Swartswood

[Mjh609]

Anyone who fishes here give me a rundown on what's in little swartswood and big swartswood?

[Skunk City]

Both have the usual 'Jersey' fish, Big has Walleye and Smallies, Small has Tiger Muskie.

[Eskimo]

.



I've heard some stellar reports about Little Swartswood, so I drove over this afternoon to give it a try. I had high expectations for this lake.

I have to say I hated it.

- I got skunked. (All I caught were some perch and bluegill.)

- There is two types of water on the lake: Impenetrable weeds and really deep empty water.

- I only saw one big fish all day and it wasn't mine. As I was leaving (in disgust) a guy stumbled out of the woods carrying an enormous Tiger Musky. I'm not sure why he kept it. I'm not sure he knew what he was going to do with it, but he caught it from the shore and he wanted to take it home. (I assume he's a local who really knew the lake well)

- In the evening, a bunch of local juvenile delinquents decided the boat ramp was a good place to back their trucks up to and drink. Now I have an audience of people watching me not catch fish. After seeing that, I decided I had enough of this lake and decided to go home.


I have to keep in mind it's called 'fishing' and not 'catching'.



.

[mtman]

I have to say that sounds like my view of lil swarts.--only have done good thru the ice a few times--had my yak out there twice this year and got the skunk both times--very hard to fish with all the weeds--also no luck so far on big swarts. three trips three skunks--and today i was out from 6-830 pm without a bite --threw topwaters--spinnerbaits and senkos-- i keep going back because it is so nice there and my wife loves it for her kayaking so i guess i will keep trying--good luck

[flyboy1]

.



I've heard some stellar reports about Little Swartswood, so I drove over this afternoon to give it a try. I had high expectations for this lake.

I have to say I hated it.

- I got skunked. (All I caught were some perch and bluegill.)

- There is two types of water on the lake: Impenetrable weeds and really deep empty water.

- I only saw one big fish all day and it wasn't mine. As I was leaving (in disgust) a guy stumbled out of the woods carrying an enormous Tiger Musky. I'm not sure why he kept it. I'm not sure he knew what he was going to do with it, but he caught it from the shore and he wanted to take it home. (I assume he's a local who really knew the lake well)

- In the evening, a bunch of local juvenile delinquents decided the boat ramp was a good place to back their trucks up to and drink. Now I have an audience of people watching me not catch fish. After seeing that, I decided I had enough of this lake and decided to go home.


I have to keep in mind it's called 'fishing' and not 'catching'.



.

Lil Swartswood is amazing from ice out until mid june... as well as from late August til freeze over....

When the weeds start choking the shoreline like the time right now it makes little swarswood tough to fish.....

[kcritch]

I hit Little swarts on Sat with the wife from 6:30 Am until 2PM...was able to work out a decent day. My fiirst time there as well. Postng a separate report soon.

I actually really liked the lake....will definitely go back there again. And compared to Lake Musconetcong those weeds are nothing. :D

[jimmythegreek]

Big swartswood is a tuff nut, u gotta fish it w a fine tooth comb. Pick a stretch of water based on what ur eye/lake map sees and work it over thoroughly. U cant run around the shorelines of that place just tossing the same lure, u will get skunked. Work ur stretch from top to BOTTOM rly well, lots of herring in there naturally so u have to compete w that, there are a few spots that rly hold fish and they are not obvious to the naked eye.

Little swartswood is a diff nut to crack. U either pitch and flip thru the weedmat like a FLW pro would, or u fish the backside of the weed edges, live bait also excels at this lake. Its good thru the ice and early and late, its tuff in the middle of the summer.

Remember the speed and depth of your presentation is whats important, color plays a role only after u find what they want that particular day.