Hi folks,
Just received an e-mail from the NJ Dept of Fish and Wildlife and thought you all might like to read it. So here it is:
When it comes to bass fishing, the Garden State may very well have the nation’s greatest diversity of bass waters and bass fishing opportunities. Mike Iaconelli, a Jersey boy who made it big on the B.A.S.S. pro circuit, credits much of his success to the many different types of New Jersey bass waters he fished as a kid.
Backwoods Angler TV came to New Jersey last summer for bass fishing on two very different bass waters, the Salem Canal in south Jersey and north Jersey’s Lake Hopatcong. The show’s host, Blaine Mengel, fished with NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist, and B.A.S.S. tournament angler, Chris Smith. Chris knows where the bass are in New Jersey and knows how to catch them. The New Jersey Bassin’ show is a must see for serious bass anglers to hear and learn what our state bass fishing expert knows.
Backwoods Angler TV’s “New Jersey Bassin” show can be viewed on their Web site at http://www.backwoodsanglertv.com/Web_Broadcast.htm.
There’s no better way to spend time in the outdoors than enjoying the fabulous fishing New Jersey has to offer. Don’t miss out this year! Visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/fishing_fresh.htm for freshwater fishing information and to buy and print your fishing license online.
So what are you waiting for? 🙂 Go check out that bass fishing show now!
Catch you later!
Great thing about NJ fishing is that NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife stocks bodies of water big and small. You can go to local parks like Turkey Swamp Park, Holmdel Park or Cheesesquake Park with small ponds and have a chance of catching something without having to drive too far from home.
Never done fresh water before. Always been a salt water angler. However, this year I thought that I would give fresh water a try. Where would be the best area for bass fishing in northern part of the Garden State? Also, what are the acceptable limits on catch and keep, if any, as well as catch and release? Could you point me toward a rescource.
Thanks,
Yitzchak
Hey David Yitzchak,
You’ll need a license to go freshwater fishing in NJ. As you may already know, NJ publishes a magazine called “Fish and Wildlife Digest” which contains the size rules and catch limits.
You can read that online here: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/digfsh.htm
Page 21 tells you about 2 days when you can fish for free (no license needed) in June – June 11th and 12th!
Pages 22 and 23 tell you about the size and limit restrictions.
There are a few good articles on the best places to fish in NJ. Here are some:
http://www.midatlanticgameandfish.com/fishing/bass-fishing/at_aa050603a/
http://www.aa-fishing.com/nj/new-jersey-bass-fishing.html
Hope that helps you!
Catch you later.
-Mark
Hey Yitzchak David
Northern NJ has some great places for fresh water fishing. I also love the salt but also love fresh as I live on Lake Hopatcong. In the northern part of NJ some great places are Lake Hopatcong, Greenwood, Budd Lake, Delaware River, Lake Musconetcong and so many others. Northern NJ is dotted with so many small little ponds/lakes and such that have some awesome fishing. With the small ponds you may need to check for fishing rights as some are part of communitees. I can speak first hand for Lake Hopatcong-It can have some great fishing and also has a huge variety of fish-Large/small mouth, hybrid stripers, brown/brook trout, pickeral, musky, catfish and many others. Check out Knee Deep Club website as they have great info and are a Lake Hopatcong fishing club. Beware Greenwood and Lake Hopatcong can be very busy on the weekends if you use a boat(30 mph on weekends) so get out early(best time anyway) to beat the crowds
I had forgot to add if you come to Lake Hopatcong and need bait then goto Dowes Marina. They harvst shiners and herring for most of NJ and much of eastern PA. One other fish I forgot to mention and is one of my favorites is walleye. One of the few fish I eat from the lake and IMHO is the best tasting fresh water fish. You can also get food from a several places on the lake along with gas. Gas is pricey though so try to fill up first. If you don’t have a boat there are a few OK places to fish from shore but most of the shoreline is privatly owned. If you have a boat permit/license you can also rent a boat. Most of the gas stations on the lake supply marine grade gas(no ethanol), well atleat Brady Marina and Barnes Brothers do. Knee Deep and the State do a good job stocking considering the times. This year I caught a 7lb 12 oz. trout, 7 lb walleye and 48″ musky along with many other great fish right off my dock.
Good Luck and Great Fishing
Keep your lines tight