Silver Lake Fishing in Sussex County, New Jersey

• Overview

  The Sussex County entry here is Silver Lake, in New Jersey. It sits at 1,060 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 23 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it is in the upper part of our New Jersey listings. Some 2.5 miles away sits Franklin, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Paterson, 24 miles distant. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Silver Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Records held for Sussex County cover brook trout, brown trout, walleye, bluegill and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Silver Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 70°F for July and 24°F for January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late March. Expect the water usable from around late March until roughly late December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Silver Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Deer Trail Lake, 0.3 miles out. Nothing on Silver Lake should be assumed from this page alone.