Lake Intervale in Morris County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Intervale is a Morris County water, New Jersey side. The shore lies 20 miles out. Small at around 12 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Start from Mountain Lakes, 0.7 miles down the road. After that come Boonton at 1.1 miles and Lake Hiawatha at 2.2 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Lake Intervale

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Morris County list brown trout, brook trout and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Lake Intervale rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 73°F, with January the cold end at about 27°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. That shapes the year on Lake Intervale.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Parking within 170 yards means no long carry with tackle. There is a jetty 80 yards off, worth knowing on a busy day. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Manor Lake, 0.7 miles away. Where Lake Intervale is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.