Lou Marcucci and Dan McCarthy load up with fish.
Joe Tekula and Danny also prepare for float stocking.
The club's first trout stocking of 1999 was held on Saturday April 3rd and all went well, with all the careful planning by trustees...
friends helping friends...
families helping families...
and businessmen working with customers.
There were fish being float stocked around the lake...
some were eager to go...
some were hesitent...
and some flipped out!
It was a great day for those who attended, but we await a better day to see the catch!
IN 1998 THE KNEE DEEP CLUB
S H A T T E R E D
All Previous Stocking Records
Once again the KNEE DEEP CLUB of Lake Hopatcong experienced a banner year in 1998 and it will be recorded as an important period of the Club's "Proud History". The KNEE DEEPERS ended the '98 season with a tremendous Fall fish stocking program that has shattered all previous club stocking records in its "53" years of history. This remarkable story begins back in April of '98 when the Club held its pre-season trout stocking. On April 5 , 1998 the KNEE DEEP CLUB members float stocked 580 trout ranging in size from 13 to over 24 inches into the waters of Lake Hopatcong. Thirty of these fish were "TROPHY" size trout from 18 inches long to over -10- pounds in weight. On May 9 , 1998 the KNEE DEEP CLUB members float stocked an additional 575 trout ranging in size from 13 to over 24 inches in length into Lake Hopatcong. This second trout stocking included an additional 25 "TROPHY" size trout ranging from 18 to over 24 inches in length. Due to unfortunate circumstances beyond their control, the N.J. Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife was unable to stock striped bass hybrids into any waters of the State in 1998. This situation prompted KNEE DEEP CLUB President Tim Clancy to alter the normal Fall stocking program to include the striped bass hybrids, and rally the membership of the Club for the additional funds needed to finance the additional expense. The membership responded and I can recall the night President Clancy called some of the officers and trustees to meet him at Lee's County Park, the truck with our stripers was arriving from Arkansas. That night we made a midnight run around the Lake and stocked 11,000 stripers from 4 to 6 inches and 2,400 channel catfish fingerlings ranging from 6 to 8 inches long. On October 20 President Clancy summoned us to meet him at Lee's County Park again, the hatchery truck from Minnesota was arriving. Once again we made that familiar trip around the Lake and stocked 6,000 walleye fingerlings 5 to 7 inches long and 160 true strain muskies yearlings which were 18 to 20 inches long. In a joint task with the local Chapter 22 of Muskies Inc., and additional 265 Muskie fingerlings from 10 to 13 inches long were also stocked. Finally, in an effort to maintain a hold-over trout population we float stocked an additional 1,000 brown trout 11 to 12 inches long. That sums it up, 21,980 quality fish stocked by the KNEE DEEP CLUB. Truly a record-breaking year that President Tim Clancy and the officers and members of the KNEE DEEP CLUB can be proud of. Anyone wishing to know more about this organization can call the K.D.C. Hotline 973-663-4204.
Night stocking by the club of Hybrid Striped Bass (above and below) from the hatchery trucks.
Muskie stocking (above) from shore.
The club prepares to float stock Brown Trout (above) from boats.