Lake Hopatcong

Morris & Sussex Counties, New Jersey

Lake Hopatcong is New Jersey's largest lake, in the northern part of the state along the Morris and Sussex county line. It is known for hybrid striped bass, walleye and bass.

Air temp in Mount Arlington, NJ Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Lake Hopatcong (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area2,560 acres

Max depth50 ft

Shoreline50 mi

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Wiper●●●●○

Hybrid stripers have been stocked since 1984, and 7 to 8 pound fish are common.

Walleye●●●●○

Walleye have been stocked since 1991. Fish in the 4 to 6 pound range are typical.

Largemouth Bass●●●●○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Muskellunge●●●○○

Big baits along weed edges and rock bars, best in fall.

Chain Pickerel●●●○○

Weedy coves. Spinners, spoons and live shiners, all year.

When they bite

Month-by-month activity for each target species.

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Wiper
Walleye
Largemouth Bass
Muskellunge

SlowFairGoodHot

Boat launches

3 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Hopatcong State Park Boat RampFee
NJ state park ramp at the south end in Landing; seasonal launch feeDirections ↗
Lee's County Park MarinaFee
Morris County Parks, 443 Howard Blvd, Mt. Arlington; 3 ramps, $25 NJ daily launch, April to NovemberDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See New Jersey Fish & Wildlife or the lake manager's website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Muskellunge Trophy Muskie Water; tiger musky combined	44 in	1 / day combined

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDEP) ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDEP) before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Lakes End MarinaNearby
91 Mt. Arlington Blvd, Landing, NJ(973) 398-5707 Directions ↗
Dow's Boat RentalNearby
145 Nolans Point Rd, Lake Hopatcong, NJ(973) 663-3826 Directions ↗
West Shore MarineNearby
453 River Styx Rd, Hopatcong, NJ(973) 552-4612 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Lake Hopatcong ↗

Local tips

Fish live herring or shiners under a bobber in shallow water at dawn and dusk.
Walleye bite best in the 90 minutes before daylight and before dark, and cloudy, choppy days help.
Hybrids will hit topwater lures at night in summer.

Angler reports

Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Lake Hopatcong.

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Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.