Pay to Fish in Wayne Area

[Gruntmaster]

 

 

Anyone remember the pay to trout fish pond in the Wayne area?

Every time I drive though this area my mind brings me back to the times my Dad took me there.

Wondering if this pond is still there.

[Bucksnbows]

I grew up not far from there and went to church in Wayne along with having my grandparents and one aunt and uncle living in Wayne, but I don't recall any pay to fish ponds.  There were a lot of pay to swim clubs along rt. 23 back in the day (all malls now), but I can't recall a fishing pond in that general area.  

[bob kudile]

back in the 50's there was a pay to fish pond mixed in with the swim places rt. 23 north. one swim place was mcdonalds that was a sand and gravel pit rt. 23 south. in Ringwood there was a fishing club on westbrook rd. called tapawingo. westbrook that runs along westbrook rd. has wild rainbows in it. my son started trout fishing for wild brook trout on watershed property along 23 in the mid 70's in newfoundland.

[BowhunterNJ]

I only know of one out in PA where my parents live (near the Cabela's)...not near Wayne unfortunately.

[Bucksnbows]

back in the 50's there was a pay to fish pond mixed in with the swim places rt. 23 north. one swim place was mcdonalds that was a sand and gravel pit rt. 23 south. in Ringwood there was a fishing club on westbrook rd. called tapawingo. westbrook that runs along westbrook rd. has wild rainbows in it. my son started trout fishing for wild brook trout on watershed property along 23 in the mid 70's in newfoundland.

Tapawingo is now called the Windbeam Club and remains a private fly fishing club with roots back to the 1930s.  We helped restore their water last year after a quarry up the road messed it up as did Hurricane Irene.  By the way, I was on the phone a few times with your son in the last few days.  Ask him about the crazy guy that was picketing along rt. 46 in front of the entrance to the Pequest Trout Hatchery.  And say hello to your wife for me!  

[Gruntmaster]

Going to ask my Dad if he remembers where it was...

I thought it was the Wayne, Pompton area.

Lots of memories, but I was ten years old or so.

One time we landed a boat load of trout.

I know it was expensive day but my Dad would do anything to make me happy, I recognize that, and would do anything for my children.

Love that guy.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Gruntmaster

[bob kudile]

grunt, if you ever take a day trip to cabelas continue west on 78 to rt 419 and go south. you will come to rt 422 go west until you come to a cross road in malardville with a sewing machine store on the south west corner turn south to richland and you will find limestone springs fishing preserve. they have a pond and the tupehocken creek flows thru it. they stock the creek and its a limestoner as well as the pond. after fishing you can go back to 422 and turn west and in a short distance you will see the dutch way market on the north side. they have a restaurant connected to the market and a good pa dutch buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner time periods. it's a good family day. back in the 80's I took my kids there. interesting note there is a old limestone quarry that they use to teach deep diving. they have a web site also.

[Captain Dunsel]

Just stumbled across this, looking up the old "Pay & Fish" place. 

 

My grandfather was the caretaker there, working for Mr. Magnus (or Magnuson, I'm not sure which it was -- there was another, similarly named man at that time, trying to woo my divorced mother. I tended to get their names mixed up. As I was around 10, that shouldn't be surprising).   The deal was that you paid a set fee, then paid extra for every trout over a given size that you caught (by the inch).  If you caught something that wasn't stocked (i.e., pike, bass, or pickerel), it was free.   The place was on the south side of Rt. 23, a short distance before the Riverdale Armory, between the railroad tracks and the highway.  Grandpa (George Holley) ran the snack bar and collected payments. I spent my weekends and summers there, helping him and running a little side business -- I'd walk around the lake and collect any lures, scales, etc., I found, then sell them in the snack bar).

 

From what my Grandpa told me, the things that killed Pay & Fish were the NJ State Wildlife folks and the Mob.  NJ said you had to have a license to fish, even in privately stocked water.  Mr. Magnus(on) won his court case, but it bankrupted him.  At the same time, the Mob was supposed to be very interested in laundering money via the place and was putting pressure on him.

 

Mr. Magnus(on) had around a dozen sheep, used to keep the grass down.  One day, when Grandpa came in to work, he found one sheep dying and the rest already dead.  Apparently, someone had stopped on Rt. 23 and used a rifle to shoot the sheep.  The police couldn't solve the case...despite some large hints.  I was told that the Mob was sending a message to Mr. Magnus(on).   Shortly after that, the place folded.   Less than a year later, my Grandpa died (cancer -- he was a heavy smoker).  

 

I know it's been 3 years since the last entry in this thread, but it is of personal interest to me.  I spent many mornings at Pay & Fish, watching the sun rise and the fish surface.  Lots of happy memories...Also, thats' where Grandpa taught me how to shoot his 12 guage, by putting a peanut can on a embankment.   I missed on two shots, then later saw the scars in the side of the Riverdale armory, where it appeared my overshoots had hit.  As a little kid, it scared me -- all I had was an old shotgun, but they had TANKS! :-).

 

CD