SPRING

As soon as the ice is gone, arguably the most fun bite of the year immediately kicks off. Yellow Perch and Crappie fishing in February, March, April, into mid May is phenomenal, with 100+ fish days being possible. While they are not the largest fish in the lake, Perch and Crappie are a ton of fun on ultralight setups and can offer some of the most exciting and memorable trips of the year. Lake Hopatcong is an outstanding Walleye fishery and and each year it produces more big walleye than any other lake in the state. These fish are our primary focus for most of the year. They are caught with regularity during the day in the spring, but the night bite from late March to mid June is primetime for a true giant. The Hybrid Striper bite at night in May and June, right alongside the Walleye, is an awesome time! Largemouth and Smallmouth bass are active all spring and the bass fishing can be phenomenal this time of year. Musky in excess of 50” inhabit Lake Hopatcong and these fish become active around mid April. 

SUMMER

All of Lake Hopatcong’s gamefish are active during the summer. This is truly multi-species fishing at its best. You can expect to catch an array of different species during the summer. The summer months typically produce some of the largest Hybrid Stripers of the year and the day bite can be very good for them. In addition, early mornings and late nights are always good in the summer.

FALL

Fall is a great time to be on the water on Lake Hopatcong. Lots of big Walleye and Hybrid Stripers are caught. Perch, Crappie, and Bass all move shallow and feed heavily. Boat traffic is almost non-existent. And the fall colors are beautiful. Most of the fish in Lake Hopatcong go on a feeding binge and setup in very predictable locations in the fall. Two of our favorite months of the year for good Walleye/Striper action and big fish during the day are November and December. For one of the best night time bites of the year for those same fish, look to fish in September and October. That being said, you can’t go wrong booking a trip anytime from September through ice-up!

WINTER

The winter season slows down a bit for the lake, though we still offer Walleye and Hybrid Striper trips. 

If you are as committed to fishing as our fly fishing expert, Matt, then you'll be delighted to know we offer guided trips throughout all seasons. The winter months can prove to be a bit challenging, but Matt has mapped out the best streams to wade through and will offer up all his tip and tricks to land a fish on a fly any day.