Long Pine Pond in Sussex County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Sussex County, New Jersey, sits Long Pine Pond. What surrounds it is lake country bush. It measures about 30 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. By elevation it is in the upper part of our New Jersey listings. Hardwick sits 3.5 miles from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Crandon Lakes at 3.8 miles and Pocono Ranch Lands at 5 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Long Pine Pond

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Fish documented in Sussex County include brook trout, brown trout, walleye and bluegill. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The shape of Long Pine Pond decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 24°F and July at about 70°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. After late March the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running late March to late December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. On Long Pine Pond the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. You will be walking about 0.9 miles from the nearest car park. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. A picnic area is mapped about 0.9 miles away. Toilets are 0.9 miles away, which matters on a long session. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Crater Lake, 0.7 miles out. Treat Long Pine Pond as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.