Community Corner

Knee Deep Club Replenishes Lake Hopatcong

Disperses about 18,000 hybrid striped bass into water.

A few hours. A few thousand fish. A few more years as one of the state's top fishing spots.

The Knee Deep Club helped the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Division's Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery disperse more than 18,000 hybrid striped bass into Lake Hopatcong Tuesday morning.

About a dozen club members, donning red shirts and hats, piled into three pontoons and a fishing boat filled with fish, dropping them throughout the lake.

Find out what's happening in Hopatcong-Spartawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Club member Tim Clancy said restocking Lake Hopatcong is vital.

"It helps the economy a lot," he said. "It gives [businesses] a longer season. Gets a lot more people coming up here, going to the restaurants and the marinas."

Find out what's happening in Hopatcong-Spartawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Clancy also said the club helped the hatchery due to recent state budget cuts, forcing the hatchery to layoff workers.

About 550 pounds of fish were dropped into the lake. Most of the hybrid striped bass, which cannot reproduce, were 4-6 inches long. Club President Les Aughey said only 1-2 percent of the fish are expected to reach maturity, or 8 pounds.

Check out the video on the right to see the Knee Deep Club in action.


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