NEWS, SPORTS, COMMENTARY, POLITICS for Gloucester City and the Surrounding Areas of South Jersey and Philadelphia

Geraldine Mary Davis - Coughlin, of Hollywood, Florida formerly of Gloucester City
CNB Hunting Delaware: Additional Delaware Hunting Seasons Open in November

CNB Fishing New Jersey: Salmon, Muskies Stocked in 13 Waters! (Salmon in Four, Muskies in Nine)

The Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery in Hackettstown

Hatchery Centennial LogoCelebrating 100 Years of the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery - (pdf, 645kb)

Superintendents of the Hackettstown Fish Hatchery - (pdf, 380kb)
       Above articles from the 2012 Freshwater Fishing Digest

Stocking Summaries

Pike in Passaic River Article Updated for 2020
Netting Fish At the Hackettstown Hatchery (Facebook LIVE, 10/11/17)
New Jersey’s Other Hatchery - app.com feature, video
New Jersey's Tiny Contributions Yield Big Results for Neighbors

The Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery, more commonly known as the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery, opened in 1912. The facility was responsible for trout production up to 1981, when the Pequest Trout Hatchery took over coldwater production. Hackettstown's emphasis then turned to cool and warm water production.

The hatchery is currently responsible for the production and distribution of 15 species of cool and warm water fish depending on annual requests from the Division's regional fisheries biologists.

The hatchery also raises gambusia (mosquitofish) to supply to county mosquito control commissions. Annual production numbers range from 1.5 to 2.5 million fish per year. (See summaries below.)

Girl with Greenwood Lake muskie
A Greenwood Lake muskie brings a smile to a young angler.
Click to enlarge

Fisheries worker Nick Ruberto with salmon
Landlocked Salmon are providing an exciting fishery.
Click to enlarge
The hatchery is located in Hackettstown, Warren County, along the banks of the Musconetcong River. The facility actually has two separate components, the West Hatchery and the East Hatchery that are situated, as their names imply, on the east and west sides of Hackettstown.

The West or main segment (199 acres) consists of a large state of the art fish culture facility and a 100-acre extensive pond complex consisting of more than 60 earthen ponds. These ponds range in size from .25-5 acres. The East Hatchery (34 acres) is used for extensive production only, consisting of 40 earthen ponds, which range in size from .25-1 acre. The main water supply for both hatcheries is 52-degree spring water naturally bubbling out of the ground.

Hackettstown Hatchery Feature Articles

See the many articles penned by Superintendent Craig Lemon and others to learn more about operations - and the fish - raised at Hackettstown.Broodstock Collection 2017
Broodstock Collection 2016
Broodstock Collection 2014
Swartswood Lake 2014 Walleye Run Best Ever!
Passaic River Pike
Broodstock Collection 2013
Broodstock Collection 2010
Broodstock Collection 2008
Broodstock Collection 2007
Broodstock Collection 2006
Broodstock Collection 2005
Broodstock Collection 2004
2004 Fall Channel Catfish Stocking
Broodstock Collection 2003 is Underway!
Broodstock Collection 2003 - Part IIFish Production Information and SummariesFish Species Raised at Hackettstown
Trapnetting and Spawning Operations
Pond Work and Harvesting
Fish Stocking Operations
Stocking Summaries by Species and Water
Stocking Summary 2019 (pdf, 100kb)
Stocking Summary 2018 (pdf, 130kb)
Stocking Summary 2017 (pdf, 125kb)
Stocking Summary 2016 (pdf, 75kb)
Stocking Summary 2015 (pdf, 39kb)
Stocking Summary 2014 (pdf, 48kb)
Stocking Summary 2013 (pdf, 42kb)
Stocking Summary 2012 (pdf, 40kb)
Stocking Summary 2011 (pdf, 41kb)
Stocking Summary 2010 (pdf, 46kb)
Stocking Summary 2009 (pdf, 64kb)
Stocking Summary 2008 (pdf, 62kb)
Stocking Summary 2007 (pdf, 70kb)
Stocking Summary 2006 (pdf, 30kb)
Stocking Summary 2005 (pdf, 73kb)
Stocking Summary 2004 (pdf, 30kb)
Fish raised and waters stocked 1994-2003
Distribution Summaries of Species With Numbers Stocked, Size Class, and Lengths:
1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2004; 2005; 2006; 2007; 2008; 2009; 2010; 2011; 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016; 2017; 2018; and 2019.

Greenwood Lake Walleye
Walleye from Hackettstown can really grow!
Click to enlarge

Warmwater Fish in New Jersey (includes stocking summaries for individual species)

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