This blog identifies the ponds in southern New Jersey that provide the best odds of catching trout during the spring of 2014. For the purpose of this blog, southern New Jersey covers Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Glouchester, Ocean, and Salem counties. The fishing action on these bodies of water can be fast and furious in the spring. Trout activity typically peaks for three or four weeks between mid-April and mid-May, after which the bite slows down due to rising surface water temperatures.
Note that trout fishing in New Jersey during the spring of 2014 should be a real bonanza because the State had to substantially modify its original stocking program due to an outbreak of a fish skin disease at the Pequest Trout Hatchery. This disease, called furunculosus, is not harmful to humans. However, the State did not want to introduce it to waters containing wild trout populations and other year-round trout fisheries. As a result, the fish originally scheduled to be stocked in these more sensitive trout fisheries were re-allocated to ponds and lakes that only support “put-and-take” trout fishing.
The best trout ponds in southern New Jersey for the spring of 2014 are highlighted below in alphabetical order. A pond is considered HOT due to its trout stocking density: everything else being equal, the more trout that are stocked per acre of water, the greater the chances of catching those fish!!
Driving directions to these choice fishing spots are available at www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/accesswater.htm. The ponds and lakes can also be found on the interactive Google map provided under the New Jersey “Search” function on the home page of the website associated with this blog. Details on actual stocking days are available from www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2014/trout_allocation14-sched.pdf. It would also be prudent to consult the latest law book about special fishing regulations that may apply. The most up-to-date rules are available at www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/2014/digfsh14.pdf.
Finally, feel free to use the website linked to this blog to discover how many trout are released per acre in the spring in all the 90+ ponds and lakes stocked by the State throughout New Jersey.
The hottest trout ponds for the 2014 spring fishing season in southern New Jersey are as follows:
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Gloucester City Pond (also called Martin Lake) covers 0.6 acres and is located next to Sparks Avenue off Market Street in Gloucester, Camden County. This lake is stocked with 500 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 183 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 167 trout per acre on weeks 3 and 4 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this pond occurs during the week of April 28 to May 2, 2014.
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Giampietro Park Pond covers 11 acres and is located off Lincoln Avenue (Route 655) in Vineland, Cumberland County. The pond is stocked with 90 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 31 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 28 trout per acre on week 3 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this pond occurs during the week of April 21 to 25, 2014.
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Grenloch Lake covers 8 acres and is located next to Blackhorse Pike (Route 168) in Turnersville, Camden County. This lake is stocked with 119 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 38 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 34 trout per acre on week 3 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this lake occurs during the week of April 21 to 25, 2014.
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Haddon Lake covers 10 acres and is located next to East Lake Drive off County Road 551 Spur in Audubon, Camden County. This lake is stocked with 132 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 40 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 36 trout per acre on week 3 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this lake occurs during the week of April 21 to 25, 2014.
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Heritage Park Pond covers 6 acres and is located in Heritage Park next to Mill Road in Absecon, Atlantic County. This pond is stocked with 192 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 57 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 52 trout per acre on week 3 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this pond occurs during the week of April 21 to 25, 2014.
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Laurel Pond covers 2.5 acres and is located in Laurel Acres Park off South Church Street (Route 607) halfway between Birchfield Drive and Academy Road in Mount Laurel, Burlington County. This pond is stocked with 280 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 84 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 76 trout per acre on week 3 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this pond occurs during the week of April 21 to 25, 2014.
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Ponderlodge Pond covers 8 acres and is located in the Cox Hall Creek Wildlife Management Area in Cape May, Cape May County. This pond is stocked with 161 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 49 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 44 trout per acre on weeks 3 and 4 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this pond occurs during the week of April 28 to May 2, 2014.
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Rowands Pond covers 3 acres and is located next to Higgins Avenue off Berlin Road in Clementon, Camden County. This pond is stocked with 200 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 63 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 57 trout per acre on week 3 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this pond occurs during the week of April 21 to 25, 2014.
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Schadlers Sand Wash Pond covers 5 acres and is located next to North Game Creek Road off Route 48 (Harding Highway) in Penns Grove, Salem County. This pond is stocked with 200 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 62 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 56 trout per acre on week 3 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this pond occurs during the week of April 21 to 25, 2014.
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Tuckahoe Lake covers 10 acres and is located next to Woods Road off Tuckahoe Road in Middletown, Cape May County. This lake is stocked with 145 trout per acre before opening day. It is then stocked with an extra 43 trout per acre on weeks 1 and 2, and 39 trout per acre on weeks 3 and 4 during the in-season stocking period. The last stocking event on this lake occurs during the week of April 28 to May 2, 2014.
Was the information in this blog useful? I invite you to provide your thoughts and opinions. Also, feel free to share your fishing experiences on any of the ponds highlighted in this blog.
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