Fishing at Lake Nelson, Middlesex County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Lake Nelson stands in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The surface lies 85 feet up. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Society Hill lies 0.9 miles from the water. After that come Edison at 2.2 miles and South Plainfield at 3.1 miles. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Lake Nelson

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Records held for Middlesex County cover bluegill, pumpkinseed and largemouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Take Lake Nelson a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 75°F at the top of summer and 30°F at the bottom of winter. Some winters cap it and some do not. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. The season on Lake Nelson follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, New Market Pond is 2.6 miles distant. The position on Lake Nelson is worth confirming on the day.