Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

This is a great question, not a very easy answer...Special officers patrolling our waterways for poachers law breakers and polluters is a job so large that when u think about it the cost would be prohibitive, also those that don't fish would resent any costs being applied to them..Problem is guys is that Jersey is a crowded state, with ever increasing numbers. F&G is doing its best to stock our waters, but lets face it most fish, trout especially are depleted to a large extent by mid summer..Meat hunters do there work early, warm waters keep trout from holding over in most places..The state has acquired more waters ways over the last decade or 2, but these once private waters that were good fisheries get bombed out in a year or two..Specially smaller lakes and ponds..I once suggested years ago, would the state and its sportsman go along with a select list of lakes and ponds be closed for couple or 3 seasons and stocked as usual, Too much pressure then put on existing lakes..Also large outcry form those who only fished certain waters and would have no other place to go..Lets face it too many people in a small state puts too much pressure on existing waters..There is another answer will post later..Anxious to here other ideas...

Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

They stock those bodies of water for a few reasons:

1. People buy a license and stamp to keep fish.
2. It spreads people out and gives more people an opportunity to fish.
3. You put all the fish in certain waters, especially "cleaner" waters just means that you have more people, garbage, parking issues, etc., at those waters. Plus, those waters can't naturally hold all those fish.

Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

Personally, I'd rather see cops stick to doing more important things than enforcing fishing regulations.

If more game wardens are needed, that's another issue but I think cops are stretched enough as it is without having to worry about F&G laws.

Also, a lot of cops wouldn't know a bluegill from a muskie so there would have to be some kind of training program and that costs money.

Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

I live in a community with 10 private lakes which I unofficially patrol time to time. I've seen the difference already from perspective of who fishes the lakes. Local cops act annoyed when I call them to chase non residents. The bottom line who pays who's taxes and community fees? Certainly keeping fish is not an issue at large but the vacuuming effect of multitudes who come if you don't chase them away. They bring a whole picnic area worth of friends and relatives! This is no different on public waters, except on public land they are allowed to do what they do. One person with a fishing license covers 10 of them?
Keeping appropriate # and size of fish within season can be healthy for the lake as long as enough breeders remain to replenish the stock. The State lacks funds to patrol public waters, although they can easily recoup $ through violations
Is it just me or in the past patrolling was way more stringently enforced?

Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

NJF&W does an awesome job w/stocking efforts.
Permit fishing programs on water supply commission type waters- Wanaque res, Boonton res, pointview res (again), yards crk!
Lower bass & walleye fish limits or impose slot size to allow keep 1 big fish, 2 smaller. Save the breeders. kills me to see ppl keep stringers of breeder smallies.
Make more friends w ppl who live on private lakes lol

Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

I know I carry my cellphone when I am out on the water. I report anyone I see without a license, over limit, keeping out of season fish, trout lines, what ever violations I see! It's the only way to ensure we will have a productive fishery in the future!

I highly suggest every put the NJ Game Thief line in their phone along with their County Park Rangers. Know where you are and what jurisdiction you are in. Snap some photos of what you are seeing, a license plate of the vehicle they drive, and make the call. Nothing tells the story quite like photos. You don't have to be a sworn officer to make a difference!

Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

STOP THE BUCKET BRIGADE!!!!! I've seen them wipe out every lake in the Rancocas creek watershed.

Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

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I would like to see more warmwater fish stocked. This summer when I was catching big channel catfish and hybrid striped bass at the same time it occurred to me how great New Jersey's stocking program is. With the exception of a few hog bass, nearly every big fish I caught last year was stocked at some point by the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife.
These guys really are a blessing to New Jersey anglers.


The state did away with volunteer deputized conservation officers in 2009. They said they were a liability and cost too much to insure. Here's an article about it:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/200...ty_conser.html

I think New Jersey's fifty-something conservation officers are spread pretty darn thin over the state.

With 150,000+ licensed fishermen climbing over each other in New Jersey's water, I think catch & release is critical to maintaining the quality of our bass fisheries. I believe we can improve out bass fishery with two things:

1) Raise the minimum size and lower the creel limit.
The current regulation is an absurd FIVE fish limit with a minimum of TWELVE inches. This regulation is a relic from a time when people would only fish if they could bring home a full stringer of fish, with no regard to the future of the fishery. This regulation is out-of-step with the pressures facing our current bass fishery and the values of most bass anglers.

2) Start a campaign to encourage conservation and educate anglers.
A mix of education and peer pressure could help improve voluntary catch-and-release and adherence to regulations.


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Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

Honestly, every game species should have a slot. Hear me out.

You can keep the smaller legal fish, which taste better anyway and which would help grow more big fish. The big fish would be protected and yet a true trophy could be kept if wanted.

I.e. Lm Bass slot you can keep fish between 12-16" but can't keep fish 16-21" ever and can only keep 1 fish 21+. Just an example but slots like this have been done on small- med personal lakes with amazing results.

Hate to say it but the hardcore 100% c&r doesn't help grow big fish it helps stunt the growth of the population because now small fish have more competition to grow and you end up with a huge population of med sized fish. I'm pretty sure minimum size limits are set based on how big the fish of a particular species needs to be to spawn.

Re: How to improve freshwater fishing in New Jersey:
 

I think that slot limits will work only if they are enforceable. But who will enforce them? I have self imposed limit on the fish I catch. People like us are not the norm. Most when spend money on a fishing license believe they are entitle to all the fish they catch