Gatun Pool

Gatun Pool covers 1.82 acres in Passaic County. Dependable maximum-depth and storage-volume figures were not found for Gatun Pool, so those measurements should not be guessed.

What to Expect at Gatun Pool

Because Gatun Pool is only 1.82 acres, a careful bank-by-bank approach is more useful than constant moving.

Fish and Useful Baits at Gatun Pool

Fish reported from Gatun Pool include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, chain pickerel, channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass, longear sunfish, and yellow perch.

Bass

Largemouth bass in Gatun Pool can be searched with a spinnerbait before a Texas-rigged worm is worked through the best cover.

Crappie, Perch and Sunfish

Crappie at Gatun Pool respond to a small jig or live minnow beside brush and suspended cover. Use a tiny jig or natural bait under a float when fishing Gatun Pool for bluegill and related sunfish. A small minnow or worm on a light rig fits yellow perch fishing at Gatun Pool.

Chain Pickerel

Chain pickerel in Gatun Pool can be found with spoons, spinnerbaits and small swimbaits along vegetation.

A Simple Fishing Plan for Gatun Pool

Use a moving lure to locate the first active stretch, then slow down on the exact cover that produced a bite on Gatun Pool. Then compare the incoming-water end of Gatun Pool with the dam side and any point that reaches the old channel.

When to Fish Gatun Pool

On Gatun Pool, spring fish often move onto protected banks before the open basin warms. Summer fishing on Gatun Pool is usually best at low light, beside shade or along the outside edge of healthy cover. During fall at Gatun Pool, revisit creek mouths and main points with baitfish-sized lures.