LMB fishing in Brick/Lakewood Area

[njitgrad]

Rather than wasting time with the kids by fishing for snapper blues this year, I'm going to try some LMB bank fishing when I go down the shore for the week of July 4th. We are staying on the water in Brick (Kettle Creek section of Barnegat Bay) and from doing some research I can see five bodies of water closeby that seem to hold decent populations of LMB. Was wondering if anyone could tell me a thing or two about the lakes/ponds listed below. All are within 10 minutes of each other. Feel free to PM me.

Forge Pond in Brick, and Lake Carasaljo, Lake Manetta, Lake Fishigan, Shenandoah Lake, all in Lakewood.

Thanks in advance.

[hartattack]

The most consistent place in that area is Turkey Swamp Park, South Freehold. Shore or boat fishing, it always produces. Bring Shiners and it's can't miss. USe hotdogs and the snapping turtles will appear.

https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2540

Boat Rentals & Fishing
Visitors to the park can fish for bass, catfish, and bluegills either from the shore or from kayaks, rowboats, canoes and paddleboats available for rental in summer. Bait (nightcrawler and garden worms) can be purchased in the Campground Office from April-November. Boat rentals are available weekends only from May 1 through June 19 and then daily until Labor Day and weekends only again from Labor Day through Columbus Day. Boat rental hours are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

[njitgrad]

Originally Posted by hartattack

The most consistent place in that area is Turkey Swamp Park, South Freehold. Shore or boat fishing, it always produces. Bring Shiners and it's can't miss. USe hotdogs and the snapping turtles will appear.

https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2540

Boat Rentals & Fishing
Visitors to the park can fish for bass, catfish, and bluegills either from the shore or from kayaks, rowboats, canoes and paddleboats available for rental in summer. Bait (nightcrawler and garden worms) can be purchased in the Campground Office from April-November. Boat rentals are available weekends only from May 1 through June 19 and then daily until Labor Day and weekends only again from Labor Day through Columbus Day. Boat rental hours are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

We use plastic worms, swimbaits, and crankbaits. Do those produce there?

[Lard Almighty]

Carasaljo, Manetta, and Shenandoah all get a lot of pressure, and are very weedy in the summer. There are big bass and pickerel there, but they are tough to get. I have never caught a bass out of Lake Fishigan, but it is polluted with pickerel. It gets totally weed-choked in the summer, though. Some other options in the area are Lake Riviera, Pine Lake, and Lake Horicon. I don't have a lot of experience there, but those ponds all have decent shoreline access and they do have bass and pickerel.

Good luck!

[tautog]

Pine Lake and Horicon are mostly pickerel fisheries. Riviera has a decent population of bass and upper Kettle Creek below the lake has pickerel. Forge Pond has decent bass fishing too.

[logs22]

Originally Posted by tautog

Pine Lake and Horicon are mostly pickerel fisheries. Riviera has a decent population of bass and upper Kettle Creek below the lake has pickerel. Forge Pond has decent bass fishing too.

I don't have any personal experience with Riviera but it. Seems to have easy access and I have seen pics of some trophy bass pulled out of there (albeit 3-5 years ago). I just recently fished Forge pond and was a big fan. I fished there early morning and had great success with small senkos then returned later that day and did well with 1/4 oz spinner baits and crank baits. The shoreline has great structure and since the bottom was mostly sand I just waded in barefoot in shorts. I think to get most out of forge pond though a kayak would be needed. I have limited experience at Shenandoah but it is a beautiful lake and they rent boats as well. Shoreline seemed reasonably accessible as well if you aren't allergic to poison ivy and don't mind ticks.

[njitgrad]

Forge pond is actually very close to where we'll be staying. Any suggestions for parking and/or access points?

[logs22]

Originally Posted by njitgrad

Forge pond is actually very close to where we'll be staying. Any suggestions for parking and/or access points?

Like I said, I am not a local so I was working solely off of what I could see on Google maps, but there is access to two seperate gravel parking areas right from route 70 southbound lanes. If you go On Google Satellite view you can see them. I have only fished the second access road/lot (I.e. The second entrance driving south) and had great luck. I Also met some old timers that seemed to spend most of their retirement fishing and shooting the shit in that lot and they confirmed that those banks are good for 'beatin'. They recommended using shiners or other live bait but that isn't really My thing so I stuck with my usual lures. They worked just fine. I would love to go back there with a kayak, they have a good launch in that same Lot and much of the lake would only be accessible by boat. Hope this helps!