Swartswood Lake Fishing in Sussex County, New Jersey

• Overview

  Set in Sussex County, New Jersey, this is Swartswood Lake. This is open valley country. About 521 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. You are looking at roughly 5.3 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. On our Sussex County list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Crandon Lakes, is 3.6 miles away. Paterson is the closest city, 36 miles away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Swartswood Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Open biodiversity records for Sussex County list brook trout, brown trout, walleye, bluegill and pumpkinseed. The county list is broader than any single water. On Swartswood Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 71°F, while January sits near 25°F. Whether it freezes depends on the year. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Swartswood Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Where Swartswood Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.