Alder Lake Fishing near Livingston Manor, New York

• Overview

  In New York, Alder Lake belongs to Ulster County. The country here is rolling bush. Roughly 45 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 1.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Compared with other New York water on our list, it sits high. The nearest place of any size is Livingston Manor, 13 miles away. Liberty lies 18 miles off, Delhi another 20 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Alder Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Ulster County include common carp, brown trout and brook trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Take Alder Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 19°F for January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. At Alder Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. There is a car park, Car Parking, half a mile from the bank. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. There are picnic tables half a mile away. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Beecher Lake at 2.4 miles is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for Alder Lake in what we hold.