N.J. trout season begins this weekend
![A colorful male rainbow trout. By Zach Matthews [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://whyy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08c/colorful_male_rainbow_trout.jpg "colorful_male_rainbow_trout")
A colorful male rainbow trout. By Zach Matthews [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Get your poles and tackle ready.
Nearly 200,000 freshly stocked rainbow trout will be ready to bite hooks when trout season opens this Saturday, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin announced today.
State officials expect more than 100,000 anglers to take part when the season officially opens at 8 a.m.
The day will be marked by a ceremonial first casting of lines by military veterans at the Pequest Trout Hatchery in Oxford, Warren County. Officials expect 100 veterans to attend.
“The opening day of spring trout season is the most eagerly awaited day of the year for freshwater anglers,” Martin said. “There is something truly special about getting outside, fishing rod in hand, and soaking up the beauty of our state while anticipating reeling in a magnificent trout. We are happy to be stocking more than a half-million trout this season for fishing enthusiasts and families to enjoy.”
By late May, 570,000 hatchery-raised trout will be released in 200 streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. There are numerous fishing opportunities at the Jersey Shore (click here).
Fishing licenses and trout stamps are available online and at license agents across the state. For the online license and stamp application, a list of licensed agents, and the in-season stocking schedule, visit here.
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