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PrintGo Fishing in NJ!
Free Fishing Days in New Jersey are June 16 and 17 this year. While kids under 16 can always fish without a license, on that weekend adults can too, making it the perfect opportunity for families to enjoy this inexpensive outdoor activity. It’s easier than you think to get started. Just ask Metuchen dad Matt Flood, a former NYC boy who wanted to get his 4- and 5-year-old outside and away from the TV. He bought two kids’ fishing rods and bait and took the kids to a nearby park with a pond. They caught lots of sunfish and a couple of trout and now look forward to the activity every spring. One of the best parts, Flood says, is seeing the kids’ pride when they make a catch.
New Jersey offers more than 400 publicly accessible lakes, ponds, and reservoirs where families can fish. How to choose a good one? Al Ivany, principal biologist at the NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife, suggests starting with a small pond or lake. We found fishy waters in each of eight counties of north and central New Jersey. They are also within walking distance to kid-friendly amenities like playgrounds, boat rentals, and (unless otherwise noted) the most important amenity of all: restrooms!
For instant access to more information about these parks, visit the Jersey Jaunts section of our website for website links.
Bergen
• Wild Duck Pond, Saddle River County Park, Ridgewood
Essex
• Grover Cleveland Park Pond, Caldwell
Mercer
• Lake Mercer, Mercer County Park, West Windsor
• Rosedale Lake, Rosedale Park, Hopewell Township
Middlesex
• Manalapan Lake, Thompson Park, Monroe Township
• Roosevelt Park Pond, Edison Township
Morris
• Sunrise Lake, Lewis Morris County Park, Morristown
• Saffin Pond, Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, Jefferson Township (Note: restrooms not nearby)
Passaic
• Barbour Pond, Garret Mountain Reservation, Paterson/Woodland Park area
Somerset
• Mettlers Pond, Powder Mill Pond, and Spooky Brook Pond, Colonial Park, East Millstone
Union
• Echo Lake (Upper and Lower), Mountainside
• Warinanco Park Pond, Roselle
Visit the NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife website for a full list of waterways and up-to-date fishing info.
Free Fishing Days in New Jersey are June 16 and 17 in 2012.
Renée Sagiv Riebling is a freelance writer from central New Jersey. She and her husband and two children are always on the lookout for new adventures.
