Fishing at Hortons Pond, Sussex County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Set in Sussex County, Hortons Pond is a New Jersey water. The surface lies 696 feet up. The water measures roughly 6 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Sussex County list. Newton lies 0.7 miles from the water. Beyond it, Crandon Lakes at 5.7 miles and Lake Mohawk at 6.3 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Hortons Pond

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name brook trout, brown trout, walleye, bluegill and pumpkinseed. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Hortons Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 25°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Plan any trip to Hortons Pond around it. Weed growth peaks in late summer and changes where you can fish.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. You can leave the car about 120 yards from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Thomas Rich Lake, 1.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Hortons Pond before loading the car.