Stephens Lake Fishing Guide, Passaic County, New Jersey

• Overview

  The Passaic County end of New Jersey holds Stephens Lake. It sits in farm and woodlot. The water measures roughly 4 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The nearest place of any size is Wanaque, 1.8 miles away. Haskell is 2.4 miles away, with Oakland at 2.9 miles. In the same area: Fountain Spring Lake at 0.6 miles, Skyline Lakes 1.1 miles off, Lake Tamarack at 1.3 miles, Hidden Valley Lake 1.3 miles off and Ramapo Lake at 1.4 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Stephens Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name brown trout, walleye, brook trout and bluegill. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Read Stephens Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 27°F and July at about 73°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Stephens Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is a car park at Ramapo Mountain State Forest McAtee Lane Parking, roughly half a mile away. 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. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Fountain Spring Lake is 0.6 miles off. Treat Stephens Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.