Fishing Big Marsh Pond in Essex County, New York

• Overview

  Big Marsh Pond lies within the bounds of Essex County, New York. The bank is 1,457 feet above sea level. The water covers some 25 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 0.9 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Mineville is the closest place, 15 miles off. The big place round here is Albany, 91 miles distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Big Marsh Pond

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Essex County: brown trout, brook trout, white sucker, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Take Big Marsh Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 65°F and January near 15°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Big Marsh Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Little Marsh Pond, 0.7 miles away. For Big Marsh Pond, the notice at the access point is the final word.