East Lake Fishing Guide, Salem County, New Jersey

• Overview

  New Jersey holds East Lake, in Salem County. The land about it is farm and woodlot. About 22 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest town is Woodstown, 0.9 miles off. Beyond it, Alloway at 6.3 miles and Swedesboro at 7.2 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply. The bank is open in stretches and thick in others.

• Where to Fish on East Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Open biodiversity records for Salem County list bluegill, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass, chain pickerel and redbreast sunfish. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish East Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 76°F on average, January about 32°F. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. East Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out. The first warm days of the year bring fish shallow quickly.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Memorial Lake is 0.6 miles off. Treat East Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.