wondered because it looks like it could be a prime bass lake.

+1 to silas. U mean the lake up by burnt meadow? Or the little one in norvin green just south of snake den?

I'm not sure- but I'll give them a good hike and peek this spring

[lukenic]

curious to know how surprise lake, in the watchung reservation, is doing after being refilled.

[Heronimo42]

Mountain Lakes and Community Park Pond in Princeton
Grovers Mill Pond and Plainsboro Pond in West Windsor/Plainsboro

Interesting in that report that no pike were found in Farrington.

[tycomps]

curious to know how surprise lake, in the watchung reservation, is doing after being refilled.

not sure if they've reintroduced fish yet, if not I'm curious about what species and when?

[tautog]

Did you ever get results on Veteran's Park Pond in Hazlet? Just curious because I moved to the area.

[calapp]

Briant Park Pond, Springfield
Shallcross Pond, Kenilworth
Pond at end of Nomhegan Dr, Lenape Park, Westfield/Kenilworth/Cranford

Thanks,

[calapp]

Orange Reservoir, West Orange

Thanks,

[Blackfishhead]

Did you ever get results on Veteran's Park Pond in Hazlet? Just curious because I moved to the area.

I visited Veterans Park a lot to tune my reels after a rebuild/ before an outing and in fall of 17 saw the NJ FW warm water stockings sigh indecating the water body has been stocked.
I’ve caught loads of blue gill but have not see or heard of any bass crappie or catfish yet.

[tautog]

Should at least be catfish too then..thanks

[Mark B.]

I remember a seining crew was sent there. If the stocking signs are up NJDF&W stocked largemouth bass, sunfish & probably brown bullheads.

After 40 years, 8 months I retired from NJDF&W on 9/1/18. It was a great job!

If you need to contact the division with a question, email:
njfishandwildlife@dep.nj.gov

Only landed a 20" Laker & a 15" Rainbow from RVR's eastern shore this winter. Recently, been getting skunked. Hoping these cold temps will change my luck.


Mark B. (citizen angler)

[Blackfishhead]

Wow .
Congrats on your retirement and Thank You for the many years of service!
Now you have more time to fish :D

[RichS]

Crystal lake or edgemont pond in Essex County.