Willowbrook Lake
A stone's throw from the heart of the famed Staten Island Greenbelt, Willowbrook Lake offers relaxed fishing in a tranquil setting. This shallow, foot-shaped lake offers a variety of shorelines, including weed beds, shallow slopes, fallen trees and small coves. Some larger bass may be found lurking in the brush! A nearby carousel and plenty of open space make this an excellent location to take that young first timer.
Physical Features
Area: 4.89 acres
Maximum depth: 4-5 feet
Access
The park is located next to the College of Staten Island off of Victory Blvd and Richmond Ave in Staten Island.
From Manhattan
Take a train to South Ferry Terminal in Manhattan. Take the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island and transfer to bus S62. Exit at Morani St in Staten Island and walk south on Morani St to the lake.
From Brooklyn
Take the R train to 85th St in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Exit the subway and take bus S95 or S53 on 4th Ave between 86th St and 87th St toward Staten Island. Exit at Victory Blvd in Staten Island and transfer to the S62 bus on Victory Blvd going west. Exit Morani St in Staten Island. Walk south on Morani St to the lake.
Fishing Information
To catch a good-sized largemouth bass, try a soft plastic bait like a plastic worm Texas or wacky rigged. In summer try reaction baits such as topwater lures, crankbaits, jerk baits, spinnerbaits, or swimbaits. Bluegill, pumpkinseed and bullhead can be caught using a bobber and live worms. Remember to tamp down all barbs on hooks as New York City regulations require the use of barbless hooks.
Species Present
For more information on these fish species, visit the page on Freshwater Fishes.
American eel
Bluegill
Brown bullhead
Golden shiner
Pumpkinseed
Largemouth bass
Special Regulations
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation rules require the use of non-lead weights and barbless hooks
Fisheries Survey Summary
Data from a 2010 electrofishing survey indicated an unbalanced fish population exists in this lake. Predators and prey fish are present but both tend to be small in size. Catch per unit effort of largemouth bass is included in the below table for comparison with other New York City water bodies. For more information on this survey, visit our biologists reports page.
| Waterbody | 8" and over | 12" and over | 15" and over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baisley Pond | 17 | 17 | 9 |
| Central Park Lake | 18 | 15 | 9 |
| Harlem Meer | 76 | 5 | 0 |
| Kissena Lake | 23 | 12 | 4 |
| Oakland Lake | 18 | 8 | 5 |
| Prospect Park Lake | 81 | 31 | 14 |
| Van Cortlandt Lake | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Willowbrook Lake | 54 | 11 | 0 |
