Fish rescued after being washed over dam

WEST MILFORD — For the second time in the past three years, heavy spring rains caused a problem with fish escaping from Greenwood Lake. During the first week of May, the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries received several reports from Muskies Inc. Chapter 22 members concerning large numbers of muskies and walleyes stranded in the upper pools of the Wanaque River just below the Greenwood Lake Dam. On May 10, in a cooperative effort between the Bureau’s Lebanon Fisheries Lab, Hackettstown Hatchery and members of the MI 22 chapter, 21 muskellunge and 60 walleyes were collected by electrofishing and transported back into Greenwood Lake. This same situation that occurred in April of 2005 below the Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong and Swartswood Lake dams. At that time, over 500 walleye and eight muskies were transported back to their respective lakes. The muskies collected this month ranged in size from 10 inches to about 48 inches, but the majority of them were between 35 and 40 inches long. Many of the walleyes were in the 3-5 pound range. Muskellunge and walleyes annually move into the shallow southern end of Greenwood Lake to spawn during the months of March and April when water temperatures are warming. The Greenwood Lake Dam is located near the southern end of the lake and figures into the mix as to why so many fish are being washed over the dam. Many of the fish that were electrofished and returned to Greenwood Lake would have fallen victim to infection in the next couple of weeks due to lack of food supply and stress from warm water temperatures. The Division and Muskies Inc. Chapter 22 have teamed up for years.