Fishing Bass Lake in Warren County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Bass Lake stands in Warren County, New Jersey. Height above sea level is 774 feet. Surface area runs to about 15 acres — small enough to read in one session. Supplies mean a trip to Hardwick, 2.2 miles off. After that come Saw Creek at 7.8 miles and Pine Ridge at 8.5 miles. Nearby alternatives: Youngs Pond just 1.5 miles, Spring Valley Lake about 1.6 miles, Duck Pond just 2.1 miles, Lake Genevieve about 2.3 miles and Catfish Pond just 2.5 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Species logged across Warren County include brook trout, brown trout and walleye. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Work Bass Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 25°F and July at about 70°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After late March the shallows warm and the fish move up. On average, late March opens the water and late December closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Bass Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Youngs Pond, 1.5 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Bass Lake for certain.