Hawthorne Lake Fishing Guide, Sussex County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Hawthorne Lake is listed under Sussex County, New Jersey. The country here is mixed forest. The water covers some 33 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. It sits higher than most water we list in New Jersey. Ogdensburg at 1.7 miles is the nearest place to stop. Paterson is the closest city, 24 miles away. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Hawthorne Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Sussex County cover brook trout, brown trout, walleye and bluegill. The county list is broader than any single water. At Hawthorne Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 71°F and January near 25°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. Break-up near late March, freeze-up near late December: that is the shape of an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Hawthorne Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Heaters Pond, 0.9 miles out. For Hawthorne Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.