Updated Trout Stocked Waters

[JIMMY L]

Originally Posted by RWole

Remove trout stocking from the urban/public ponds. Trout are taken before opening day, people fishing without licenses.
The conservation officers are spread thin enough and can not patrol the entire state every day. This
stock fish in urban areas plan to try to increase interest or license sales does
not work but yet some good lakes in Sussex, Morris and Passaic Counties
have been dropped from stocking over the years.

Urban youth get to try something new. License sales and interest in fishing does increase. Old guys like myself don't have to drive far to fish. As much poaching is going on in the sticks. Sometimes even more. The defense rest, your snobbiness.

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by toghead

Urban youth get to try something new. License sales and interest in fishing does increase. Old guys like myself don't have to drive far to fish. As much poaching is going on in the sticks. Sometimes even more. The defense rest, your snobbiness.

Amen, brother!!

[RWole]

[QUOTE=RWole;526002]Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Last time I checked we live in a great nation that allows us to do so.
I have no objection to stocking urban park ponds with catfish,bluegills, or
any other variety of panfish. I just do not beleive trout should be stocked.
I also would never want to take the opportunity for a kid to fish away ever.
Fact is many of these park ponds that are trout stocked, adults without licenses
take the trout before the season even starts and yes this happens often.

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by RWole

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Last time I checked we live in a great nation that allows us to do so.
I have no objection to stocking urban park ponds with catfish,bluegills, or
any other variety of panfish. I just do not beleive trout should be stocked.
I also would never want to take the opportunity for a kid to fish away ever.
Fact is many of these park ponds that are trout stocked, adults without licenses
take the trout before the season even starts and yes this happens often.

You're right that park ponds get abused (by birds and people), but if the surveys show that on opening day, people are catching trout and having a good time, f&w are doing things right. I dont look at the surveys so dont know myself.

Worst case scenario: pond is stocked, it then gets abused by birds and people before opening day during the three weeks prior, opening day arrives; new trout anglers try out trout fishing there, they have a bad experience then never buy a trout stamp again.

What if park ponds didn't have the three week closure? They're free to fish after stocking just like fall? Would this fix that?

[AndyS]

I grew up in Kearny New Jersey for a while and fished the big pond in the park. I cut my teeth on carp and catfish, I didn't know what a stocked trout was until I was 40, so who are all the "kids" that need stocked trout ?
When you think of the word trout, images of cool clear mountain streams come to mind, not the local duck pond.

[Drossi]

Originally Posted by AndyS

I grew up in Kearny New Jersey for a while and fished the big pond in the park. I cut my teeth on carp and catfish, I didn't know what a stocked trout was until I was 40, so who are all the "kids" that need stocked trout ?
When you think of the word trout, images of cool clear mountain streams come to mind, not the local duck pond.

Don't hate, appreciate! Lugging grudges around will only make you miserable. Let go.

[RWole]

Very well stated Andy

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by AndyS

I grew up in Kearny New Jersey for a while and fished the big pond in the park. I cut my teeth on carp and catfish, I didn't know what a stocked trout was until I was 40, so who are all the "kids" that need stocked trout ?
When I think of the word trout, images of cool clear mountain streams come to mind, not the local duck pond.

Really,...…….that's who it is all about.

[Irish Jigger]

Small local ponds stocked with trout create fisherman for life!!! My fondest memories as a kid was getting up with my pops at 4 am and heading over to Garveys pond to get a good spot on opening day. That last hour waiting for 8 am to arrive felt like a week. Never kept a single trout in my life but that pond was like a magnet to me from age 4 til I was old enough to drive. Stop by there any day and there are lots of fathers with their kids enjoying the sport of fishing. The game wardens are there weekly and everyone's got the License and Stamp on the back of their hats. During the week you will find lots of kids and young teens fishing and not sitting home on a damn iPad. You can take the pretty river and brooks and enjoy them but those local ponds are a damn tradition from generation to generation to a lot of people.