Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
21-acre lake near Belmar. The lake tops out around 8 ft. The depth chart comes from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Silver Lake maps at 21 acres behind 1 miles of shoreline. With a 1.5 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. The basin spans about 0.4 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. It sits in Sussex County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Clinton Reservoir, is 5 mi to the southeast.
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, brown bullhead slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 8 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Deep basin (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (8 ft) |
When the water first warms, bluegill slide up into 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 8 ft, and by winter most fish are in 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (8 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: chain pickerel in 2 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 2 to 8 ft in winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for chain pickerel in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 8 ft covers summer, 2 to 8 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 8 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 Silver Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Jersey fishing regulations →
Silver Lake is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target largemouth bass, brown bullhead, bluegill, chain pickerel, yellow perch on Silver 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. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Silver 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.
Clinton Reservoir 5 mi · Cozy Lake 7 mi · West Pond 10 mi · Surprise Lake 11 mi · Greenwood Lake 11 mi · Green Turtle Lake 11 mi · Monksville Reservoir 12 mi · Lake Hopatcong 13 mi · Lake Ocquittunk 14 mi · Mashipacong Pond 14 mi · Swartswood Lake 16 mi · Cranberry Lake 16 mi
See how Silver Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New Jersey · best bluegill lakes in New Jersey · best yellow perch lakes in New Jersey · best chain pickerel lakes in New Jersey
More water nearby: Sussex County fishing maps (5 charts). Browse all New Jersey fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Depth data: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Lake survey maps. 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.