Great Fishing Close to Home in New Jersey

New Jersey offers more than 400 publicly accessible lakes, ponds and reservoirs. These waters offer a great diversity of fishing opportunities, from abundant populations of panfish to trophy-sized game fish. This data layer, though not a complete list, includes 299 waterbodies picked by New Jersey Fish and Wildlife staff as good places to fish in the state. All have sizable populations of desirable species. Several of them also provide access for people with disabling conditions. For each waterbody, the data include a list of the primary game fish species present, ownership, whether a permit is required and outboard motors are permitted, and if there are other amenities such as boat ramps, swimming areas, picnic areas, and camping. Whether a beginner or well-seasoned, New Jersey has something for everyone. In spring 2026, the Bureau of Freshwater Fishing added 23 new waterbodies to its trout stocking program. Fourteen of those were already in this Great Fishing Close to Home in New Jersey dataset. An April 2026 update adds the additional 9 newly stocked lakes and ponds.