Lake Erskine Fishing in Passaic County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Passaic County, New Jersey, is where Lake Erskine sits. The surroundings are open valley. With some 78 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The whole outline is near 1.5 miles, and most of it is walkable. It is among the larger waters listed here for Passaic County. Ringwood is the closest town at 1.4 miles. Wanaque follows at 4.3 miles, then Haskell at 5 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Erskine

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Public occurrence data for Passaic County names brown trout, walleye, brook trout and bluegill. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Lake Erskine gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 72°F in July and bottoms out near 26°F in January. Whether it freezes depends on the year. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. The season on Lake Erskine rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Upper Erskine Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. For Lake Erskine, the notice at the access point is the final word.