Balsam Pond in St. Lawrence County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  St. Lawrence County, New York, is where Balsam Pond sits. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. About 5 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Most waters listed here for St. Lawrence County are larger. 15 miles away sits Tupper Lake, the nearest town. For a city, Kingston is 86 miles off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Balsam Pond

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for St. Lawrence County cover rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Balsam Pond a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 13°F at the bottom of winter. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It holds true on Balsam Pond more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Lilypad Pond at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Balsam Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.