looking for shore fishing spots in Northern NJ

[njitgrad]

I am looking for some guidance for a few new places in Northern NJ to take my two boys for a couple of hours of bass fishing on summer weekends. I don't have a boat so we're limited to shore fishing.

In the past few years we've shore fished Verona Lake (basically walked around the whole lake), Potash Lake (very limited shore access), Pompton Lake (again very limited shore access so only off the Lakeside Ave bridge) and the Delaware River (Karamac Access), all with limited success.

We've also fished Lake Hopatcong off the dock of a relative who lives on the water (McGregor Ave just past Lee's Marina) but all we catch are perch and sunnies.

The best luck we've had was on the Delaware where we caught a bunch of nice size smallies on Senkos.

We do not use live bait. We only use plastic baits and crankbaits.

I would rent a boat if I knew of a place where I wouldn't get harassed by powerboats on the weekend like one would on Lake Hopatcong. Any advice in this department would be appreciated. My boys are 10 and 12 so I would only feel comfortable renting a boat on a tranquil body of water.

I would also like to inquire about bass fishing down the shore, specifically near Brick Township. My in-laws own a home on the upper end of Barnegat Bay (Kettle Creek I believe it's called at that point). We fish off their dock for snapper blues but catch squat so we mostly crab. I'm basically looking for nearby fresh water ponds/lakes within 30 minute drive that have shore access.

Any advice to improve our fishing experience based on everything stated above would be much appreciated. Feel free to PM me.

[briansnat]

Some places with shore fishing and bass.
Green Turtle Pond
Passaic River
Pompton River
Monksville Reservoir
Round Valley Reservoir
With a permit, the Newark watershed reservoirs (Clinton, Cannistear, Echo, Oak Ridge) can be very productive from the shore, with lots of smallies and LMB.
Scarlet Oak Pond
Sheppards Lake
Wawayanda Lake (boat rentals available and no powerboats to deal with)


This might be helpful to you
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2003/plcpnds03.pdf

[catfishonthelake]

Scarlet Oak Pond in the Ramapo Reservation has very decent shore access and about the best bass fishing you'll find for public, heavy-pressured waters in northern NJ. I've caught some big fish out of there.

I would just go as early as possible as the park gets busy (mostly with walkers and hikers) in the later morning. There are two other lakes in the reservation...one is a short hike up the trail (Bear Pond or something). You can see where they are on the map of the park in the parking lot. Never been to the third.

Also, Ramapo Lake on Skyline Dr. is an awesome place to fish. More pickerel than bass, but there are some nice bass. It's about a 20-minute hike up to the lake from the parking area, but then there is a trail that goes around the hole lake with lots of shore access along the way. Some very cool spots to hang out and fish. Very pretty up there. Once again, the earlier the better as it gets busy with hikers and bikers.

[njitgrad]

Originally Posted by briansnat

Some places with shore fishing and bass.
Green Turtle Pond
Passaic River
Pompton River
Monksville Reservoir
Round Valley Reservoir
With a permit, the Newark watershed reservoirs (Clinton, Cannistear, Echo, Oak Ridge)
Scarlet Oak Pond
Sheppards Lake
Wawayanda Lake (boat rentals available and no powerboats to deal with)


This might be helpful to you
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2003/plcpnds03.pdf

I've always wanted to try Round Valley Reservoir. Where would I access it for shore fishing and how would you rate the shore fishing experience there?

[bassnblues]

Try Cranberry Lake in Byram. There's a walkway on a good part of the shoreline and a place that rents rowboats. There are some powerboats but not crazy.

Round Valley has decent shore fishing for trout in the late fall and also the spring stocking season.

[njitgrad]

Originally Posted by catfishonthelake

Scarlet Oak Pond in the Ramapo Reservation has very decent shore access and about the best bass fishing you'll find for public, heavy-pressured waters in northern NJ. I've caught some big fish out of there.

I would just go as early as possible as the park gets busy (mostly with walkers and hikers) in the later morning. There are two other lakes in the reservation...one is a short hike up the trail (Bear Pond or something). You can see where they are on the map of the park in the parking lot. Never been to the third.

Also, Ramapo Lake on Skyline Dr. is an awesome place to fish. More pickerel than bass, but there are some nice bass. It's about a 20-minute hike up to the lake from the parking area, but then there is a trail that goes around the hole lake with lots of shore access along the way. Some very cool spots to hang out and fish. Very pretty up there. Once again, the earlier the better as it gets busy with hikers and bikers.

I've fished for trout in the Ramapo River in the reserveration but never the adjacent Scarlet Oak Pond. May give it a shot.

So access to Ramapo Lake is a 20-minute hike? Is it well marked from the parking lot down to the lake?

[njitgrad]

Originally Posted by bassnblues

Try Cranberry Lake in Byram. There's a walkway on a good part of the shoreline and a place that rents rowboats.

Looks like a pretty big lake. Any particular place you would suggest to fish? I would scout it ahead of time but it's about an hour away from home.

[njitgrad]

Originally Posted by catfishonthelake

Also, Ramapo Lake on Skyline Dr. is an awesome place to fish. More pickerel than bass, but there are some nice bass. It's about a 20-minute hike up to the lake from the parking area, but then there is a trail that goes around the hole lake with lots of shore access along the way. Some very cool spots to hang out and fish. Very pretty up there. Once again, the earlier the better as it gets busy with hikers and bikers.

Was thinking of giving that a shot or Lake Tamarack on the other side of Skyline. Have you ever tried it?

[njitgrad]

I just got back from a lunch break in which I scouted Scarlet Oak Pond. It has pretty good access so we'll give it a shot. Also stopped in the parking lot for Ramapo Lake on the way back to work. Is Lake Tamarack across the street private property? The no trespassing signs seem to imply it is though there is a marked walking trail just to the left of the gravel road.

[catfishonthelake]

Originally Posted by njitgrad

I just got back from a lunch break in which I scouted Scarlet Oak Pond. It has pretty good access so we'll give it a shot. Also stopped in the parking lot for Ramapo Lake on the way back to work. Is Lake Tamarack across the street private property? The no trespassing signs seem to imply it is though there is a marked walking trail just to the left of the gravel road.

Tamarack is a private Boy Scout Camp. Fished it when I was a Boy Scout, caught some bass.

You can get down to Ramapo Lake by walking down the gated-off road across the street from Tamarack, but it will take you longer to get to lake. The parking lot I use is right on the left of Skyline if you're coming off 287 going towards Oakland. If you're coming from Tamarck, it will be on the right side of the road at the bottom of the hill. Drive slow and you can't miss it. From there it's a 20-minute hike, I think, it's been awhile.