[TheDreamCatchers]

Union County isn't the greatest for yaking lol but there are definitely some spots worth trying depending on what you're going for.

The wooded, second section of Lenape Park Pond is beautiful and I have personally seen many bass up to 4 pounds in the clear water out in the middle of that lake. I'd avoid the second part of the pond it's just pummeled by carp fisherman.

Jacksons and Bloodgood's pond are really good for bass, trout, crappie and they aren't pressured compared to most other spots in the area cause there isn't much shoreline access. People catch 4+ pounders in there on yaks.

For pickerel and bass Robinsons's branch and Milton lake in the spring (no algae in the spring) is killer on topwater. Ton of big bass in the woody areas of Robinson's branch where there is not much fishing pressure. Also huge cats and perch.

I'd wait a couple years till Surprise Lake recovers but there used to be no competition in the area for big pickerel and crappie. Dont wanna forget the bass. Of course there is fish in there but it won't be good for a while because they drained it. Only caught one bass outta there over 2 pound since the draining but a few pickerel and still some massive crappie on the east shoreline.

The Rahway river is hit hard by yakers fishing or not fishing but some crappie, perch, cats, trout, pickerel, bass, carp, and a secret population of stripers beneath the last dam and all the way to the ocean. Would be cool too explore. Bluefish too at the mouth of the Rahway. The north part of the Rahway from Millburn too Kenilworth looks like a classic trout stream and if it didnt dry up in the summers would have trout year round. Still some good bows from state stocking and brook trout from Millburn stockings.

New Market pond has a nice kayak launch. Its about 25 acres big and has a ton of nice bass and the occasional pickerel. It's pretty shallow but there's a lot of water to explore,

Weequahic Lake in Newark used to be THE SHIT before it silted up and got shallow. 5 pound bass were caught weekly. Doesn't mean they are all gone, there are still some up to 6 pounds as well as the biggest crappie second too Surprise and some big perch cats and carp. It is the biggest public lake for miles around and even though in Newark it's so big that the pressure doesn't matter that much. The shoreline opposite from the highway is good in the spring when there isn't algae.

The Passaic River in UC has 3 species of esox family, redfin and chain pickerel and northern pike. Also some largies and a bunch of trout. Smallies are rare in this area even rarer than the pike. And of course the usual carp. It's pretty thin in this part but widens out more way up in Fairfield.

I dont know if you are allowed to put kayaks in Watchung Lake, Spring Lake, or Ernest L Oros Preserve but I do know the latter has some gigantic bass. They are around 15 to 20 acres and are definitely worth the exploration time.

They rent paddle boats on Echo and Warinanco but they are both trash so don't even bother.