Hammonton Lake

Hammonton Lake, a 75-acre lake in Hammonton, Atlantic County, is a good place to go have fun catching a variety of fish, as NJ Fish and Wildlife's regional biologist puts it: largemouth, pickerel, crappie, perch, sunfish, catfish and stocked trout. It rarely ices over, so it's a year-round shallow-water fishery. The bass are puzzling. There are plenty of small ones and a few real giants, but surprisingly few in between.

When to fish

• Spring: trout stocking (several times before and during the season), and bass on the flats.
• Late September into October: bass return to the flats, and the fall trout stocking arrives.
• Winter: the lake usually stays open.

Where to fish

• The flats on the far side from the ramp: the bass hot spots in spring and fall.
• The channel along the ramp side: deeper water, down to about 10 feet.
• Docks, laydowns, lily pads, reeds and bladderwort: the lake's cover.
• From shore: a few hundred yards of access starting at the ramp, around the canoe club, along a bulkhead to the back of a cove, and along Route 30 (White Horse Pike).

How to fish it

Wacky-rigged soft stickbaits, Ned rigs, Texas-rigged worms, and spinnerbaits with swimbait trailers are the top bass baits. Expect lots of 10- to 13-inch bass; the rare big fish take time to figure out.

Getting there

The concrete ramp is in the park off Sports Drive, with plenty of trailer parking. Only electric motors are allowed. Bank access is limited, so a kayak or boat opens up the lake.