Smithville Lake in Burlington County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Burlington County, New Jersey. The bank gives way to mixed woodland. This is a pocket water of some 23 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Mount Holly sits 2 miles from the bank. For a city, Philadelphia is 22 miles off. Others close at hand: Upper Lake lies 1.6 miles on, Buttonwood Lake 1.6 miles off, Woolman Lake lies 1.7 miles on, Vincentown Millpond 3.6 miles off and Old Forge Lake lies 6.9 miles on. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Smithville Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Species logged across Burlington County include pumpkinseed, bluegill and largemouth bass. The county list is broader than any single water. The near bank of Smithville Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 75°F and January about 31°F. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Time your trip to Smithville Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. A car park sits roughly half a mile away. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Upper Lake at 1.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Smithville Lake before loading the car.