Bass Lake Fishing in Franklin County, New York

• Overview

  Bass Lake sits in Franklin County, out in New York. The ground round it is mixed forest. At 10 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Franklin County are larger. Start from Saranac Lake, 17 miles down the road. Further out sit Dannemora (20 miles) and Lake Placid (20 miles). This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Franklin County include brook trout, white sucker, brown trout and yellow perch. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Fish Bass Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 14°F to 65°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Time your trip to Bass Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Loon Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Bass Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.