Cold Spring Lake Fishing in Passaic County, New Jersey

• Overview

  The Passaic County end of New Jersey holds Cold Spring Lake. It stands 427 feet above sea level. Small at around 10 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The town to know is Butler, 0.9 miles out. Paterson is the closest city, 12 miles away. Water in the same corner: Terrace Lake sits 0.6 miles out, Oakwood Lake out at 0.6 miles, Bogues Pond sits 0.9 miles out, Henion Pond out at 0.9 miles and Maple Lake sits 1.1 miles out. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Cold Spring Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Public occurrence data for Passaic County names brown trout, walleye and brook trout. The county list is broader than any single water. The shape of Cold Spring Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 26°F. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. At Cold Spring Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Terrace Lake is 0.6 miles distant. For Cold Spring Lake in particular, ask before you travel.