Fishing at Bessie Pond, Franklin County, New York

• Overview

  Bessie Pond lies in Franklin County, in New York. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. The water measures roughly 18 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. You are 11 miles from Tupper Lake. Ville-Marie is the closest city, 87 miles away. Close neighbours run: Nellie Pond 0.2 miles away, Little Long Pond just 0.7 miles, Clamshell Pond 0.9 miles away, Little Fish Pond just 0.9 miles and Lydia Pond 1 mile away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Bessie Pond

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Franklin County, recorded fish include brook trout, white sucker, brown trout, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Bessie Pond rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 13°F to 65°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That shapes the year on Bessie Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Nellie Pond is 0.2 miles off. For Bessie Pond in particular, ask before you travel.