April 03, 2007 (rt23 news) - (07/19) TRENTON - Trout season in New Jersey officially begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 7, and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson today invited residents and visitors to try their luck in more than 200 trout-stocked waters throughout the Garden State.

Before wetting a line, trout anglers ages 16 through 70 are reminded to purchase a fishing license and a trout stamp.

"For what you’d spend on a movie, popcorn and soft drinks for two, you can enjoy an entire year’s worth of first-rate fishing and quiet relaxation in some of our state’s most scenic areas," Commissioner Jackson said. "What’s more, buying a fishing license in New Jersey now is as easy as baiting a hook."

Fishing licenses and trout stamps can be purchased online at www.njfishandwildlife.com, at select offices of the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife and at license vendors throughout the state.

More than 150,000 anglers are expected to turn out for opening day.

By the end of May, waters throughout New Jersey’s 21 counties will be stocked with approximately 570,000 brook, brown and rainbow trout, raised at the state’s Pequest Trout Hatchery in Warren County. Most of the fish measure 11 inches and weigh one-half pound. Thousands of 3-pound to 5-pound trout also will be stocked throughout the season.

During the 10-week spring stocking season, most of New Jersey’s trout-stocked waters will receive fish at least four times. Following opening day, the popular larger streams and rivers will be stocked every week for seven weeks to ensure plenty of trout for anglers throughout the spring.

Early-season anglers also have a chance to hook up with holdover rainbow trout, which were 14 inches to 16 inches when stocked this past fall and winter.

For both the novice and the experienced angler, the Freshwater Fishing Issue of the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Digest offers fishing tips, a summary of regulations, license information and feature articles. Copies of the publication are available at sporting goods stores that sell fishing licenses or online at www.njfishandwildlife.com.

Visit www.njfishandwildlife.com/arttrtout07.htm for more information including a list of fishing access sites, trout water closures, program updates and a trout season outlook.