Big Pine Lake near Browns Mills: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for Big Pine Lake in the Burlington County part of New Jersey. It stands 85 feet above sea level. It covers about 16 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Browns Mills is the closest town at 0.9 miles. Beyond it, Country Lake Estates at 3.2 miles and McGuire AFB at 4 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Big Pine Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Burlington County include pumpkinseed, bluegill, largemouth bass, chain pickerel and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Big Pine Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 74°F in July and bottom out at 31°F in January. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Time your trip to Big Pine Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Little Pine Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Big Pine Lake in what we hold.