Macopin Reservoir near Kinnelon: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Morris County, New Jersey, this is Macopin Reservoir. Height above sea level is 587 feet. Small at around 10 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Kinnelon at 2.4 miles is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Paterson is 14 miles off. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish. Ground round the water is easy walking in most parts.

• Where to Fish on Macopin Reservoir

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Open biodiversity records for Morris County list brown trout, brook trout and northern pike. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Anyone new to Macopin Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 71°F and January at 26°F. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Anyone fishing Macopin Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Buck Mountain covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Forest Hill Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Macopin Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.