skinner
03-30-2012, 04:12 PM
In case any one wants to do something fun for the little ones Saturday and Sunday. From the app
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will hold its 25th annual Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center Open House on Saturday and Sunday, March 31 and April 1. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Admission and parking are free.
The Open House is one of the division’s premier events and is held every year just prior to the opening day of trout season, which this year is on April 7.
Having attended the Open House for several years, I can tell you it is a great opportunity to see the state-of the-art-trout rearing facility at Pequest.
One of the highlights of day is that kids between the ages of eight and 16 can try their hand at trout fishing a week before the season opens in the hatchery’s Fishing Education Pond.
There are some big rainbows in that pond and I’ve seen plenty of young anglers catch their first trout at the Open House.
Expert fishing instruction is provided by the staff and volunteers from the Wildlife Conservation Corps and Trout Unlimited. Kids under eight can try catching trout in the Kiddie Fishing Tank. All fishing equipment will be provided.
Returning this year to the Open House is the Hog Trough, a gigantic mobile fishing tank holding thousands of gallons of water and loaded with monster trout and warmwater game fish from the Pequest and Hackettstown hatcheries.
Professional fishing demonstrations in the Trough are scheduled throughout the day, where visitors will see casting methods, learn effective fishing techniques and see how various lures work in the water.
Visitors can also try their hand on the beginner archery and shotgun ranges which will be set up in the fields near the hatchery. Certified Hunter Education Instructors will be on hand to provide instruction, and ensure safety and equipment will be provided.
Inside the Natural Resource Education Center, division staff and representatives from various conservation organizations will be on hand with exhibits and information on protecting our natural resources.
There is also a fishermen's flea market where new and used equipment is available. You can bring a lunch and relax in one of three picnic areas located on the 4,800-arcre Pequest Management Area.
The Open House is a great way for a family or a group of friends to celebrate the arrival of spring, enjoy the beautiful countryside and learn a thing or two about New Jersey’s natural resources. It’s well worth the trip.
For more information and a complete schedule of activities, call (908)-637-4125 or visit www.nj.gov/dep/ (http://www.nj.gov/dep/).
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will hold its 25th annual Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center Open House on Saturday and Sunday, March 31 and April 1. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Admission and parking are free.
The Open House is one of the division’s premier events and is held every year just prior to the opening day of trout season, which this year is on April 7.
Having attended the Open House for several years, I can tell you it is a great opportunity to see the state-of the-art-trout rearing facility at Pequest.
One of the highlights of day is that kids between the ages of eight and 16 can try their hand at trout fishing a week before the season opens in the hatchery’s Fishing Education Pond.
There are some big rainbows in that pond and I’ve seen plenty of young anglers catch their first trout at the Open House.
Expert fishing instruction is provided by the staff and volunteers from the Wildlife Conservation Corps and Trout Unlimited. Kids under eight can try catching trout in the Kiddie Fishing Tank. All fishing equipment will be provided.
Returning this year to the Open House is the Hog Trough, a gigantic mobile fishing tank holding thousands of gallons of water and loaded with monster trout and warmwater game fish from the Pequest and Hackettstown hatcheries.
Professional fishing demonstrations in the Trough are scheduled throughout the day, where visitors will see casting methods, learn effective fishing techniques and see how various lures work in the water.
Visitors can also try their hand on the beginner archery and shotgun ranges which will be set up in the fields near the hatchery. Certified Hunter Education Instructors will be on hand to provide instruction, and ensure safety and equipment will be provided.
Inside the Natural Resource Education Center, division staff and representatives from various conservation organizations will be on hand with exhibits and information on protecting our natural resources.
There is also a fishermen's flea market where new and used equipment is available. You can bring a lunch and relax in one of three picnic areas located on the 4,800-arcre Pequest Management Area.
The Open House is a great way for a family or a group of friends to celebrate the arrival of spring, enjoy the beautiful countryside and learn a thing or two about New Jersey’s natural resources. It’s well worth the trip.
For more information and a complete schedule of activities, call (908)-637-4125 or visit www.nj.gov/dep/ (http://www.nj.gov/dep/).