April 01, 2022| Community, Environment
By: Kyle Richter
It's officially spring and that means the return of a time-honored tradition on Lake Hopatcong, trout fishing season, which officially opens on April 9, 2022!
Last weekend, despite the winter-like conditions, you may have noticed a few brave souls from the Musky Trout Hatchery, Lake Hopatcong Commission, and the Knee Deep Club on the lake assisting with the stocking of 1,000 tagged brown trout. Beginning this spring, the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, Lake Hopatcong Commission, and the Knee Deep Club will be embarking on a three-year study to track trout survival rates and how those rates correlate with the overall health of Lake Hopatcong.
We are asking anyone who catches a tagged trout on Lake Hopatcong to report and safely release it. The reporting process is simple, and you might even win a $100 VISA gift Card for participating!
When you catch a tagged trout, please take note of the color and number of the tag, measure your catch, and take a photo of the trout with the tag (to help maintain the health of the fish, please wet your hand before handling). After you have safely released the trout, report your catch through the form at LHCtrout.com. You will need to know the date and location of the catch, the tag color and number, and the length of the fish. There will also be a place to upload your photo.
If you choose to keep the fish, please report your catch through the form at LHCtrout.com and turn the tag(s) in at Dow’s Boat Retail (145 Nolan’s Point Rd, Lake Hopatcong) or Lake’s End Marina (91 Mt Arlington Blvd, Landing). Or mail them to the Knee Deep Club (PO Box 404, Lake Hopatcong NJ 07849).
The study is expected to run for three years. At the end of each year, five participants will be randomly selected to receive a $100 Visa gift card, generously donated by Live the Lake NJ. To be eligible for prizes, you must report your catch through the form and include a photo of the fish with the tag or turn the tag in at one of the locations mentioned above.
Please note that all participants must comply with all NJ Fish and Wildlife regulations and entrants must be licensed and possess a trout stamp if the trout is kept. We do ask that all efforts be made to release the trout with the tag back into the lake in order to improve the study’s success.
We thank you for your help and happy fishing!
Photos by Ulla Vinkman
