Fishing Barbour Pond in Passaic County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Barbour Pond is one of the Passaic County waters in New Jersey. The coast is 12 miles away. It covers about 9 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Woodland Park lies 0.9 miles from the water. Then Paterson, 1.4 miles, and Totowa, 1.5 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Barbour Pond

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Passaic County include brown trout, walleye and brook trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Barbour Pond gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 75°F, the coldest about 29°F. Whether it freezes depends on the year. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Barbour Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Garret Mountain Reservation takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. New Street Reservoir, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Barbour Pond locally before you travel.