Packanack Lake in Passaic County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  New Jersey holds Packanack Lake, in Passaic County. The surface lies 174 feet up. The water covers some 82 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 1.6 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. It ranks high for size among our Passaic County listings. Wayne sits 1.4 miles from the bank. For a city, Paterson is 4.3 miles off. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Packanack Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Passaic County records list brown trout, walleye and brook trout among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Work Packanack Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 74°F; by January the average is down near 28°F. The season stretches long at both ends here. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. The season on Packanack Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. A boat ramp sits about 170 yards from the water. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. There is a mapped landing stage 80 yards away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Country Club Ponds sits 1.2 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Packanack Lake in what we hold.