Open Letter to NJ Boat Regulation Commission Chair about Proposed Lake Hopatcong Rules

January 22, 2017

Dear Mr. Harrison:

This comment pertains to proposed rules under 13:82-3.11(l), the comment period closing on February 3^rd, 2017.

First I want to say I understand that the feelings people have about parties in Byram Cove must be very strong to have come this far. My opposition to the measure proposed is not in disrespect. However, as often has happened down the line of what largely amounts to our unfortunate history going back to the ancient Romans, the measure in response to the complaint creates more suffering than the grievances that led to it, and for people completely innocent of the situation in question, because what amounts to governmental power takes a sweeping approach convenient to its own status quo, not a measured approach specifically addressing the real problem.

I speak for Lake Hopatcong anglers like myself. Far and away, most of us respect property owners’ privacy and don’t crowd anyone’s presence by anchoring close, and besides, many acres of Lake Hopatcong shoreline don’t involve openly visible property concerns such as decks, backyards, and boathouses. Our motives are innocent. We come to Lake Hopatcong as on religious pilgrimage, to escape the stresses of a secular world increasingly hostile to human life. Here on Lake Hopatcong we find this world and planet open to free activity that makes us more who we really are, and so we return to everyday stresses better enabled to make positive differences, rather than to further succumb to what increasingly suggests destructive demise. By and large as we fish, we never run into qualms with property owners. On the contrary, curiosity expressed between property owners and fishermen tends to be friendly, as we expect of a community, but perhaps less and less of institutions under duress of other burdens.

So we oppose the measure to limit anchoring 200 feet or further from shore between May 15^th and September 15^th of a given calendar year.

The best anglers understand that people from all walks of life, including the most burdensome, are human beings like themselves. And to err is human. A wise observation of Shakespeare that goes to the very root of his tragedies. We, however, are Americans. We recognize that we err, but we do not easily buy into tragedy. Why is this? Because unlike earlier ages that suffered errors they did not recognize and correct, we like to think mistakes needn’t incur guilt, so long as corrected.

Bruce Edward Litton 

Write Mr. Harrison:  LPPMSB@gw.njsp.org   

New Jersey's Knee Deep Club Plans Ice Fishing Contests

Joe Landolfi, long time Knee Deep member and holder of the club's record for rainbow trout, at six pounds. (Photo of the trout below.)

New Jersey's Lake Hopatcong Knee Deep Club, first established in 1947, plans on holding at least a couple of ice fishing contests this winter, and if you feel while reading this as I feel while writing, you might think the story's more about the possibility of ice than any reality. Mild weather is projected for the next two weeks. However, I've seen this situation before. A mild winter persists and people get to feeling that's how it will stay. I never allowed last winter to fool me. When one of my editors told me an article of mine on ice fishing might get withdrawn, I pointed out that very, very few winters--I can't think of any--involve no ice fishing at all in New Jersey north of Interstate 80. I told him the Highlands are not quite the same climate as south of that highway and south of Interstate 78, and that besides, an arctic air mass is a severe weather shift that can last for a week or longer. The middle and latter weeks of February are not immune.

The story ran. And perhaps there'll be an ice fishing contest, even if the dates have to be changed. Knee Deep has slated January 22nd, February 12th, and March 5th. The contests are open to members and non-members alike. $20.00 entry fee for members. $25.00 for non-members. Cash prizes awarded according to categories of heaviest-weighing fish caught reflect the amount of money collected from participants.

In any event, Lake Hopatcong is regarded New Jersey's premier ice fishing lake and is popular for its big pickerel, a gamefish associated with ice fishing like no other, besides perhaps the yellow perch. Walleye, musky, hybrid striped bass first stocked in Lake Hopatcong--thanks to Knee Deep's initial efforts--during the 1980's and '90's never completely eclipse pickerel's popularity, but the ice fishing contests are open to all species in the lake, besides musky, which cannot be weighed in. Whether or not this is really Knee Deep's implicit reason for the ban, musky catch and release is the prevailing ethic among people who fish the lake regularly, whether through the ice or open water. Few muskies get caught compared to other species, but they are present in the lake in numbers, pursued, and caught regularly.

Shore Fishing Lake Trout Severe Winters

The 10-day forecast offers no promise for any ice fishing. We wait and see what awaits beyond, and it won't surprise me if an arctic air mass presses down before March, at least creating another flurry of fishing activity through cut holes.

Ever since Joe Landolfi and I finally got in touch again, I've hoped that Mike Maxwell will get the chance to ice fish with me and the wunderkind. Maybe. Just not so soon, for sure.

This January seems to shape up as the first time I haven't fished the month in many years. It's possible I'll get out with my son on Sunday, or with Mike on Wednesday, but I am so crammed with stuff to get done, maybe not. Second to my job is family, and if I can do something with Trish on Sunday, this takes precedence over fishing with Matt...when he might not really be so enthused after getting skunked on Round Valley the last three times I've taken him there.

I'm interested in garnering a little evidence. Just a little at that. But lake trout do not always show up in shore catches, or at least some years they have very little. But those two super-cold recent winters when Round Valley Reservoir eventually froze as many as 18 inches thick, they got caught in spades.

Now, assuming a really severe winter does the trick, why is that? I would need equipment and time to measure differences in water temperature, which I assume would be different by slim margins during very severe cold, but this could miss the fact entirely, for all I know. That water is plenty cold right now, but it does take a lot longer before it freezes over than Lake Hopatcong, for example, which might feature ice a foot thick while the reservoir remains open. So variation in water temperature between cold and mild winters is a factor to at least consider, even though we're not regarding differences--I assume-- of many degrees.

Round Valley Reservoir's Fishing Organization Stocking More Trout

Round Valley Trout Association plans on stocking the reservoir with another 200 11 to 12-inch brown trout late in March, and we hope these fish will be accompanied by 100 golden trout 13 to 14 inches, as well as the remainder of whatever larger rainbows the Musky Fish Hatchery can supply.

The browns will exhibit RVTA 7 tags, and should be released, not that we have any jurisdiction over them, but we do have a moral purpose in mind, as ultimately we desire to learn something about their growing into trophy fish. Rainbows, on the other hand, typically die shortly after reaching 22 inches.

Club Recording Secretary, Zach Merchant, caught and released one of last year's browns I reported on early last year measuring 19 inches. This was many months ago. That is an impressive growth rate implied.

Any and all who have not joined RVTA, I encourage you to sign on, come to meetings, and learn something. If you're the sort who likes to make new connections with whom you share common purpose, the best route is to get involved in a club committee. You'll have new friends overnight.

Membership is only $25.00/year: www.fishrvta.com

Bill in NJ Legislature to Allow Fishing from Paddleboards in Wildlife Management Areas

According to a frequent reader of this blog, Brian Falkowski, stand-up paddleboard fishing is recently popular in New York and Pennsylvania, but prohibited in New Jersey Wildlife Management Areas. He told me the U.S. Coast Guard considers a paddleboard a vessel when used outside of a swimming area, thus requiring a pdf, whistle, etc.

Falkowski got legislators to write a bill, now at the Agricultural Committee level, to allow use of paddleboards in WMA's. I've copied and pasted the bill into this post. I'm for the bill passing, because I see no reason to deny this freedom.

Link to list of NJ WMA's: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/wmaland.htm


ASSEMBLY, No. 3989 
 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 217th LEGISLATURE
  
INTRODUCED JUNE 23, 2016


Sponsored by: Assemblyman  RONALD S. DANCER District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean) Assemblyman  DANIEL R. BENSON District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)




SYNOPSIS  Allows use of stand-up paddleboards for fishing on lakes in wildlife management areas. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT   As introduced.    

A3989 DANCER, BENSON 2


AN ACT concerning use of stand-up paddleboards on lakes in 1
 wildlife management areas and supplementing Title 23 of the 2
 Revised Statutes.  3
  4
  BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 5
 of New Jersey: 6
  7
  1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or 8
 regulation to the contrary, the Division of Fish and Wildlife shall 9
 allow a person to use a stand-up paddleboard to fish on any lake 10
 located in any wildlife management area, provided the person 11
 abides by all other applicable federal and State rules and 12
 regulations.  13
  b. For the purposes of this section, “stand-up paddleboard” 14
 means a board that is thicker and longer than a traditional surfboard, 15
 designed to be operated from a standing or kneeling position, and 16
 propelled by using a long paddle. 17
  18
  2. This act shall take effect immediately. 19
  20
  21
 STATEMENT 22
  23
  This bill would allow a person to use a stand-up paddleboard to 24
 fish on any lake located in a wildlife management area, provided 25
 the person abides by all other applicable federal and State rules and 26
 regulations.  This bill defines a stand-up paddleboard as a board that 27
 is thicker and longer than a traditional surfboard, designed to be 28
 operated from a standing or kneeling position, and propelled by 29
 using a long paddle. 30
  This bill responds to a circumstance in which a stand-up 31
 paddleboarder was stopped on a lake in a wildlife management area 32
 by a conservation officer because regulations do not mention a 33
 paddleboard as a permissible fishing vessel on such lakes.  Kayaks 34
 and canoes are permitted, however.  But since the use of a stand-up 35
 paddleboard has not been clearly defined in regulation, it was not 36
 allowed.  This bill would correct that oversight.  37

Waiting

Nearly 70 degrees here in New Jersey today, so as expected, ice fishing is out at least for now. Unexpected plans mean I probably won't fish on the 18th, either.

Last winter was even warmer on a much more consistent basis, and some people believed we would have no ice fishing, but as winter is winter, arctic air masses pressed down and February witnessed ice fishing. So patience has us waiting for what's all but inevitable, though I really would like a good thick ice cover of at least eight or 10 inches. I just like the feel of thick ice under my auger blade signifying a winter that really means it.

Ice On

Won't get a chance to fish this latest ice, before it gets sketchy again judging by the next warming trend predicted with temperatures near 60 by Thursday. Too busy.

Spoke to Joe Landolfi on my way home from work. He can't wait to get out, so he plans on taking a day off to fish with me when I get the chance, which could be the 18th of this month, but my gut tells me ice won't be safe.

So which will it be, Round Valley, fishing from shore, or wading in my stocking feet when I know I really should use boot-foot this time of year?