Back in late 2017, by DEP directive, we had to conduct a fish salvage in preparation for lowering the lake water for the dam rehab project. Since then, fish have still been biting from time-to-time - so they definitely didn't get them all. But I think we can all agree our angling opportunities have been seriously lacking for the past three summers.
* How is a fish salvage performed you ask?
Click HERE to learn the process.
In the 2017 fish salvage, 304 fish were removed from the lake. Below is the inventory of the fish that were removed.
28 Largemouth Bass (seriously?)
65 Bluegill
6 Black Crappie
4 Golden Shiner (really?!)
48 Chain Pickerel
65 Pumpkinseed
11 Yellow Perch
2 Green Sunfish
57 Brown Bullhead Catfish
3 Channel Catfish
15 American Eel (yuk!)
* What happened to these 304 fish you ask?
Well . . . They were put into a tank of water on a truck and given a road trip across Route 73 where they were introduced into their new home in Lion's Lake!
* FINALLY - The dam rehab is done and our members are chomping at the bit to "wet a line"!
Since retrieving OUR fish from Lion's Lake is unfortunately not an option (not that we didn't consider that . . . ), we had to file for a fish restocking permit and cough-up the cash on our own to restock fish into our lake. Based on the acreage of our lake - somewhere between 3.5 and 6.25 acres (sources disagree - gotta find that answer when some free time rolls around) - the NJ DEP Division of Fish & Wildlife approved us for about 2,200 sport fish plus 4,000 bait fish. (We cant afford 6,200 fish. But it's definitely good to know that our lake can handle that many).
Clearly . . . our lake was significantly understocked!
* By May 1 this year, we are going to have 4,670 new residents at Union Mill Lake!
Being delivered sometime in the next few weeks:
50 Largemouth Bass (6-8")
30 Largemouth Bass ("8-10")
40 Largemouth Bass (10"-12")
250 Bluegill (3"-4")
120 Bluegill (4"-5")
120 Bluegill (5"-7")
25 Black Crappies (4"-5")
35 Black Crappie Bass (5"-7")
10 Sterile Grass Carp (10"-14")
4,000 Minnows & Shiners
Also - hopefully some Pumpkinseed and a few Channel Catfish - if the hatchery has them in stock (which they don't right now).
* Learn about these fish species HERE.
* How do they put the fish back in you ask?
Click HERE to learn the process.
* Fishing should be great this year!
* PLEASE REMEMBER!
Since the UMLCC now has to pay for fish stocking . . .
CATCH & RELEASE only
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