New Jersey trout season is right around the corner

We're lucky here in New Jersey to have over 100 miles of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. It offers a tremendous fishery with a wide variety of species of all sizes.

For those who find the ocean or the bays too far or too intimidating, New Jersey also offers a wide variety of freshwater fishing too.

Since spring has sprung and the weather has gotten a little warmer you may notice kids with fishing poles riding their bikes to and from their favorite watering holes. You will also spot people on the edges of ponds and lakes in your area itching to get back that feeling of landing a big one.

Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

If you're angling for trout, you'll have to wait until April 8 to try your luck.

Trout season is officially closed with few exceptions from March 20 to April 8 in New Jersey as NJ Fish and Wildlife complete their stocking program. At 8 a.m. on April 8 is when the mayhem begins at some of the more popular and easily accessible trout fishing spots in the Garden State.

Trout season is a great time to introduce young kids to fishing. It's a great bonding experience for adults and kids and it can be a lot of fun.

Adobe Express

This state has a lot of great outdoor spots to enjoy and to be able to catch some fish while enjoying nature is a big plus. For all you need to know about licensing, stocked trout locations and more check out NJ Fish & Wildlife website here.

For good information in your immediate area, check with your local tackle shop. They're always happy to help with good local information. You can find out licensing locations here.

Catch 'em up!

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

The bass are biting in New Jersey fresh waters

Starting in mid to late May the largemouth bass started biting on my favorite lake. I finally got a chance to get out and see how good the fishing is this year and it didn't take long to catch. I got two bass in the first 10 minutes on the lake. We used to fish exclusively with live bait, either worms, nightcrawlers (the bigger worms), or minnows. That got too easy and it's not what "real" fishermen do.

It's more of a sport if you fool the fish into biting your hook with the right lure and the proper presentation. You have to figure out what they would be feeding on that time of year, pick a lure that resembles that and finesse it in a way that makes it look enticing to the fish. To most people, this is a stupid waste of time, but to those of us who caught the fishing bug as a kid or an adult, it's almost addictive. OK, it is addictive.

Most people look at a body of water such as a pond, lake, river, or stream and admire it for its natural beauty. Fishermen try to figure out what kind of fish are below the surface and what would be the best spot to catch them. If you have small kids and you know how to fish, you can create amazing memories and give a great lesson on nature. My dad and my uncles did that for me and those of some of the best memories of my childhood.

There are so many different kinds of fish and fishing in New Jersey's fresh waters. We usually think of fishing at the Jersey Shore, but there are plenty of fishing opportunities not far from where you live. Make sure you know a few simple rules and ask a local tackle shop for some good advice on what to buy and where to go, and you're good to go. It's a great way to enjoy the diversity of landscapes we have here and challenge yourself a little.

I challenged myself for the first time this season to try and catch a few bass on Thursday afternoon right before the rain and thunderstorms and had success right away in one of my favorite fishing holes in Medford.

What's been killing all the fish in NJ waterways?

Since November, there have been numerous instances of dead menhaden washing ashore or floating in waterways, including in the Raritan Bay and the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.

Categories: Dennis & Judi, Talking About ...