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Bield:Fish
Fish stocking schedule

New Jersey fish stocking schedule 2026.

Stocking NowNew Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife

New Jersey stocks trout in over 200 waters statewide, with the iconic Pequest Trout Hatchery producing nearly all the state's trout. Tiger muskie are stocked in select lakes and the Pequest, Big Flatbrook, and Musconetcong rivers are flagship stocked trout streams.

Official source

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Stocking Report

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife publishes the authoritative New Jersey stocking schedule — Weekly updates in Posted list format. For this week's actual stocking locations, dates, and volumes, view the official report directly.

View official New Jersey stocking report

This page summarizes the New Jersey stocking program for planning purposes. The agency report is the authoritative source — verify before any trip.

Primary stocked species in New Jersey

Typical stocking pattern by species. Heavy fill marks primary stocking months; moderate fill marks possible stocking. Verify exact dates against the official report.

  • Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss
    JanJan — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesFebFeb — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesMarMar — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesAprApr — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesMayMay — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesJunJun — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesJulJul — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesAugAug — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesSepSep — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesOctOct — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesNovNov — heavy stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesDecDec — no stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inches
    Typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inches
  • Brown TroutSalmo trutta
    JanJan — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesFebFeb — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesMarMar — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesAprApr — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesMayMay — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesJunJun — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesJulJul — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesAugAug — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesSepSep — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesOctOct — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesNovNov — heavy stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesDecDec — no stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inches
    Typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inches
  • Brook TroutSalvelinus fontinalis
    JanJan — no stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableFebFeb — no stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableMarMar — heavy stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableAprApr — heavy stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableMayMay — heavy stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableJunJun — no stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableJulJul — no stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableAugAug — no stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableSepSep — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableOctOct — heavy stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableNovNov — heavy stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableDecDec — no stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchable
    Typical size: 8–11 inch catchable
  • Channel CatfishIctalurus punctatus
    JanJan — no stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingFebFeb — no stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingMarMar — heavy stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingAprApr — heavy stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingMayMay — heavy stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingJulJul — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingAugAug — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingSepSep — no stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingOctOct — heavy stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingNovNov — heavy stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingDecDec — no stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerling
  • MuskellungeEsox masquinongy
    JanJan — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingFebFeb — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingMarMar — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingAprApr — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingMayMay — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingJulJul — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingAugAug — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingSepSep — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingOctOct — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingNovNov — heavy stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingDecDec — no stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 8–12 inch fingerling
  • Tiger MuskieEsox masquinongy × Esox lucius
    JanJan — no stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingFebFeb — no stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingMarMar — heavy stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingAprApr — heavy stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingMayMay — heavy stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingJulJul — no stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingAugAug — no stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingSepSep — moderate stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingOctOct — heavy stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingNovNov — heavy stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerlingDecDec — no stocking Tiger Muskie typical size: 8–10 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 8–10 inch fingerling

Top stocked waterbodies in New Jersey

Notable New Jersey programs

  • Trophy Trout Lakes
  • Trout Conservation Areas
  • Tiger Muskie Stocking
  • Pequest Trout Hatchery

State hatchery system

New Jersey operates 2 state-run fish hatcheries supporting the stocking program.

New Jersey urban fishing program

New Jersey maintains a designated urban fishing program — typically frequent stockings of catfish, trout, and panfish in city ponds and lakes. These programs are designed to make fishing accessible to families and first-time anglers.

New Jersey urban fishing program details →

Weekly stocking alerts for New Jersey.

Bield: Fish reads New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife's stocking reports and alerts you when your saved waters are stocked. Set your county once and you'll know the day fish hit your home river.

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Hatch calendars for New Jersey trout rivers
South Branch Raritan River hatch →Musconetcong River hatch →