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Best bluegill lakes in New Jersey

13 New Jersey waters hold bluegill, 13 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.

1. Spruce Run Reservoir — 76 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
2. Mercer County Park Lake — 17 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
3. Clinton Reservoir — 47 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
4. Deal Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
5. Duhernal Lake — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill
6. Weequahic Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
7. Lake Absegami — 11 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
8. Cozy Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
9. White Lake — 46 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
10. Furnace Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
11. Lake Topanemus — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
12. Green Turtle Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
13. Greenwich Lake — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish

When to fish bluegill in New Jersey

• Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
• Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
• Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.

Also in New Jersey: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes

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