Any advice - spring lake nj
 

I’m not a big fresh water fisherman, especially not in the winter. I was thinking of hitting spring lake Nj this week since I’m off work and have an itch to scatch. I assume there might be a few stockies and other assorted pan fish in the lake. Assuming the lake isn’t frozen over, any one have experience fishing this lake in the winter? If not what do you advice as far as bait this time of year on a non frozen over lake? Thanks in advance

Re: Any advice - spring lake nj
 

back in November , Spring lake was stocked with 200 rainbow trout. https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/wintrstk21.htm

I dont think it gets fall stocked, and when it gets stocked in the spring I dont think any holdover past the summer.

So i wouldnt expect much trout but panfish I think.

No idea if it's open water but maybe someone can confirm.

Re: Any advice - spring lake nj
 

Many years ago, as the NJDF&W's regional freshwater fish biologist for that area, I received orders to boat electrofish Spring Lake to determine "what was wrong with the fish population". There had to be something wrong, as a Fish & Game Council member had gone fishing and had gotten skunked (whoop de damn doo). We sampled in mid-June (the water was warm): tons of panfish, some nice LMB's, and to my surprise, a couple of decent trout in the south- eastern most arm of the lake, closest to the ocean. I surmised that was why it was called "spring" lake. The trout had found refuge at a cold-water seep.

Re: Any advice - spring lake nj
 

Micro-jigs with small soft plastics under a small trout magnet type float should get you some panfish--sunfish and crappie.

I've been busting up the crappies on ice jigs and fatheads lately--diff lake though. My kid got a nice 14" black crappie last weekend.

Re: Any advice - spring lake nj
 

I fish Spring Lake a lot, it is one of the better small park ponds in central NJ. Plenty of crappie and bluegill, as well as some white and yellow perch. You may luck into a trout or two, but I imagine most of them have already been caught. Small 1-2" plastics under a float or dragged slowly on a drop-shot should get you some bites. If you want to try for some decent-sized bass, a black and blue jig or a ned rig worked painfully slow could work.

Re: Any advice - spring lake nj
 

Really appreciate the insight and advice! I’ll def report back with how I do!

Re: Any advice - spring lake nj
 

Fish close to shore; they should still be cruising the shore. Rapalas if you like to cast… and power bait and shiners if your dead sticking. Good luck