NEWARK, NJ — Fishing season will begin at the Newark Pequannock Watershed, located in West Milford, on Saturday, April 9, and will continue through Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Persons wishing to fish in the watershed must have a current New Jersey state fishing license and a city of Newark Watershed fishing permit. The license and permit can be purchased daily at Newark City Hall, 920 Broad St., Room B-12, Newark 07102, by calling 973-733-4784 or at the Watershed Permit Office at 223 Echo Lake Road, West Milford 07840. Call the permit office at 973-697-1724 or 1758 for hours of service, which vary by season.
“We are pleased to provide New Jersey’s sportsmen with an opportunity to take advantage of a good fishing season on our beautiful Pequannock Watershed,” Mayor Ras J. Baraka said. “I urge all visitors to follow our regulations, to ensure their own safety and those of others. Please be a responsible fisherman.”
Fishing hours are from sunrise to sunset.
Additionally, stream fishing is allowed, but it requires a separate, daily permit for $2 and can be issued up to one week in advance.
The Newark Watershed supports both warm water species such as bass and sunfish and cold water species, such as trout and muskellunge:
- Echo Lake Reservoir — contains sunfish, chain pickerel, yellow perch, largemouth bass, black crappies and muskies.
- Clinton Reservoir — contains sunfish, yellow perch, catfish, smallmouth and largemouth bass; chain pickerel, brown and rainbow trout.
- Oak Ridge Reservoir — contains smallmouth and largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch and sunfish.
- Canistear Reservoir — contains smallmouth and largemouth bass; sunfish, yellow perch and walleyes. The state is stocking 3,500 walleyes in this reservoir in May.
Literature on rules and regulations regarding hunting, hiking and horseback riding is available in the both offices and on line atwww.ci.newark.nj.us/watershed.
The city of Newark’s Pequannock Watershed is a 35,000-acre natural resource purchased by the city in 1900. It is located in portions of six separate municipalities in Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties. This resource, from a land-use perspective, is managed by the city of Newark’s Department of Neighborhood and Recreational Services’ Division of Watershed Development.
Parts of the Watershed’s physical makeup are large reservoirs and streams. More specifically, the watershed has four reservoirs that are open to recreational boating and fishing. The average reservoir is 396 acres and the average depth is 43 feet. Maps to locate these reservoirs are available in both the Newark and West Milford offices.
The Newark Watershed is designed to accommodate year-round recreational activities which also include hiking, horseback riding, and hunting during the appropriate seasons. No campfires, picnics, unleashed pets or all-terrain vehicles are permitted within the watershed property.
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