Picatinny Lake, New Jersey: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Picatinny Lake in Morris County, New Jersey. Height above sea level is 709 feet. It measures about 109 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 2.5 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. It is among the larger waters listed here for Morris County. Some 2.7 miles away sits Lake Telemark, the nearest settlement. White Meadow Lake follows at 2.9 miles, then Lake Hopatcong at 3.6 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Picatinny Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Species logged across Morris County include brown trout, brook trout, northern pike, bluegill and rainbow trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Work Picatinny Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 25°F to 71°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. That shapes the year on Picatinny Lake. Spring warms the shallows first, so start there.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Mount Hope Pond, 1.7 miles out. Where Picatinny Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.