Fishing Report For Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

Herring are the primary food source for hybrid stripers here in Lake Hopatcong. The fishing has been good into hast Fall. In addition to fishing live herring, anglers are catching nice wipers while trolling swimbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits and spoons. These wipers follow schools of herring to remain close to the food supply. Typically these hybrid stripers ar being caught 10 to 15 feet deep, over deeper water. Reports by the NJ Fish and Wildlife, indicate the thermocline is generally about 18' to 20', and the schools tend to stay just above that depth. Use electronics and fish finders to locate both bait and wipers.

Walleye

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

At night, and during the cooler months, walleye are moving into the shallows, then out deeper as the sun gets on the water. During Summer these walleye will hang out in depths of 12 to 18 feet, around the upper portion of the thermocline. When walleye are in 15' of water or deeper, live herring, alewives, blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons and worm harness are catching them.

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

A wide variety of lures are catching nice largemouth bass here, with figs and jerkbaits very popular. Many tournament anglers are throwing vibrating jigs and spinnerbaits around vegetation as primary baits. When the bass are finicky, a stick worm, rigged wacky style, often draws bass our of cover to strike. While bass are all around the lake, the area behind Pickerel Point, to the back of River Styx. As the water is now warming, bass are working their way into shallow coves and bays to spawn. During Summer and Fall, ledges off the river channels are delivering some good catches.

Lake Hopatcong Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill, yellow perch, hybrid striped bass, chain pickerel, muskie and tiger muskie at Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey.

Lake Hopatcong is a 2,700-acre lake, with over 45 miles of shoreline. It has a variety of both warm-water and cold-water species, located in the north-central part of the state, at Hopatcong.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

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Marinas

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Fishing License

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Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".

Contact Information

Lake Hopatcong
Lakeview Marina
2 Beach Rd
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849
973 663-2935

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