Fishing at Penn Swamp Pond, Burlington County, New Jersey

• Overview

  The Burlington County end of New Jersey holds Penn Swamp Pond. The water sits 33 feet up. It covers about 23 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The town to know is Elwood, 9 miles out. Hammonton is 9.6 miles and Egg Harbor City 11 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork. The county lists dozens named waters in all.

• Where to Fish on Penn Swamp Pond

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, bluegill, largemouth bass and chain pickerel. The county list is broader than any single water. At Penn Swamp Pond the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 74°F at the top of summer and 32°F at the bottom of winter. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. It holds true on Penn Swamp Pond more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Wharton State Forest runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Batsto Lake, 2.8 miles away. Treat access at Penn Swamp Pond as something to verify.