CJTU is one of New Jersey's leading advocacy and conservation groups leading the fight to protect cold water fisheries and their environment. Our members represent a diverse cross-section of New Jersey and its surrounding areas, but all of us are joined together by a love of trout fishing and a commitment to preserve cold water fisheries for future generations.
Our mission is to conserve, protect and restore New Jersey's trout streams and their watersheds. In order to achieve our goals, we conduct habitat improvement projects, stream restoration projects, stream clean-ups, and educational programs such as Trout in the Classroom, among other activities. We strive to educate the next generation about the importance to preserve the environment and wild trout. While engaged in conservation efforts, we manage to have a lot of fun, whether at monthly meetings, chapter fishing trips, fly tying, fly fishing, or stream projects. We invite you to join us.
General Meeting
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Masha Benovengo – Casting For recovery
Marsha Benovengo is currently the Program Coordinator for the Casting for Recovery (CfR) Eastern PA Program, which includes the CfR Skytop Retreat. Marsha has represented CfR at various locations and at a variety of events.
Casting for Recovery is a national nonprofit organization that provides retreats for women breast cancer survivors throughout the US, at no cost to the participants. There will be 60 Retreats nationwide, with some states like NJ, PA, CO, MT, CA and more having two retreats yearly. The participants are selected at random from a pool of applications received. The retreat focuses on education, wellness, mindfulness, building a supportive community, and camaraderie. And yes, the participants are taught the basics of flyfishing, equipment selection, knot tying, entomology and casting. Along with the Retreat Staff many TU members volunteer to be fishing guides for the women, practicing catch and release fishing. There is a Wellness Staff composed of professional medical and psychosocial facilitators which gives the participants a safe and brave space where they can share their physical and emotional questions and concerns and learn from each other.
In her role as Program Coordinator, Marsha along with the other team members work to provide the participants with a respite from the challenges of dealing with breast cancer, in the beautiful outdoors. They are devoted to the participants and dedicated to the program. Marsha is responsible for staff and volunteer selection, facilities management, itinerary development and teaching casting along with nurturing relationship sand partnerships.
Marsha has served as President of CJTU and is currently the Immediate Past President. She has coordinated the Chapter's participation in various events. Marsha is currently the Chair of the NJ State Council of TU. She has served in various TU committees and workgroups. In 2022 Marsha was awarded the TU National Mortensen Award for "Outstanding Volunteer Leadership".
This year Marsha is celebrating serving with Casting for Recovery for 20 years and 16 years as a Program Coordinator!
American Legion Hall
137 New Market Road
Dunellen, NJ
Meetings starts at 8:00 PM
Non Members are always welcome!
News & Events
The Last Spring Point Mountain Stocking
May 24, 2024
The CJTU stocking team concluded the spring stocking of the Point Mountain stretch on May 24th when we put over 200 fish into the river. So far this spring we stocked over 1600 fish in the stretch. Working with Hunterdon County we spread the fish along the stream from the Point Mountain bridge to a point about a mile upstream Since this area is a TCA, trout conservation area, you can only take 1 fish a day over 15 inches. Most of the fish should hold over and provide good fishing throughout the year.
We will have one more stocking in the fall where we will put some bigger fish in the river. Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped out during the spring stockings.
Ed Kordyla, CJTU Stocking Coordinator
Califon Troutfest 4-20-24
On Saturday, April 20, we participated in TroutFest in Califon. This event, hosted by South Branch Outfitters, featured live music, food and beer trucks, local craft vendors, fishing competitions, and a kid's fishing derby. This year's attendance dwarfed previous events and was the best attended to date.
2024 CJTU Picnic Meeting
June 11, 2024
Rutgers Day
Saturday, April 27, 2024
This was probably the biggest Rutgers Day for us since we started going there several years ago and it's our best opportunity to interact with the general public. The big crowds were back!
We had a constant flow of people from the start at 10:00 am until we packed up at 4:00. The guys doing the fly casting were constantly on the field and the kids were sometimes lined up 6 deep to get a chance with the Orvis Practicaster.
We answered questions that ranged from what Trout Unlimited does and coldwater conservation to where to go fishing around the area. There was also a lot of interest in the Trout in the Classroom program from the general public and from teachers who want to get involved with the program in their classrooms.
Time to start planning for next year!
Subscribe to Mainstream
Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter "Mainstream" by entering your e-mail address in the box on the right and click on the "Go" button. You will be taken to a page where you can enter additional information. Receiving Mainstream will guarantee that you are kept up to date on meetings and other chapter events.
If you don't see the sign up box, turn off any ad blockers for this page!
Within a few minutes you should receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your subscription request. Be sure to click on the link provided or just reply to complete the process.
If you do not receive the e-mail asking for confirmation, check your spam mailbox and make sure that if you are running a spam filter, it can accept mail from
The process is complete when you receive an e-mail thanking you for subscribing.
Central Jersey Trout Unlimited’s Advertisers and Supporters
