First day of fishing season kicks off a timely tradition in the Garden State.
VERONA -- It was a cold morning but that did not stop anglers throughout the state from gathering at their favorite fishing spots on opening day of the 2017 trout season.
In keeping with family tradition, Kenneth Apgar, 22, from Montville, joined his grandfather Kenneth Cozik at their favorite location on the pond in Verona Park.
"My grandfather has been fishing here for 40 years," said Apgar, who added that he has not missed one opening day with his grandfather since he was five years old.
Nutley residents John Negra and his 14-year-old son, Vincent, arrived before 8 a.m. to make sure they got the spot they wanted. It paid off, the pair caught two breeder trout each weighing in at over five pounds.
The pond had been stocked with 470 regular-sized trout and about 40 breeders by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Statewide, there were more than 180,000 freshly-stocked rainbow trout for anglers casting their lines on opening day of trout season, according to Bob Martin, Commissioner of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.
In total, some 570,000 hatchery-raised trout will be released in 200 streams, rivers, lakes and ponds throughout the state by the end of May. Most of the released trout will average 101/2 inches long, but large breeders measuring 15 to 21 inches and weighing up to 5 pounds will also be distributed in the early weeks of the season.
|
More information regarding trout fishing in New Jersey can be found at: www.njfishandwildlife.com/trtinfo.htm |
Robert Sciarrino may be reached at bsciarrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SciarrinoRobert. Find NJ.com on Facebook.