By Charles Kim
WEST MILFORD ¬– The state plans on adding 350 new trout to the Wanaque River next month, according to a press release from the Division of Fish and Wildlife this week.
The Wanaque River additions are part of the annual winter stocking program that will put a total of 21,000 rainbow trout in freshwater bodies throughout the state, according to the agency.
Stocking is scheduled to take place statewide from Oct. 9-17 from the Pequest Trout Hatchery in Oxford, New Jersey.
The hatchery is state-owned and puts an estimated 700,000 trout into state waters each year, according to the agency.
The release said the local stocking at Wanaque, scheduled specifically for Oct. 12, will place mostly two-year old trout, measuring between 14-18 inches, and weighing between 1-1.5 pounds each, along with some larger, three-year-old “broodstock,” weighing in at around four pounds each into the river.
According to the state, most of the 16 streams and 21 ponds filled during the fall-winter stocking program give fishermen a chance to reel in the big ones all year long.
The state also said that anglers can begin fishing for the trout as soon as the waters are stocked, and that many of the trout will still be around for the spring season.
While not included in the stocking program, Wawayanda Lake in Hewitt, also offers trout and landlocked salmon fishing during the year, according to the agency.
It is one of only a handful of deep, cool lakes in the state that can sustain these types of fish, according to the agency.
In addition to trout and salmon, fishermen can also hook yellow perch, largemouth bass, pickerel, catfish, sunfish, black and white crappies and bowfin in that lake, according to the state.
The complete list of fall-stocked waters and the stocking schedule is available at www.njfishandwildlife.com/flstk.htm or through the Trout Stocking Hotline at (609) 633-6765.