Balsam Pond Fishing in Sullivan County, New York

• Overview

  Set in Sullivan County, New York, this is Balsam Pond. The land about it is lake country bush. At about 45 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. About 1.2 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Barryville at 8 miles is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Paterson, 60 miles distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Balsam Pond

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Sullivan County include brown trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Balsam Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 68°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The season between ice runs from about early April to mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Balsam Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Welmet Lake, 0.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Balsam Pond should be assumed from this page alone.