Welcome to 2025 New Jersey Freshwater Fishing
Have you felt it? That amazing sensation you get while fishing? Anticipation and excitement. These feelings keep us awake the night before the opening day of trout season and have us getting up well before sunrise to race to our favorite spot ahead of the first bite. These same feelings might motivate you to take off from work on a Friday afternoon to get an early jump on picking up the kids from school, hitching up the boat, and driving across the state so you can get out on the water before dark. When these efforts result in a catch, there is little doubt that the next trip will quickly get on the calendar. NJDEP Fish & Wildlife staff know this feeling, share this feeling, and do our very best to continue to provide opportunities for you to experience the thrill of fishing in NJ.
If you’re so inclined, you can find freshwater fishing opportunities throughout the year in New Jersey. While April’s opening day of trout is often viewed as the “unofficial start” to the fishing season, many anglers know it is only one part of the much bigger story on freshwater fishing, and fish stocking, in New Jersey. Don’t limit yourself to fishing only in the spring and summer, consider extending your season this year by getting out on the water (or ice) early and planning trips for the fall and winter. Year-round opportunities exist, but it’s up to you to get out there and take advantage of them.
NJDEP Fish & Wildlife manages two fish hatcheries in northern New Jersey, which annually produce and stock more than 3.5 million fish. Our Pequest Trout hatchery grows all of the stocked trout for our spring, fall, and winter trout stocking programs. These fish (more than 600,000 annually) provide great opportunities for anglers across the state. Your trout stamp purchases fund this program and keep it strong.
Our Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery – or “Hackettstown Hatchery” – produces millions of fish each year (some years, exceeding 5.5 million!) used in our warm water stocking program. This hatchery has been in operation since 1912 and now grows 15 species of fish, including largemouth bass, channel catfish, northern pike, and hybrid striped bass. Fish from our Hackettstown Hatchery have put smiles on many faces across New Jersey for the past 113 years! And 2025 will be no different, as our hatchery staff continues to increase the number of large fish stocked in lakes and ponds throughout the state. I hope you’ll be smiling this year as a result of their hard work and dedication.
One of our highest priorities at NJDEP Fish & Wildlife is to make it easy for you to get out fishing. With free fishing days (June 7 and October 18), free fishing for youths (under 16 years old) and seniors (over 70 years old), and an updated “Buddy License Program” that offers reduced license costs for new anglers, you might be one of the lucky people that can fish at a lower cost or no cost. Those not qualifying for these programs will need to purchase a license, but can take pride in knowing that 100% of Freshwater Fishing License fees go directly into the management of fish species and habitats across the state. We could not do this work without your ongoing support!
If you’re holding this Digest, you’re likely eager to bait a hook. Before you head out, please review the regulations and tips included here to ensure a safe, enjoyable, and legal experience, filled with great memories. Now, get out there and start fishing! Tight lines!
