Lake Marcia Fishing near Matamoras, New Jersey

• Overview

  Lake Marcia belongs to Sussex County, New Jersey. The water sits 1,568 feet up. At roughly 18 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It sits higher than most water we list in New Jersey. 4 miles away sits Matamoras, the nearest town. Paterson sits 38 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake Marcia

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name brook trout, brown trout, walleye and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Lake Marcia the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 70°F on average, January about 24°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late March. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late March and starts locking again about late December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Lake Marcia that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Steeny Kill Lake, 0.5 miles out. Confirm access to Lake Marcia locally before you travel.