Green Turtle Lake, New Jersey: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Passaic County, Green Turtle Lake is a New Jersey water. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling hill. At about 45 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge runs 1.2 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. 2.2 miles away sits West Milford, the nearest town. It is 18 miles to Paterson, the nearest city. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Green Turtle Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name brown trout, walleye, brook trout, bluegill and largemouth bass. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Green Turtle Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 26°F to 72°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. On Green Turtle Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Launching is possible: a slipway lies half a mile off. Public data has parking about half a mile from the shore. Long Pond Ironworks State Park covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Monksville Reservoir at 2 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish Green Turtle Lake.