Greenwich lake south jersey

[Gregorym38]

I go to college in south jersey/glassboro and started fishing the local waterways. I found a lake called greenwich lake which has bass, bowfin and snakeheads. Supposedly everything gets big, and the lmb can reach 8 pounds. Only problem is they are very pressured, so they most likely wont bite what i am throwing. Any tips on how to catch finnicky bass? I was considering catching little bluegill and livelining them, but how would i even catch them?

Just now, Gregorym38 said:

I go to college in south jersey/glassboro and started fishing the local waterways. I found a lake called greenwich lake which has bass, bowfin and snakeheads. Supposedly everything gets big, and the lmb can reach 8 pounds. Only problem is they are very pressured, so they most likely wont bite what i am throwing. Any tips on how to catch finnicky bass? I was considering catching little bluegill and livelining them, but how would i even catch them?

I went the other day with a spinner paired with a keitech paddle tail, caught a 2 lber and a 1lber, will definitely go again but i want a chance at catching the big ones as well as just more fish. I also have never caught a bowfin or snakehead, so they are on my list

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I havent fished that lake in over 20 years, but all small lakes around here are similar as far as big fish go.  Fish in feb before the prespawn starts.  The fist fish that come into the shallow water to prespawn are the biggest fish in the lake.  You want to start early because it goes from 0-50 real quick and if you miss the intial push you will behind the bite and once that happens its hard to catch up.  Shiners are what those bigger fish prefer.  Shiners will winter in shallow water that gets sun, but they will have access close to some kind of deep water relative to avg lake depth.  Bridges and spillways are good options.  Sometimes its worth taking a couple days in late Jan/early feb and looking for shiners, yellow perch that are beginning to fatten up and or early schools of crappie.  Both the Jumbo perch and crappie feed on the shiners and also school up in the same areas.  Get a light or UL rod and tie up a slip bobber rig with a 1/64-1/80 hair jig and fish those bridges in the early afternoon.  You will catch bass and pickerel too but what you are looking for is a biomass of shiners.  Bass will eat a shiner over a gill or perch because they are easier to swallow and often school up.  So once you find the shiners the better fish will be there at some point, figuring out when is the hard part.  

[theTroutBoss]

I fish there alot there are some giants. Not sure if u fish from shore or a boat?  But the lake is very deep toward the back. Any live bait works sure. Far as lures go.....the lake is also stocked with trout so I've had the best luck on lures of that color. If u fish from the bank step up your stealth game. 

[Gregorym38]

10 hours ago, theTroutBoss said:

I fish there alot there are some giants. Not sure if u fish from shore or a boat?  But the lake is very deep toward the back. Any live bait works sure. Far as lures go.....the lake is also stocked with trout so I've had the best luck on lures of that color. If u fish from the bank step up your stealth game. 

Yeah thats definitely smart. I fish from the shore primarily, but i may eventually get a kayak. When do they start pushing up/has the fishing been good? I have been wanting to go but midterms are this week

[theTroutBoss]

21 hours ago, Gregorym38 said:

Yeah thats definitely smart. I fish from the shore primarily, but i may eventually get a kayak. When do they start pushing up/has the fishing been good? I have been wanting to go but midterms are this week

They come into feed in the shallows. I got a few last week there. All on rainbow trout colored jerkbait. I prefer the right side to the left but absolutely do not discount that shallow cove you first come to when you approach the lake. Especially now as it warms before the deeper parts of the lake. I was told by an old timer the lake is nearly 60 feet deep. Though cruising with a depthfinder 40 was the deepest I Could find. That still makes it far deeper than almost every lake in this area. Not sure if its true but the old timer told me they mined the sand when they built route 295 and that's how it was created and why its so deep. 

[Gregorym38]

1 hour ago, theTroutBoss said:

They come into feed in the shallows. I got a few last week there. All on rainbow trout colored jerkbait. I prefer the right side to the left but absolutely do not discount that shallow cove you first come to when you approach the lake. Especially now as it warms before the deeper parts of the lake. I was told by an old timer the lake is nearly 60 feet deep. Though cruising with a depthfinder 40 was the deepest I Could find. That still makes it far deeper than almost every lake in this area. Not sure if its true but the old timer told me they mined the sand when they built route 295 and that's how it was created and why its so deep. 

What jerkbait? What part of the lake were they in? I will asap

[theTroutBoss]

34 minutes ago, Gregorym38 said:

What jerkbait? What part of the lake were they in? I will asap

I was using a whipper snapper  from 13 fishing. Got em for like 6 bucks lol. Bro there's tons of bass in that lake. I'm not gonna spot burn but honestly timing seems more important there than other local spots. Early or late for best opportunity. Water is still cold so slow retrieve down. 

[Gregorym38]

5 hours ago, theTroutBoss said:

I was using a whipper snapper  from 13 fishing. Got em for like 6 bucks lol. Bro there's tons of bass in that lake. I'm not gonna spot burn but honestly timing seems more important there than other local spots. Early or late for best opportunity. Water is still cold so slow retrieve down. 

Yeah ive definitely noticed a lot of pressure. When you say timing, do you mean time of year? 

[theTroutBoss]

4 hours ago, Gregorym38 said:

Yeah ive definitely noticed a lot of pressure. When you say timing, do you mean time of year? 

No meaning early in the am or as the sun sets. Or go on overcast days. Another helpful thing is bring some hedge clippers and cut your own spot as u make your way back. Think outside the box when u fish heavily pressured lakes. Lures and methods others don't use.

[Gregorym38]

6 hours ago, theTroutBoss said:

No meaning early in the am or as the sun sets. Or go on overcast days. Another helpful thing is bring some hedge clippers and cut your own spot as u make your way back. Think outside the box when u fish heavily pressured lakes. Lures and methods others don't use.

Ahhhh ok. I have had SOME luck there, i just threw a spinnerbait with a keitech on it and caught a couple 2 lbers, but that was last fall. Do you have any lure recommendations?

[theTroutBoss]

1 hour ago, Gregorym38 said:

Ahhhh ok. I have had SOME luck there, i just threw a spinnerbait with a keitech on it and caught a couple 2 lbers, but that was last fall. Do you have any lure recommendations?

Quick reminder the lake will close to fishing I believe for 3 weeks prior to trout stocking. Spinner fine choice. Any swimbait I'd try in rainbow trout color if u aren't having any luck. Great cold water setup is bobber and a fly!

[Gregorym38]

10 hours ago, theTroutBoss said:

Quick reminder the lake will close to fishing I believe for 3 weeks prior to trout stocking. Spinner fine choice. Any swimbait I'd try in rainbow trout color if u aren't having any luck. Great cold water setup is bobber and a fly!

Where do i find info when it closes? And will the bass eat trout

[theTroutBoss]

Lol bro the bass hammer trout. I'll never forget when I was a kid at grenloch right before my eyes about a 6 pounder came out of nowhere and ate one rigjt off my stringer 6 inches in front of me. Check the state site for info on closing 

[YoTone]

Me and my buddy sneak into it at night and fish the shallows. Can produce biggins but I dont know about 8 lbs. Last time I went the cops stopped us and my friend got arrested from an old warrant. Fun times.