Melody Lake Fishing Guide, Passaic County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Passaic County, New Jersey, is where Melody Lake sits. The surface lies 823 feet up. Small at around 4 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Passaic County are larger. West Milford at 1.3 miles is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Paterson is 17 miles off. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Melody Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. 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. Records held for Passaic County cover brown trout, walleye, brook trout and bluegill. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Melody Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 25°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Time your trip to Melody Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Random Woods covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Carpi Lake, 0.7 miles away. Ask locally about Melody Lake if anything is unclear.