Parvin Lake

Parvin Lake, a 95-acre lake in Parvin State Park near Vineland, is one of New Jersey's Lunker Bass Lakes, managed under special rules to produce big largemouth. It lives up to it: 4- to 5-pound bass are caught in good numbers, and bigger ones aren't rare. It's also shallow, at 7 feet deep at most and 3 to 4 on average, so the fishing is all about weeds, pads and cover.

When to fish

• Spring through fall: largemouth, with weekdays quieter than weekends.
• Any season: big crappie, bluegill and perch for the frying pan.

Where to fish

• Submerged grass and algae beds: where most of the bass live.
• Yellow water lily pads and the lanes between weeds: prime topwater water.
• The few sunken stumps and brush piles: any hard cover stands out in a lake this shallow.

How to fish it

Bladed jigs are the top lure here, followed closely by Colorado-blade spinnerbaits and multi-wing buzzbaits; with the fishing pressure, a scented soft-plastic trailer can make the difference. For topwater, work frogs and rat lures around visible cover and run buzzbaits through the alleys in the weeds. Water clarity swings from clear to murky with rain and heat, so be ready to change colors and approaches.

Getting there

Parvin State Park is at 701 Almond Road in Pittsgrove. Boats are limited to electric motors, and there's a launch fee. Lakeside parking is limited; you may need to park along the road across from the park office. Parvin is a Lunker Bass Lake with its own bass limits; check the current Freshwater Fishing Digest.