Rock Ridge Lake in Morris County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Rock Ridge Lake is a Morris County water, in New Jersey. Elevation runs to 541 feet. Some 1.4 miles away sits Denville, the nearest settlement. Then Mountain Lakes, 1.9 miles, and White Meadow Lake, 2.7 miles. Near neighbours include: Cooks Pond out at 0.3 miles, Cedar Lake near enough 0.6 miles, Diamond Springs Pond out at 0.7 miles, Birchwood Lake near enough 1.2 miles and Cooper Lake out at 1.2 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Rock Ridge Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. County-wide records name brown trout, brook trout, northern pike and bluegill. The county list is broader than any single water. At Rock Ridge Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 73°F for July and 27°F for January. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Rock Ridge Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Mapping records boating here as restricted to permit holders. There is a car park at Rock Ridge Clubhouse, roughly half a mile away. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Cooks Pond, 0.3 miles away. For Rock Ridge Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.