Brantingham Lake, New York: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Brantingham Lake sits within Lewis County in New York. It lies 1,220 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 334 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. With 4.5 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. On our Lewis County list it sits near the top for size. Nearest place of any size is Lowville, 13 miles away. The big place round here is Syracuse, 63 miles distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Brantingham Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Lewis County include white sucker, brown trout and pumpkinseed. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read Brantingham Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 66°F in July and bottom out at 16°F in January. 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. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Anyone fishing Brantingham Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Pleasant Lake is 0.8 miles distant. For Brantingham Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.