Fishing near Long Branch, New Jersey

Long Branch is a Monmouth County town, on the New Jersey side. Everything worth a rod sits outside the town line. Reckoned by road: Franklin Lake at about 1.6 miles to the west, Lake Takanassee at about 1.9 miles, Shippees Pond at about 4.9 miles to the north-west, Sunset Lake at about 5.5 miles and Lake Wesley at about 6.2 miles to the south. Shippees Pond runs clear, so keep back from the edge and fish light. The area runs on held water. The mouth of any feeder is worth an hour. Ice comes and goes from one winter to the next. Nothing here is dependable in winter. Franklin Lake sits nearest and covers some 14 acres. Parking is recorded at Franklin Lake. Monmouth County records cover bluegill, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Bring more than one plan, because the wind decides a lot here. Rules here are New Jersey rules, whatever the water looks like....