F&G Council meeting Oct. 8, 2024:

[AndyS]

Fish Code Recommendations from Fish Committee:
Chief Crause gave a presentation on the Fish Code Recommendations.
Fish Code timeline:
• Proposed & Approved by Fish Committee 8/15/24
• Proposed to F&G Council 10/8/24
• Fall of 2024 – Draft Proposal
• Fall 2025 – Code in Place
• December 2025 – To Publisher for 2026 Digest
Recommended Fish Code & Program Changes: Trout
~ Opening Day of Trout Season the2nd Saturday in April (2026-2030)
~ Remove Pre-Season Closures on all trout stocked lakes & ponds
~ Addition of 22 small Ponds to Trout Stocking Program
~ Expand stocking boundaries on 3 streams
~ Change the “General Trout Regulations” section to “Trout -Stocked, Wild Brown Trout Managed” ~ Reduce the Summer/Fall/Winter creel from 4/day to 2/day
Lunker Bass Regulation Changes:
~ Minimum size 15”
~ Daily limit of 3
~ Ryker and Rainbow Lake
• General Bass Regulation: Min size 12” & Daily limit of 5
• General Panfish Regulation: No Min Size & Daily Limit of 25
Invasive Species Regulations:
~ Freshwater Drum to Potentially Dangerous Species
~ Add “all catfish species” to the species that are allowed to be taken with a bow. This allows the invasive
Blue Catfish to be taken, without concern for accidentally shooting a Channel, White, or Bullhead. American Eel Daily Limit Alignment
~ Reduce American Eel baitfish daily limit to 25
Councilman Pollock mentioned the Fish Committee did meet and agrees that we should move forward
with recommendations as presented.
Public Comment:
Andrew S. commented he thinks fall stocking on the Raritan River is a good idea.

[NJSquatch]

The removal of the preseason closure of lakes is well overdue.

[AndyS]

1.) The cormorants ate all the fish before opening day 2.) The game wardens got sick of chasing people off these ponds fishing prior to opening day 3.) Places like lake Musconetcong couldn't be fished for the early crappie bite because they were trout stocked and not allowed to be fished until opening day

[baetis]

Anyone know the list of the 22 new small ponds being added to the list?

[AndyS]

No idea on the new ponds being stocked, looks like they are pulling straws looking for places to put trout. They said they cut more places than added over the years. Not sure how stocking these small ponds with trout will really benefit anyone.

The best story I heard was from a resident who had a small pond in town and it was always a quiet place for the kids to go and relax and catch a few bluegills and an occasional bass. Once it was trout stocked people came from all over, loud, crowded, littered with trash, noting many did not display a fishing license. How many people will be purchasing a fishing license to fish a 2 acre pond ?

I didn't know what a stocked trout was until I became an adult. My friends and I would fish West Hudson pond in Kearny in the polluted greenish/blue water and we all had a blast catching carp and catfish.