Fishing at Frenches Pond, Sussex County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Sussex County in New Jersey is where Frenches Pond sits. It sits at 804 feet above sea level. With some 32 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 0.9 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Stanhope lies 3.5 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Paterson, 31 miles away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Frenches Pond

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. County-wide records name brook trout, brown trout, walleye, bluegill and pumpkinseed. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Work Frenches Pond in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 25°F to 71°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. That is the shape of the year on Frenches Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Waterloo Lakes, 1.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Frenches Pond before loading the car.