Argyle Lake Fishing in Suffolk County, New York

• Overview

  Suffolk County, New York, is where Argyle Lake sits. This is rolling hill country. It covers about 23 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Ground here is low by New York standards. Babylon sits 0.2 miles from the bank. Jamaica is the closest city, 25 miles away. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Argyle Lake

  Our records give 4 ft, so you have a figure to work from. This is tidal water: the state of the tide decides where fish sit, so plan the session around it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Suffolk County cover alewife, blueback herring, pumpkinseed and bluegill. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Treat Argyle Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 31°F in January up to 74°F in July. Some winters cap it and some do not. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. The season on Argyle Lake follows the weather closely. Weed growth peaks in late summer and changes where you can fish.

• Tackle & Baits

  The shoreline is public, so the licence is the main requirement. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Hawleys Lake is 0.7 miles distant. The position on Argyle Lake is worth confirming on the day.