SOME OTHER GOOD CHOICES
In addition to the five lakes we have mentioned, there are also several other bodies of water that produced excellent fishing last season and have a bright outlook for the coming season. In particular, the Salem Canal in south Jersey, was red-hot during the summer and early fall. A shallow body of water, spinnerbaits and swimming plugs were the top producers, with some good numbers of bass being plucked from its tree-lined shores.
Another good bet is the twin sisters of Lake Assunpink: Rising Sun (38 acres) and Stone Tavern (52 acres) lakes. Both lakes are located on the same drainage system, and are actually smaller versions of Lake Assunpink. While both are considerably smaller in size, they are also deeper with maximum depths of 20 feet. Both lakes are great places to cast deep-running crankbaits and plastic worms.
In the northwestern portion of the state, Merrill Creek Reservoir (650 acres) received high marks from bass fishermen. This is another body of water that benefited from the drought. The reservoir's main purpose is for water supply, with water being pumped up into it from the Delaware River at high water and then released during dry periods.
The reservoir has always had healthy largemouth and smallmouth populations, with most of the better fishing taking place in the submerged treetops, which were left in the lake when it was flooded. This past year saw a sizeable drop in water levels and this created a whole new shoreline, which super-charged the bass fishing. Largemouths in the 8-pound class are being pulled from the reservoir, and there are plenty of fish in the 1- to 3-pound class. Topwater plugs and plastic worms are the ticket here.
One last spot we would like to mention is the 376-acre Budd Lake. Located in the northern portion of the state off U.S. Route 46, the lake forms the headwaters of the South Branch of the Raritan River. While it is not a deep body of water (with a maximum depth of 12 feet), Budd Lake has healthy smallmouth and largemouth bass populations.
During the 2002 season, the spring-fed waters of the lake produced some very good catches of smallies, along with a decent number of largemouths over 5 pounds. The shallow nature of the lake makes it one of the better topwater lakes, and early-morning and evening fishing often produces the biggest bass. Outboards are allowed on the lake, so the summer months see a lot of boating traffic. This is the reason some of the better fishing is during the off hours.
There you have it, a look at some of the better bass holes in the Garden State. Last year was a very unusual one that changed the way a good many Garden State bass fishermen approached their sport. As many of the best bass lakes did not produce good fishing, anglers had their eyes opened to other waters in the state. You can bet the house that many of those same anglers who found success in the lesser-known bass waters of the state will take a crack at these waters this season.
