Basket Lake Fishing near Livingston Manor, New York

• Overview

  Basket Lake lies in Sullivan County, New York. Height above sea level is 1,952 feet. About 20 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It sits higher than most water we list in New York. Nearest place of any size is Livingston Manor, 9.1 miles away. Paterson sits 80 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Basket Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Sullivan County, recorded fish include brown trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Basket Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 20°F in January to roughly 67°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Plan any trip to Basket Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Holp Pond, 1 mile away. For Basket Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.