Black Pond Fishing near Fredonia, New York

• Overview

  Black Pond is one of the Chautauqua County listings for New York. It lies 1,388 feet above sea level. It covers about 8 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Fredonia, is 8 miles away. Buffalo is the closest city, 38 miles away. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Black Pond

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Chautauqua County include yellow perch, walleye, pumpkinseed, muskellunge and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Black Pond that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 68°F and January at 22°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Black Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. West Mud Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Black Pond carry more weight than any list.