Lake Windsor Fishing Guide, Sussex County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Within Sussex County, New Jersey, you have Lake Windsor. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. At about 29 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. 3.5 miles away sits Sussex, the nearest town. Beyond it, Hamburg at 3.6 miles and Franklin at 4.5 miles. Not far off: Lake Neepaulin 3.6 miles, Clove Acres Lake lies 3.7 miles on, Lake Grinnell 4.7 miles, Franklin Pond lies 5 miles on and White Lake 5.5 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lake Windsor

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Sussex County, recorded fish include brook trout, brown trout and walleye. The county list is broader than any single water. Lake Windsor fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 25°F to 71°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Look for the thaw near late March; the fishing lifts straight after. The open-water window runs from around late March to about late December in an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That shapes the year on Lake Windsor.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Papakating Creek Preserve runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lake Neepaulin sits 3.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Lake Windsor before loading the car.