Kayak on White's Pond

[basskicker]

Is boating permitted on White's Pond in Waldwick? I haven't had a chance to get out fishing much this yr as we welcomed our son Finn in late March. I live in Ridgewood and was hoping to get a few hours on the water Saturday afternoon/early evening. I would usually hit up the river but I am guessing it will be pretty high and look like chocolate milk.

I am just looking for a place to wet my lines and find some fish.

Thanks for the help.

[NJSquatch]

take a look

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fishplc.htm

[CabesaRoja]

Last time I was there I thought I saw some signs saying boating is allowed. You may want to stop by there beforehand though and double check just to be safe though.

[KRocks]

Hey basskicker,

First off, congrats on the birth of your son! I live in Glen Rock and unfortunately, there just aren't many good places in our neck of the woods to just wet a line, especially when you have a limited window of time, family obligations, etc.

That said, Whites Pond suks! . Don't waste your time there or Mill Pond in Park Ridge, etc. They are all skanky swamps now that should either be filled in or would need a lot of work to become even reasonable fisheries, although they do stock Whites in the Spring as put and take, no trout could ever survive a summer in that green puddle. They would need to find a deep hole in Ho ho jus Brook to even stand a chance. If you can travel a little farther and don't mind shore fishing, you'll likely get better results at the Scarlet Oak Pond in Mahwah, Ramapo Reservation. I fish mostly in Harriman, Sterling Forest, and up in Sussex and Orange. BTW, last time I checked RESIDENTS ONLY are permitted a row boat or canoe to launch on Whites Pond. Tight lines!

[Wilson]

There's also Shepard's lake a state park in Ringwood.
Fished there many times in the 70's...not sure what it is like now
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandf.../ringwood.html

[KRocks]

Yes, Shepherd Lake is the best place to fish within close proximity to Bergen County.

However, I tend to stay away from there between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Go swing by there on a sunny weekend and you'll see what I mean. I learned to fish there as a young kid in the late 70's. It is quite different now from what you probably remember, the beach moved to where the dock and boat house used to be, the boat house and livery were torn down and moved about a hundred yards East of where they were. They "upgraded" the trailers to actual bathrooms and shower rooms in a building, snack bar, etc. The fishing is still excellent, depending on when you go. Massive pickerel, slab crappie, decent LMB and holdover trout since spring fed and 40ft in deepest part.

[MattK]

Originally Posted by KRocks

Yes, Shepherd Lake is the best place to fish within close proximity to Bergen County.

However, I tend to stay away from there between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Go swing by there on a sunny weekend and you'll see what I mean. I learned to fish there as a young kid in the late 70's. It is quite different now from what you probably remember, the beach moved to where the dock and boat house used to be, the boat house and livery were torn down and moved about a hundred yards East of where they were. They "upgraded" the trailers to actual bathrooms and shower rooms in a building, snack bar, etc. The fishing is still excellent, depending on when you go. Massive pickerel, slab crappie, decent LMB and holdover trout since spring fed and 40ft in deepest part.

Theres also some nice pike in Shepherds, so it gives you a pretty good variety.

[MudCat08]

I go to white's pond often to shore fish (and surrounding areas). I have seen kayaks there from time to time. motor boats are not legal there, too small for that anyway.

While it used to be a great pond maybe 10 years ago, there is still a good amount of variety in there. I have seen largemouth bass, several different sunfish species, yellow perch, rainbow trout, common carp, bullhead catfish and channel catfish in there throughout the years.

However on an average day you'll be lucky to catch anything other than sunfish there as most other fish species are rare.

The pond is dominated by sunfish and carp. if you love fishing for them that's your pond.

[basskicker]

Thanks for all the responses on White's. I spend most of my time fishing for smallmouth on the Passaic or largemouth in lakes like Shephard's, green turtle or farther north in harriman but always looking for decent places a little closer to home.

Thanks again for all the responses.