Best northern pike lakes in New Jersey
5 New Jersey waters hold northern pike, 5 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. Aggressive ambush predator that patrols weed edges and cool water.
- Spruce Run Reservoir — 76 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Deal Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Cranberry Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout
- Cozy Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
- Furnace Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
When to fish northern pike in New Jersey
- Spring 2–8 ft — Shallow, dark-bottomed bays that warm first; pike spawn in flooded vegetation.
- Summer 8–20 ft — Deep weedlines and cool water; the biggest fish slide deeper than most anglers fish.
- Fall 6–18 ft — Trophy time: big baits near the last green weeds and steep breaks.
- Winter 5–15 ft — Weedy flats near drop-offs; pike remain active all winter.
Also in New Jersey: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes
Northern Pike elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Massachusetts · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Alaska · South Dakota · New York · Wisconsin · Illinois · Maine · Manitoba · Alberta · Vermont