Cedar Lake in Morris County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Morris County end of New Jersey holds Cedar Lake. The sea is 23 miles distant. Around 98 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Shoreline comes to about 1.8 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Few waters listed in Morris County are bigger. Denville at 1.3 miles is the nearest place to stop. White Meadow Lake is 2.2 miles and Rockaway 2.2 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Cedar Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Records held for Morris County cover brown trout, brook trout, northern pike, bluegill and rainbow trout. The county list is broader than any single water. Take Cedar Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 73°F for July and 27°F for January. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. The season on Cedar Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. There are toilets half a mile off. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Rock Ridge Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Cedar Lake is worth confirming on the day.