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Spruce Run Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Mon, Nov 9, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A Hunterdon County water-supply reservoir where NJ Fish & Wildlife stocks northern pike, hybrid striped bass and trout, with a 10-horsepower limit on boats.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Water temp
~51 F est.
Air / High
47 / 57 F
Wind
W 6 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Monday
9
November 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Spruce Run Reservoir rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. Today brings a mixed sky, wind W around 6 mph, rising pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 57. Water sits around 51 F for the season (estimated). With the new moon, the solunar majors run 11:24 PM-1:24 AM and 11:00 AM-1:00 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Northern pikeGood

The best band for pike: right after ice-out they move into flooded vegetated shallows to spawn, and they feed actively again as the water cools in fall.

Yellow perchGood

Spring and fall: perch hold shallower and, by Michigan DNR's account, feed through the day, so shoreline weed edges, flats and the shallows near spawning areas are worth searching.

Largemouth bassFair

In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Catfish (blue, channel)Fair

In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

Hybrid striped bassSlow

In spring, windblown shorelines, riprap and dams during the shad spawn (May in Oklahoma); in fall, the pre-winter feed on the same kind of banks.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 62 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Tue, Nov 10, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovNov, ~51 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp47 F
High / Low57 / 40 F
WindW 6-17 mph
Pressure1010.1 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain28% cloud, 12%
Sunrise / Sunset06:39 / 16:47
MoonNew Moon, 0%
Water temp (seasonal)~51 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Which day to fish Spruce Run Reservoir this week

The best day on Spruce Run Reservoir this week looks like Saturday Nov 14, at 4 out of 5, against 2 today.

Best day this week: Saturday, Nov 14 β€” good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Nov 9 β€” Tough

Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Solunar majors
11:24 PM-1:24 AM and 11:00 AM-1:00 PM
Minor period
6:49 AM-7:49 AM
Sun
06:39 to 16:47
Moon
New Moon, 0% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 16 mph
Rain chance
12%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Spruce Run Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: the spring pre-spawn and the fall feed

A warm-water sunfish of lakes, reservoirs, ponds and slow river backwaters that holds tight to cover: weeds, logs, rock ledges and docks. In Texas, TPWD surveys rank it "by far" the freshwater fish anglers most want to catch. In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: cool water, from ice-out through spring, in fall and under the ice

A long, duck-billed predator of weedy lakes, slow rivers and backwaters that ambushes fish from vegetation. Wisconsin DNR points out that, unlike most of the state's common game fish, pike do their best feeding in cool water. The best band for pike: right after ice-out they move into flooded vegetated shallows to spawn, and they feed actively again as the water cools in fall.

Hybrid striped bass illustration

Hybrid striped bass

Best: the spring shad spawn and fall; summer at dawn and dusk

A hatchery cross of striped bass and white bass, also called wiper or palmetto bass, stocked by state agencies into reservoirs and rivers as a sport fish that also eats gizzard shad. Schools roam open water after shad. In spring, windblown shorelines, riprap and dams during the shad spawn (May in Oklahoma); in fall, the pre-winter feed on the same kind of banks.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Year-round, best at dusk and after dark

Three big catfish share most of the country's rivers and reservoirs: the channel catfish, the most widespread; the blue catfish, the largest; and the flathead, which hunts live fish. All feed mostly on or near the bottom. In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Caught all year, including under the ice through winter

Yellow perch are schooling panfish of the Great Lakes and northern lakes, and Michigan DNR calls them the game fish most often caught in that state. Spring and fall: perch hold shallower and, by Michigan DNR's account, feed through the day, so shoreline weed edges, flats and the shallows near spawning areas are worth searching.

When to come: the Spruce Run Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Largemouth bass
Northern pike
Hybrid striped bass
Catfish (blue, channel)
Yellow perch
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 51 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovNov, ~51 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Spruce Run Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Sun, Nov 8

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Northern pike led the card at good. High of 60 F, wind to 14 mph.

Sat, Nov 7

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Northern pike led the card at good. High of 57 F, wind to 13 mph.

Fri, Nov 6

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Northern pike led the card at good. High of 69 F, wind to 6 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

New Jersey requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

New Jersey fishing license; trout stamp for trout. Statewide rules read 2026-10-05: northern pike open year-round, 24 in., 2 a day; hybrid striped bass open year-round, 16 in., 2 a day. Check the NJ Freshwater Fishing Digest for bass and trout limits.

Access

Spruce Run Recreation Area (State Park Service), Van Syckels Road, Clinton: trailer ramp and car-top launch; 10-hp motor limit. Check NJ State Parks for current fees and hours.

About this water

An 11-billion-gallon state water-supply reservoir on Spruce Run in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, operational since 1963; about 1,290 acres per the State Park Service.

Fishing Spruce Run Reservoir: the full guide

A state water-supply reservoir

Spruce Run Reservoir became operational in 1963, when the Spruce Run Dam was built at the confluence of Spruce Run and Mulhockaway Creek. The New Jersey Water Supply Authority describes it as an 11-billion-gallon reservoir held by a main dam of about 5,950 feet and two smaller dikes, part of the Raritan Basin System with Round Valley Reservoir and the D&R Canal. The State Park Service has given its size as 1,290 acres with 15 miles of shoreline, the third-largest reservoir in the state after Round Valley and Wanaque.

Stocked pike, hybrids and trout

The State Park Service lists 29 fish species in the reservoir, including largemouth bass, catfish, sunfish, yellow perch and carp, and says trout, northern pike and hybrid striped bass are stocked by NJ Fish & Wildlife. The Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery's 2025 production summary records 7,424 northern pike of about 6.7 inches and 12,931 four-inch hybrid striped bass released into Spruce Run, the largest pike allocation of any water on that list.

Boating and dam work

Motorboats, electric or gas, are limited to 10 horsepower, and the recreation area has a trailer launch ramp and a car-top launch area. The Water Supply Authority is grouting the dam's foundation; its March 2026 update put the project close to 50% complete and said the work is not expected to affect recreation or require lowering the reservoir.

Common questions

Are there really pike?

Yes. NJ Fish & Wildlife stocks northern pike here; the 2025 hatchery summary lists 7,424 fingerlings for Spruce Run.

What size pike can I keep?

New Jersey's statewide rule is a 24-inch minimum and two a day, with pike open all year.

Can I use a gas outboard?

Yes, up to 10 horsepower, according to the State Park Service's boating rules for the recreation area.

Is fishing good at Spruce Run Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Round Valley Reservoir5 miMusconetcong River7 miLake Nockamixon20 miRaritan River21 miLake Hopatcong27 miSwartswood Lake30 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 40.6470, -74.9270 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 5, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 5, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.