The most productive muskie waters have been the Delaware River, Greenwood Lake, Monksville Reservoir and Echo Lake Reservoir. However, more recently established fisheries in Lake Hopatcong, Mercer Lake and Mountain Lake are coming on strong. Areas near structure and cover are ideal habitat for muskies.
Table of Contents
Are there muskie in the Delaware River?
Muskies have been caught in the Delaware River in excess of fifty inches in length and weighing over forty pounds! The current New Jersey State record weighed in at a whopping 42 lbs., 13 ounces. Muskie fishing generally starts in the late spring when the water temperature reaches the mid-60 degree range.
Are there muskie in NJ?
The top tiger muskies waters are Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, Furnace Lake, Manasquan Reservoir and the Delaware River.
What month is best for muskie fishing?
Some of the highest catch rates for muskies are during the summer months when the water is warm and the fish are most active. Fall fishing can also be very productive at times, and many of the largest muskies are caught during the fall.
Can you fish monksville reservoir?
Ice fishing is allowed in the Monksville Reservoir and the Green Turtle Pond, the former of which is stocked with muskellunge, walleye, bass and trout. Monksville Reservoir is easily accessible from either the north or the south boat ramp, and the area is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Where can I fish in the Delaware River in PA?
- Bushkill Boat Access- Delaware River- (PA)
- Smithfield Beach & Boat Access- Delaware River- (PA)
- Caddo Canoe Access- Delaware River- (PA)
- Poxono Access- Delaware River- (PA)
- Kittatinny Point- Delaware River- (PA)
Are there northern pike in New Jersey?
New Jersey Northern Pike Spots The state’s upper reaches are where you can expect the biggest northerns. Cranberry Lake, Budd Lake, Pompton Lake, the Pompton River, the Passaic, and Spruce Run Reservoir all boast thriving populations of pike.
Can you swim in Greenwood Lake NJ?
This glassine water body, made for pleasure, supports every water sport a visitor can think of โ swimming, diving, fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, and boating by sail, canoe, kayak, paddle, motor, row, and skull. To navigate, press the arrow keys. Greenwood is an important lake in the Skylands region.
What bait is best for muskie?
Bucktails โ Bucktails are arguably the most popular bait used by musky anglers. Bucktails produce vibrations in the water that are easily felt by a musky’s lateral line. Bucktails can be retrieved at any speed, depending on the conditions. The most popular bucktails are double 9 blades and double 10 blades.
How do you fish muskie in a river?

What time of day are musky most active?
Title Muskie become more difficult to catch in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Like many predatory fish, muskie are most active at dawn and dusk, and these times typically provide the most action, especially on warm, sunny days.
What kind of fish are in Merrill Creek reservoir?
The reservoir is best known for its brown trout fishing. Other fish in the reservoir include walleye, yellow perch, small and largemouth bass, chain pickerel, crappie, catfish, sunfish, carp, rainbow trout, brook trout and lake trout.
Can you fish in Split Rock reservoir?
Anglers can expect good fishing for bass, crappie and chain pickerel in the reservoir. The 625-acre reservoir and surrounding 1,500 acres are owned by Jersey City, but are protected by the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife under a conservation easement purchased by the DEP’s Green Acres Program.
What is the best bait to use in the Delaware River?
American shad are a good source of bait, they can be caught in the shallow water runs of the Delaware River or purchased from the fish markets. White perch flood the Delaware River in the early spring right after the herring.
Do I need a license to fish the Delaware River?
A Delaware fishing license is now required for anglers aged 16 and โข over fishing the Delaware Bay and Delaware River between the upstream tip of Artificial Island and the Delaware-Pennsylvania state line. In that section of the river, the Delaware state boundry extends to the New Jersey shoreline.
What fish are native to New Jersey?
NJ’s better known native sportfish are the chain pickerel, brook trout, pumpkinseed, redbreast sunfish, yellow perch, American shad, American eels, white catfish and bullheads. That leaves the majority of our native fishes as relatively unknown and very likely are species that will never be caught by anglers.
What fish can you catch off New Jersey?
You’ll be able to reel in Bass, Perch, Brown Trout, and Rainbow Trout, as well as Lake Trout. Lake Hopatcong: As the biggest lake in New Jersey, Lake Hopatcong has the greatest diversity of game fish in the state. Bass, Perch, Catfish, Carp, Walleye, Muskyโฆthe list goes on and on!
What fish are in the Passaic River?
Passaic River is a stream near Jersey City. The most popular species caught here are Northern pike, Smallmouth bass, and Largemouth bass. 1669 catches are logged on Fishbrain. Please use your best judgement when determining where you can fish, and make sure you follow local regulations.
Is Greenwood Lake NY clean?
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Greenwood Lake area is 85 (100=best). The US average is 87. The EPA’s Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation’s most contaminated land.
Is Greenwood Lake safe to swim in 2021?
New Jersey officials: Don’t swim in Greenwood Lake or even touch the water. Toni Yates has more on the algae contamination at Greenwood Lake in New Jersey. WEST MILFORD, New Jersey (WABC) — Swimming has been banned at another New Jersey lake due to the presence of an extensive harmful algal bloom.
How old is a 50 inch muskie?
On average, musky are about 11 inches long after their first year of life, reach 34″ in year 7, reach 40″ in year 9, and reach 50 inches by age 17.
What is a muskies favorite food?
Given the opportunity to choose, Muskies prefer soft rayed, high protein based fish such as Suckers, Tullibee, Ciscoes, Bullheads, Carp, and minnows. In fact, the food sources Muskies prefer most are usually fish species that most people would desire to not have in their lake.
Where do you find muskie in a river?
By late May, river levels are typically stable, which means muskies are moving toward midriver structure. Typically, submergent weed growth has developed by now, and it plays an important role in musky location. Expect to find muskies setting up on or near humps, points and flats.
Where do musky spawn in rivers?
Muskie spawning occurs as water temperatures hit the mid- to upper-50-degree range. They are broadcast spawners, laying their eggs in shallow, soft-bottomed areas, generally bays (especially those with inlet flow), some shoreline areas and upstream (off-current shallows) in rivers.
Are muskie good eating?
People who love eating muskies will tell you that muskie tastes quite similar to bass. Others believe it tastes more like pike. Either way, muskie is more of a bland fish with not as much flavor as other fish species, like salmon or tuna. Much of the taste of the fish depends on how you cook it.