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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
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391-acre lake near Budd Lake. The lake tops out around 12 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The outline encloses 389 acres, worked by 3.5 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 1.3 mi long by 0.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. Morris County claims this one. Deer Park Pond sits 4 mi northwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring largemouth bass on Budd Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 12 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 12 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 12 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts chain pickerel in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 12 ft, wintering in 3 to 12 ft. Spring chain pickerel concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Early season brown bullhead use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 3 to 12 ft game here, winter a 4 to 12 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 10 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) |
Spring channel catfish on Budd Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 4 to 12 ft in summer, 4 to 12 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 10 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 12 ft, and they winter in 4 to 12 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Budd Lake also holds bluegill (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 15 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 10 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Jersey waters are set by the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Budd Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Jersey fishing regulations →
Budd Lake is about 12 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, brown bullhead, channel catfish, yellow perch, bluegill on Budd Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Budd Lake is regulated by the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife. Check the official New Jersey regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Deer Park Pond 4 mi · Lake Musconetcong 4 mi · Cranberry Lake 5 mi · Duck Pond 7 mi · Lake Hopatcong 8 mi · Ghost Lake 9 mi · White Lake 12 mi · Cedar Lake 14 mi · Swartswood Lake 15 mi · Furnace Lake 15 mi · Cozy Lake 16 mi · Delaware Lake 17 mi
See how Budd Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Jersey · best smallmouth bass lakes in New Jersey · best bluegill lakes in New Jersey · best channel catfish lakes in New Jersey
More water nearby: Morris County fishing maps (5 charts). Browse all New Jersey fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.