New to NJ. Where to Fish?

[dbfishin11]

Hello All,

I'm new to NJ. I just picked up a tracker pro team 165. It has a 40hp engine and what I'm finding is the lakes around me are electric only or 9.9hp and below. I'm located in Matawan. I am looking for recommendations where I can take my boat.

Another question is lake lafferts is basically my backyard does anyone know if I can take my boat in there if the engine is up and I use the trolling motor only? I've call Matawan town hall a bunch of times left several messages and getting no responses. Next plan is to stop in when I get a chance.

Thanks

[NJSquatch]

https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fishplc.htm

You will have to drive north to run the 40hp

[dbfishin11]

thanks. That's what I was finding. Should have also mentioned I mainly fish for large and smallmouth bass.

[thmyorke1]

thanks. That's what I was finding. Should have also mentioned I mainly fish for large and smallmouth bass.

If you're interested in River smallies check out the raritan river. Good smallmouth found all the way down till it hits saltwater which is around New Brunswick.

[Lard Almighty]

Check here for boating information for lakes and ponds:

https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fishplc.htm

Your only option to run the 40 in Monmouth County is Deal Lake.

Also consider leaving the boat at home and fishing some of the smaller ponds from shore, they can be surprisingly good for largemouths.

Welcome to NJ, it's an interesting place to fish.

[Blackfishhead]

Welcome to the forum and the state. Neighbor!
I have almost the same setup as you and fish Lefferts a quite a few times a year.I just leave my fuel tank in the truck and tilt the main motor up.
Lefferts has Lmb , pickerel , crappie, blue gill and I have seen ppl catch catfish.
One of these nights I’m going to pull a all nighter for kitty and crappie but just need to find the time.

The place can get a lot of pressure on weekends and the weeds get thick in the back in summer so fish the back in sping and late fall and the main lake (front part) in summer. I’m sure others will chime in and give a few pointers on this lake that I my not know about.

I do fish all over the state as it has a lot to offer. Your on the right track with the right group of people here on this site.

Tight lines and Happy Holidays.

[briansnat]

You might consider getting a 9.9 for your boat or failing that, being resigned to going electric only in some places. I actually see a lot of anglers with big bass boats doing electric only on some of the Newark watershed lakes and at Merrill Creek. No gas motors of any size are are allowed in the sheds or Merrill Creek but you can use your boat with your gas motor out of the water.

If you are fishing for LM and SM, the Newark sheds have some of the best bass fisheries in NJ. Oak Ridge is considered by many to be the best smallmouth lake in the state and Merrill Creek has a really good SM fishery.

Most of the lakes in NJ are small enough where you don't need anything more than a good electric motor to get around. Hopatcong, Pompton, Greenwood and a few others you can have unlimited HP, however some good fishing lakes such as Round Valley and Monksville limit you to 9.9

[Hookmanski]

You'll need a 9.9 or an electric motor, and its definitely a tough place to fish sometimes, but in my opinion anyone who's new to NJ has to see the beauty of the Round Valley Reservoir. You can catch just about anything in there if you look hard enough.

[Chrisper4694]

not worth having an engine bigger than a 9.9 in NJ imo. In fact you'll find the best fishing in the electric only places haha

[Rich196]

[/IMG]WELCOME to the board. You will "NOT" find a better board for GREAT people willing to help, and all the great info. People on here are awesome to be completely honest. For Bass fishing I'm your man..LOL As all these guy's know, all my wife and I is fish LM & SM year round, I own a 20 foot Ranger w/a 225 on it, and fish all over NJ electric lakes, the key for the elec. lakes with me is using 2 Trolling motors, front and back. I will PM you with my info to give me a call so we can spend some time talking, I'm not like most Bass guy's that keep everything a secret, I love helping people out, and these guy's on this board have helped me out for years now when I have any questions, so when I can give back to someone else, I have NO problem Here are a couple pics. from just this past weekend. Dont to forget to check your PM, I will give you my cell#. Rich

https://i.postimg.cc/qRJ3G8bM/SR-1.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/DZ3TV6kn/SR-2.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/d31vn1cy/SR-3.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/sx7FTZ01/SR-5.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/HsdvqKr6/SR-4.jpg

[dbfishin11]

Thanks all really appreciate the help here. I have a lake house up in Mass so I don't want to get rid of the 40 hp completely. It does look like I will be picking up a trolling motor for the rear.

[dbfishin11]

In these electric only lakes I'm able to go out there with my 40 tilted all the way up? like Manasquan res for example.

[Godrew1972]

I agree with Rich196, 2 trolling motors will get you around most NJ lakes all day. I have 2 motors on 16.5 starcraft and have never had issues not going all day. I have 2 batteries also. pretty close to you lakes are Farrington/dallenback/mercer/cranegie/assumpink. I usually hit these with good LM bass numbers. Lots of weekend pressure so get there before sunrise, but weekday is empty. They say Manasquan has smallies but I have not go any.

[Lard Almighty]

Manasquan definitely has smallies in it, as well as hybrid stripers and tiger musky. Here's the Monmouth County page with contact info:

https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?ID=2531

[briansnat]

In these electric only lakes I'm able to go out there with my 40 tilted all the way up? like Manasquan res for example.

I would say in most you can. I have seen it done frequently in Merrill Creek and the Newark sheds (Clinton, Oak Ridge, Cannistear and Echo), but check the lake's regulations before doing it.

BTW, I highly recommend the Newark sheds. They charge for a fishing permint and a boat launch permit, but it's worth it and keeps a lot of the yahoos and the bucket brigade out.

[akoop]

In these electric only lakes I'm able to go out there with my 40 tilted all the way up? like Manasquan res for example.

I heard in Manasquan last year they made you take the prop off but I cannot confirm that.

[dbfishin11]

I heard in Manasquan last year they made you take the prop off but I cannot confirm that.


Thanks guys really appreciate it.

[dbfishin11]

Welcome to the forum and the state. Neighbor!
I have almost the same setup as you and fish Lefferts a quite a few times a year.I just leave my fuel tank in the truck and tilt the main motor up.
Lefferts has Lmb , pickerel , crappie, blue gill and I have seen ppl catch catfish.
One of these nights I’m going to pull a all nighter for kitty and crappie but just need to find the time.

The place can get a lot of pressure on weekends and the weeds get thick in the back in summer so fish the back in sping and late fall and the main lake (front part) in summer. I’m sure others will chime in and give a few pointers on this lake that I my not know about.

I do fish all over the state as it has a lot to offer. Your on the right track with the right group of people here on this site.

Tight lines and Happy Holidays.

Check your pms I have a question for you

[DDDman]

I live in Keyport and have fished Lefferts too many times to count over 35 years. I still fish it a half dozen times a year but spend most of my days at Manasquan. Lefferts is my first trip every year to shake the cobwebs off. Plenty of pickerel can be caught there but the bass can be finicky. Soft plastics and spinnerbaits fooled most of my fish there. The weeds get really thick so anything with exposed hooks can be a pain to use. Manasquan keeps me coming back because of the various ways fish can be caught there once you find them. From what I have witnessed there is no problem leaving the prop on the gas motor and tilting it down. The Rangers have not been stringent with that rule. I fish out of a Skeeter boat without a gas motor and run a bow and transom electric motors. You will have no problem using your boat in any of the lakes around our area. Thompson Park in Lincroft and Deal Lake In Asbury Park also get a few trips from me each year. I also like Assunpink and the smaller lake near there Rising Sun and Stone Tavern.

[Fun King]

I have a question about the Newark Watershed properties. The web site says no kayaks or canoes. Es verdad?
I fished off the shore at Green Turtle yesterday for nothing. A guy in a boat with two trolling motors said they were getting perch and one bass.

[briansnat]

I have a question about the Newark Watershed properties. The web site says no kayaks or canoes. Es verdad?
I fished off the shore at Green Turtle yesterday for nothing. A guy in a boat with two trolling motors said they were getting perch and one bass.

Yep, no kayaks, canoes or folding boats at the sheds. I know there was a petition going around on paddling forums a few years ago to get that changed but I doubt anything came of that.

Green Turtle gets pretty heavy pressure, so can be tough. I've done OK with bass there with soft plastics around the island. Trout hold over there and people have told me they catch them even in the summer in the deep part, using a marshmallow power bait on a slip sinker. I haven't tried that yet though.

[dbfishin11]

I live in Keyport and have fished Lefferts too many times to count over 35 years. I still fish it a half dozen times a year but spend most of my days at Manasquan. Lefferts is my first trip every year to shake the cobwebs off. Plenty of pickerel can be caught there but the bass can be finicky. Soft plastics and spinnerbaits fooled most of my fish there. The weeds get really thick so anything with exposed hooks can be a pain to use. Manasquan keeps me coming back because of the various ways fish can be caught there once you find them. From what I have witnessed there is no problem leaving the prop on the gas motor and tilting it down. The Rangers have not been stringent with that rule. I fish out of a Skeeter boat without a gas motor and run a bow and transom electric motors. You will have no problem using your boat in any of the lakes around our area. Thompson Park in Lincroft and Deal Lake In Asbury Park also get a few trips from me each year. I also like Assunpink and the smaller lake near there Rising Sun and Stone Tavern.


Awesome thank you