Memorial Lake, New Jersey: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Salem County, New Jersey. This is mixed woodland ground. Surface area runs to about 23 acres — small enough to read in one session. For supplies, Woodstown is 0.4 miles out. Philadelphia is the closest city, 23 miles away. More in the same country: East Lake within 0.6 miles, Avis Millpond at about 2.2 miles, Slabtown Lake within 3.9 miles, Harrisonville Lake at about 4.2 miles and Kelly Pond within 4.5 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Memorial Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Salem County, recorded fish include bluegill, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass and chain pickerel. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Treat Memorial Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 76°F in July and bottoms out near 32°F in January. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. That shapes the year on Memorial Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try East Lake, 0.6 miles away. The position on Memorial Lake is worth confirming on the day.