Fishing Fountain Spring Lake in Passaic County, New Jersey

• Overview

  The Passaic County entry here is Fountain Spring Lake, in New Jersey. The bank gives way to rolling hill. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. Our Passaic County list holds plenty of bigger water. Some 2.2 miles away sits Wanaque, the nearest settlement. Haskell follows at 2.8 miles, then Oakland at 3.5 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Fountain Spring Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Passaic County include brown trout, walleye, brook trout, bluegill and largemouth bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Fountain Spring Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 73°F; by January the average is down near 27°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Fountain Spring Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. Ramapo Mountain State Forest takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Stephens Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Fountain Spring Lake before loading the car.