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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
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2,507-acre lake near Hopatcong . The lake tops out around 58 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The drawn water covers 2,502 acres wrapped in 44.7 miles of bank — 9 islands included. With a shoreline index of 6.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 62% of this chart, as modeled. Figure 6.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.6 mi at the beam. It sits in Morris County. If the bite dies, Duck Pond is 4 mi to the south.
Spring white bass & hybrids on Lake Hopatcong hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 15 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling) |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Small blade bait, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Break off the point (26 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 40 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 26 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (26 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (26 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (26 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring smallmouth bass on Lake Hopatcong hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (26 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (26 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, chain pickerel run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 18 ft for winter. Spring chain pickerel concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Spring brown bullhead on Lake Hopatcong hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 25 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (49 ft) |
Lake Hopatcong also holds channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), walleye (15 to 35 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 24 structure features on Lake Hopatcong; the deepest is Deep basin at about 49 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 Lake Hopatcong specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Jersey fishing regulations →
Lake Hopatcong is about 58 ft (18 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 white bass & hybrids, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, brown bullhead, channel catfish, yellow perch, common carp, crappie, bluegill, walleye on Lake Hopatcong.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for white bass & hybrids in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For white bass & hybrids, 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 Lake Hopatcong 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.
Duck Pond 4 mi · Lake Musconetcong 4 mi · Cranberry Lake 6 mi · Budd Lake 8 mi · Cozy Lake 8 mi · Deer Park Pond 9 mi · Silver Lake 13 mi · Clinton Reservoir 14 mi · Swartswood Lake 14 mi · Ghost Lake 14 mi · White Lake 15 mi · Cedar Lake 18 mi
See how Lake Hopatcong stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Jersey · best smallmouth bass lakes in New Jersey · best walleye lakes in New Jersey · best crappie 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.