Hot Trout Action Continues - Winter Trout Stocking Begins November 24 in New Jersey
October 31, 2008
Hey, New Jersey trout anglers - Get ready for another round of super-sized trout stocking! Beginning November 24, another 5,010 large trout will be stocked in 23 lakes throughout the state (see list below).
These 14 inch to 17 inch two-year old rainbow trout come on the heels of the 21,000 beauties measuring 14 inches to 20 inches, which were stocked in October. If you thought the trout stocked in October were nice, the winter trout had an extra month to grow and the average size will be even bigger!
Cooler temperatures and the approach of winter used to signal the end of trout fishing in New Jersey. Not anymore! Trout fishing in New Jersey is now a year round reality. It’s a reality thanks to nearly 650,000 trout raised at the Pequest State Trout Hatchery in Warren County, stocked in the spring, fall and winter.
The Winter Trout Stocking Program extends trout fishing action through the winter months and early spring until spring stocking begins. In fact, spring anglers are in for a real battle when they hook into large trout stocked in October and November, which are not caught in the fall and winter.
There’s plenty of time to chase fall and winter stocked trout before ponds and lakes freeze. Traditional baits like worms, fathead minnows, meal worms and powerbait fished on the bottom during open water work well for those fishing from shore.
Ice does not mean the end of trout fishing. A growing number of anglers look forward to the opportunity to catch large trout through the ice. Proven methods for catching trout through the ice are using tip-ups with powerbait or fathead minnows, and jigging with small jigs or ice jigging flies. Anglers should check to make sure ice fishing is not prohibited at their intended ice fishing location(s).
Anglers should pick up a copy of the Freshwater Fishing Digest and familiarize themselves with the regulations pertaining to their chosen fishing hole. The Digest as well as other information about fishing in New Jersey is also available online at www.njfishandwildlife.com/fishing_fresh.htm
. The new 2009 Freshwater Digest should be available in late December.
Whatever winter (or fall) trout stocked water body you choose to fish, one thing is certain — there will be big trout waiting. Trout anglers no longer need to suffer withdrawal or the winter fishing blues thanks to New Jersey’s Trout Stocking Program developed by the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife with your input.
Below is the list of waters being stocked with numbers of trout. These lakes range in size from five to 100 acres and have shoreline access and/or boat launching sites. Temporary program changes are noted below the list.
WINTER TROUT STOCKING SCHEDULE 2008
Monday, November 24
Middlesex County
Hook’s Creek Lake - 200
Monmouth County
Spring Lake - 190
Topenemus Lake - 180
Ocean County
Lake Shenandoah - 220
Passaic County
Green Turtle Pond - 300
Sussex County
Little Swartswood - 390
Lake Aeroflex - 390
Lake Ocquittunk - 190
Silver Lake - 230
Tuesday, November 25
Atlantic County
Birch Grove Park Pond - 180
Bergen County
Mill Pond - 150
Camden County
Haddon Lake - 190
Rowands Pond - 100
Cumberland County
Shaws Mill Pond - Not stocked See below
Essex County
Verona Park Pond - 190
Gloucester County
Mullica Hill Pond - 160
Hudson County
Woodcliff Lake - 200
Passaic County
Barbours Pond - 160
Salem County
Riverview Beach Pond - 160
Wednesday, November 26
Hunterdon County
Amwell Lake - 160
Morris County
Mt. Hope Pond - 160
Speedwell Lake - 200
Union County
Lower Echo Lake - 160
Warren County
Furnace Lake - 350
PROGRAM CHANGES in 2008
* Shaws Mill Pond in Cumberland County is being lowered for dam restoration and will not be stocked with trout this winter. Its winter trout allocation (200 fish) will be re-distributed to the five waters listed for Camden, Gloucester, Salem, and Atlantic Counties. Note: The individual trout allocations listed above for these five waters do not reflect this temporary increase.
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Pennsylvania Game Commission Uses Growing Greener II Monies to Improve Public Shooting Ranges on State Game Lands
October 21, 2008
HARRISBURG – Benefiting from Growing Greener II monies, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials today announced that the agency is nearing completion of its first major overhaul of public shooting ranges on State Game Lands, as it seeks to address lead remediation, repairs and safety issues.
“As hunters head off to the range to sight in their firearms for the upcoming seasons, we urge them to make sure that the public shooting range they may be planning to visit still is open,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “While the agency has been spending more than $200,000 annually to maintain these ranges, vandalism and other examples of misuse of these ranges have required far more investment in upkeep than the agency is able to budget.
“However, thanks to the Rendell Administration and General Assembly providing the Game Commission a portion of the Growing Greener II monies for environmental projects, we are able to address some of the needs of these ranges.”
Through Growing Greener II, the Game Commission has already spent more than $1.7 million on lead remediation and clean up. Safety upgrades have cost $454,000, so far.
The specific services the Game Commission requested and contracted from the National Rifle Association (NRA) are “Range Use and Procedural Evaluations” and “Range Safety and Design Evaluations” at each of the State Game Lands public ranges. The agency has received a written detailed report of findings and recommendations for future operation of these ranges. Several Game Commission staff participated in outdoor shooting range evaluation and operational training conducted by the NRA’s Range Technical Team over the past four years. The agency reviewed documentation and information included in their NRA Range Source Book, including the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Best Management Practices for Outdoor Ranges. This has resulted in the Game Commission’s desire to objectively evaluate and improve upon its existing shooting range setup.
As was announced in Feb. 9, 2005 (See News Release #010-05), the Game Commission temporarily closed four ranges due to safety concerns: SGL 50 in Somerset County; SGL 91 in Luzerne County; SGL 157 in Bucks County; and Indian Rock (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property) in York County.
Roe noted that, over the past three years, the agency has been closing ranges for needed work and then reopening them as soon as possible. Work started in the Northwest Region and then moved across the Commonwealth, and the final projects are being conducted in the Northeast Region.
“In addition to having the NRA make an objective review of safety conditions at each range, we contracted with Metals Treatment Technologies, a leader in the nation among companies providing lead remediation and stabilization services on outdoor shooting ranges,” Roe said. “This contract includes the services of Dick Peddicord and Associates, a nationally-recognized expert in environmental range issues and lead remediation and abatement. We are requesting lead remediation and stabilization of soil materials removed from backstop berms, side berms and range floors at all Game Commission shooting ranges.
“Lead remediation measures are being undertaken to prevent any lead contamination of surface areas and surface and ground waters on State Game Lands. This effort is the largest by any state agency in the country and will result in environmentally clean and safe shooting ranges provided to the general public by the Game Commission.”
As of today, the status of the 30 public shooting ranges on SGLs, by region, are as follows. Where work continues, the expected date for reopening of the range may be delayed due to weather impacts on construction.
NORTHWEST REGION:
- SGL 24, Forest County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 72, Clarion County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 109, Erie County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
SOUTHWEST REGION:
- SGL 42 (Waterford), Westmoreland County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 42 (New Florence), Westmoreland County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 50, Somerset County, has been cleaned, but work continues to address safety concerns. Due to the ongoing work, this range is not expected to be reopened until 2009.
- SGL 51, Fayette County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 108, Cambria County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 179, Greene County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 203, Allegheny County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 223, Greene County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 245, Washington County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 248, Indiana County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
NORTHCENTRAL REGION:
- SGL 77, Clearfield County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 176, Centre County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
SOUTHCENTRAL REGION:
- SGL 230, Cumberland County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
NORTHEAST REGION:
- SGL 58, Columbia County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 91, Luzerne County, has been cleaned. However, safety upgrades have not yet been completed, but the range is expected to be reopened by mid-November.
- SGL 127, Monroe County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 141, Carbon County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 159, Wayne County, a bridge was replaced, and the range has been cleaned. However, safety upgrades have not yet been completed, but the range is expected to be reopened by mid-November.
- SGL 183, Pike County, has been cleaned. However, safety upgrades have not yet been completed, but the range is expected to be reopened by Oct. 22.
- SGL 206, Luzerne County, has been cleaned. However, safety upgrades have not yet been completed, but the range is expected to be reopened by Oct. 23.
- SGL 300, Lackawanna County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
SOUTHEAST REGION:
- SGL 43, Chester County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 106, Berks County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 157, Bucks County, has been cleaned, but work continues to address safety concerns. Due to the ongoing work, this range is not expected to be reopened until 2009.
- SGL 205, Lehigh County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 211, Dauphin County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
- SGL 242, York County, has been cleaned and is open for use.
There are three ranges that the Game Commission has cleaned and closed permanently: SGL 44, in Elk County; SGL 54, in Jefferson County; SGL 285, in Beaver County. Also, the agency cleaned and decommissioned two ranges it previously maintained on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owned property at Conemaugh in Indiana County, and Indian Rock in York County.
Game Commission public shooting ranges are open year-round, from 8 a.m. until sunset, except for Sunday mornings, unless otherwise posted. Sunday range hours are from noon until sunset.
Some ranges, if posted, do provide pistol-shooting stations and shotgun areas. Ranges are used most heavily prior to the bear and deer seasons. Regulations regarding use of ranges are prominently posted at each range. All rules of safety need to be followed, including proper eye and ear protection. Also, someone 18 or older must accompany anyone under the age of 16.
For directions and other information regarding SGL public shooting ranges, please visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on “State Game Lands” in the left-hand column of the homepage, and then select “public shooting ranges.”
Facts about the Pennsylvania Game Commission: The Game Commission built Scotia Range, the agency’s premier shooting range on State Game Land 176 in Centre County, using a portion of its Project 500 grant monies. Project 500, enacted in the 1970s, was the last time the agency’ received state bond monies prior to the Rendell Administration’s Growing Greener II initiative.
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New Partnerships Encouraging City Teens To Explore The World of PA State Parks
August 12, 2008
HARRISBURG — Buoyed by success last summer in Harrisburg and Philadelphia, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is broadening an urban recreation initiative to introduce more young people to the adventure, natural beauty and learning opportunities found in their state parks.
After opening early last week, DCNR’s Youth Adventure Camp has been held, or is planned in six more cities where DCNR and local recreation staff partner. Besides Harrisburg and Philadelphia, events will also be held in Pittsburgh, Williamsport, Erie, Scranton, York and the Allentown area.
“We know our pilot effort last summer achieved a major goal—to introduce inner-city young people to parks and activities that are often far removed from their neighborhoods,” said DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis. “Many state parks are not in urban areas. These partnerships with cities are opening new opportunities to connect our state parks with urban youth.
“We hope an exciting outdoor adventure will not only make them repeat visitors, but will teach them about diversity in the natural world so, as citizens, they are lifelong stewards and make wise decisions about what our world looks like,” DiBerardinis said.
A return to Harrisburg is welcome news for Rick Hicks, who last year watched teens — many of whom he knew—file off a van for a day of hiking at Kings Gap Environmental Education Center near Carlisle, Cumberland County. The experience “opens a whole new world” to his young charges, said the sports and special program coordinator for Harrisburg’s Parks and Recreation Department.
“You know it’s working when a kid who lives to play basketball every day tells you, ‘I really had fun’,” Hicks said. “And that could have been fishing for the first time, or looking for fossils. One kid actually had the confidence to start swimming lessons.”
Another city, another endorsement from a Philadelphia Parks and Recreation official:
“I believe that a seed has been planted that will become an opportunity for them to reach beyond their current world,” said Kathi Muller. “We may never fully know the impact of the experience, but rest assured that each young person attending Youth Adventure Camp has been touched in some way.”
Participants, ranging in age from 12 to 15, already are involved in recreational programs in their hometown neighborhoods.
Park activities will include team building, compass use/orienteering, photography, survival skills, fishing, horseback riding, boating, disc golf, knot tying, beekeeping, gardening, climbing and rappelling, and camping.
The Youth Adventure Camp is being held this week at the Boys and Girls Club of Erie, the United Neighborhood Centers in Scranton, and the Wildlands Conservancy in the Lehigh Valley. The camp has already been held in the other cities.
For more information on any of Pennsylvania’s 117 state parks, visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us.
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Fish & Boat Commission Opens Opossum Lake To All Fishing
May 22, 2008
Harrisburg, PA – Memorial Day weekend will provide a great opportunity for anglers fishing Cumberland County’s Opossum Lake. Starting Saturday, May 24, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will temporarily suspend all seasons, sizes and creel limits at the popular lake.
“We’re taking this action in preparation for a fish salvage to be conducted this fall in conjunction with the complete dewatering of the lake,” said Dr. Douglas Austen, PFBC Executive Director. “Enhancing opportunities for anglers to harvest fish prior to salvage efforts provides both additional recreational opportunities and can help reduce the number of fish that will either be captured and transported or potentially stranded when the water level drops.”
The Commission has not established a date for the fish salvage efforts but it will occur sometime in the fall. The lake is being dewatered as the first step in rebuilding the leaking spillway. A routine assessment of the earthen embankment by the PFBC in September 2005 revealed small seeps in the dam’s spillway.
“The seeps were eroding a clayish material, which is an early indication that the dam could weaken if not addressed,” said Dr. Austen. “I want to emphasize, though, that our engineers have examined the spillway and dam and determined that the leaks do not pose an immediate threat to the public.”
The dewatering will occur slowly over the course of the year. The lake bed will be allowed to thoroughly dry throughout the winter and following year to allow heavy equipment to have safe access to the dried lake bed. Construction is scheduled to begin in November 2009 and be completed by October 2010. The spillway structure, built in 1961 to the standards of the day, cannot be repaired, but must be rebuilt in its entirety to meet current regulations.
The cost for rebuilding the dam at Opossum Lake is estimated to be at least $3 million. This cost is being shared by the PFBC, Friends of Opossum Lake Conservancy, Lower Frankford Township, Cumberland County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The temporary suspension of regulations will not extend beyond January 1, 2009.
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