They are a hearty, robust fish and have established a solid foothold in the lake. The best walleye fishery in the state is said to be the Delaware River since it is stocked annually by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission and periodically by New Jersey. While the walleye population is growing in numbers and anglers are reporting better and bigger catches, the fish is not going to just jump into your boat or frying pan. You do have to work for them. Rainy, cloudy days are good as are days when there is a good chop on the water.
Many anglers say the best walleye fishing is at night.
You can find them in the shallows in the cooler weather and then as the water warms, they'll head to the deeper water in the main lake at Hopatcong. Walleyes can be anywhere from finicky to downright uncooperative at times and most anglers have have their favorite jigs, spoons and other lures of different sizes and colors to use depending upon conditions. Bill Clark, a trustee at the Knee Deep Club, favorites live bait. I like using herring or shiners. Sometimes, early in the morning or at dusk when they are shallow feeding, I'll put a herring on a couple feet below a bobber and sooner or later I'll get a hit.