Best channel catfish lakes in New Jersey
33 New Jersey waters list channel catfish (official records or labelled estimates), 29 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.
- Spruce Run Reservoir — 76 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Hopatcong — 58 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Mercer County Park Lake — 17 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Clinton Reservoir — 47 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Deal Lake — 9 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Newton Lake — 11 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Hammonton Lake — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Weequahic Lake — 9 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Lake Absegami — 11 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Cozy Lake — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Lake Pemberton — 6 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Furnace Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Lake Topanemus — 8 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Green Turtle Lake — 21 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Raritan River — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
- Shaws Mill Pond — 12 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- East Brunswick Community Park Lake — 16 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Chain PickerelWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Delaware Lake — 13 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Greenwich Lake — 33 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Mary Elmer Lake — 6 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Harlem River — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Grenloch Lake — 7 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Echo Lake — 5 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Duck Pond — 4 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common CarpWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Lake Ocquittunk — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
…plus 8 more New Jersey waters holding channel catfish.
Find the closest channel catfish waters to you →
How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See New Jersey waters with public access data
When to fish channel catfish in New Jersey
- Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
- Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
- Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
- Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.
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