Topwater Popper Fishing on Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake · New Jersey / New York · Northeast
Greenwood Lake is a scenic, spring-fed lake spanning the New Jersey-New York border with depths reaching over 60 feet in the main basin. The lake features rocky shorelines, abundant vegetation, and submerged structure that provide ideal habitat for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. Known for its relatively clear water and pristine condition, Greenwood Lake attracts anglers seeking quality bass fishing in a less-pressured environment.
A floating hard bait with a concave face that produces a spitting, popping action when twitched. Most effective in low-light conditions near cover — points, dock edges, weed lines, and grass pockets. The pause after the pop is where most strikes happen. Few experiences in fishing match watching a largemouth explode on a popper.
Topwater Popper Setup for Greenwood Lake
| Rod | 6'10"–7'3" medium casting rod, moderate action |
| Reel | 6.4:1 baitcaster or spinning |
| Line | 14–17 lb fluorocarbon or 30 lb braid (braid gives better action and hooksets) |
| Weight | 1/4–1/2 oz (Rebel Pop-R, Megabass Pop-X, Strike King KVD Splash) |
Seasonal Tactics on Greenwood Lake
Lake: Spring brings spawning largemouths to shallow coves and weed lines around 4-8 feet. Jigs, crankbaits, and soft plastics work well as fish move from deeper winter areas to spawning grounds.
Topwater Popper: First light on spawning flats — fish hold shallow and crush surface baits. Slow cadence with long pauses.
Lake: Summer bass relate to deeper structure, rocky points, and drop-offs in 15-30 feet of water. Early morning and evening topwater action occurs near vegetation, while midday requires deeper presentations around submerged timber and rocks.
Topwater Popper: 30-minute window at dawn and dusk. Fish dock shade and grass pockets. Noon topwater dies.
Lake: Fall is prime time as cooling water temperatures activate bass throughout the water column. Crankbaits, jerkbaits, and swimbaits excel as fish feed aggressively in preparation for winter.
Topwater Popper: Extended feeding window as water cools. Fish can be caught on top all day in fall.
Lake: Winter bass move to the deepest basin areas, typically 40-60 feet, where they become sluggish. Vertical jigging with small baits and careful presentation near the main deep-water structures produces the best results.
Topwater Popper: Generally ineffective in water below 55°F — bass won't chase topwater in cold conditions.
Best Conditions
Dawn and dusk year-round, overcast days, calm to light-chop surface, spring through fall near cover and grass edges
Don't set the hook on the explosion — wait until you feel the fish pull the line. Half of all missed popper strikes are from anglers jerking too early.
More Techniques for Greenwood Lake
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