Fishing East Lake in Cumberland County, New Jersey

• Overview

  East Lake belongs to Cumberland County, New Jersey. The bank is 36 feet above sea level. It covers about 23 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. You are 0.6 miles from Bridgeton. Fairton lies 3.3 miles off, Seabrook Farms another 4.9 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on East Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Across Cumberland County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. East Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 76°F in July and bottoms out near 32°F in January. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. On East Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Eddy Pond sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position at East Lake before loading the car.