Registration Inquiries and Questions, email LHGScamps@gmail.com - please include your phone number. 

Our Advanced Youth Fishing club, started in 2024, has been a major success! Thanks to incredible feedback/results from our young anglers and parents, we will be continuing the club into 2025 and beyond!

Spring 2025 Overview

Registration is open for our Spring 2025 Advanced Youth Fishing Club! All experienced anglers from 11 – 17 years of age are welcome to join in on the learning, camaraderie, and fish-catching fun! Our Spring club includes one classroom session (hosted at Ramsey Outdoor Store in Succasunna, NJ), 3 on-the-water fishing trips, and an afternoon touring the Hackettstown Fish Hatchery! Each day will be led by Aaron Graybill (founder of Lake Hopatcong Guide Service & Greenwood Lake Guide Service) and other members of our guide-staff. Details for our Spring 2025 Club are below:

 Registration is limited

Price = $750

Email: LHGScamps@gmail.com

Classroom Session:

Date: Sunday, March 2

Time: 10:00 am -12:00 pm

Location: Ramsey Outdoor Store (Succasunna, NJ)

Topic: “What to Expect + Technique-Specific Instruction”:

Aaron Graybill will lead a discussion/presentation on what to expect from each of The Club’s three (3) on-the-water trips. This will include high-level discussions on the target species, fish location/movements, proper gear, different fish-catching techniques, and bait/lure selection based on varying conditions. In addition, it serves as an opportunity to get the kids together before hitting the water, allow them to meet, share some fish stories, and start the process of becoming great fishing buddies! Ramsey Outdoor Store will provide each child with a bag of gear, coupons, and other cool fishing goodies!

On-The-Water Trips

Trip #1: Lake Hopatcong – Early Spring Yellow Perch Fishing

Date: Sunday, March 16

Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Location: Lakeview Marina (2 S Beach Rd Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849)

All gear provided.

Trip Overview: As guides, we get asked a lot “What is your favorite bite of the year?”. Most expect to hear about the “big un’s” – walleye, bass, or hybrid stripers. But my answer is always the Yellow Perch spawn shortly after ice-out. On a decent day, you can expect 50 fish per angler. On a good day, 75-100 fish are possible. In addition to non-stop action, the style of fishing, amount of bites, and honing of mechanics are a big part of what we are trying to teach our club members to help them become better, more well-rounded anglers. Aaron has given multiple seminars on the importance of getting good with an ultra-light and how it benefits anglers in many ways. This is our hands-on way of building a sound angling foundation and improving the mechanics of our club members to build upon from day 1. 

Trip #2: Lake Hopatcong – Targeting Spring Crappie

Date: Sunday, April 13

Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Location: Lakeview Marina (2 S Beach Rd Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849)

All gear provided.

Trip Overview: One of the best, most overlooked bites of the year in New Jersey is the spring Crappie bite. It’s one of those things that takes 5 minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. And we will be sharing our lifetime of knowledge catching these fish with our club anglers. Presentation, location, and technique vary drastically from the Yellow Perch trip in March, but will introduce your child to an awesome way to fish each Spring. Again, a large haul of fish can be expected for each club member and they’ll be sure to come home raving about the day they had on the water!

Trip #3: South Branch Raritan River and/or Musconetcong River – River Fishing for Rainbow Trout and Smallmouth Bass

*if river conditions are not safe/ideal, we will fish bass/multi-species on Lake Hopatcong*

Date: Sunday, May 18

Time: 7:00 am – 11:00 am (slightly earlier start to ensure we get the kids into our desired spots without competition from other weekend warriors)

Location: TBD

Parents are responsible for waders or wading boots, if desired. All other fishing gear provided.

Trip Overview: After wrapping up our Fall 2024 Club, I asked the kids what they would change or want to do going forward. Their answer was to spend a day fishing from the bank somewhere – something we can teach them, then they can do without us and with no boat. We listened to this feedback and came up with an awesome response! All members of The Club will be given the option to (1) fly fish for trout with one of our fly fishing guides or (2) target smallmouth bass/trout in a river with spinning gear from the bank. This is something that your average angler in NJ doesn’t do and something that we want to introduce our kids to. 

Trip to the Hackettstown Fish Hatchery

*Parents and family members are welcome to join!*

Date: Friday, June 27

Time: 2:00 - 4:30 pm

Location: Hackettstown Fish Hatchery (23 Reese Ave Hackettstown, NJ 07840)

Trip Overview: Our club will travel to Hackettstown for a tour of the state Fish Hatchery. They will learn about the process of raising and stocking fish, be introduced to different career paths with NJ Fish & Wildlife, and we might have fun surprise or two for the kids up our sleeve! This is an awesome way to bring the group together one last time for a fun and educational sendoff into summer!