Fishing Bryant Pond in Putnam County, New York

• Overview

  The Putnam County end of New York holds Bryant Pond. The sea is 8.7 miles distant. The town to know is Shrub Oak, 3.5 miles out. Beyond it, Mahopac at 3.7 miles and Jefferson Valley-Yorktown at 4 miles. Not far off: Secor Lake some 0.9 miles off, 1.2 miles away is Barger Pond, Oscawana Lake some 2.7 miles off, 2.8 miles away is Kirk Lake and Wiccopee Reservoir some 2.9 miles off. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Bryant Pond

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Putnam County include brown trout, bluegill and largemouth bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Bryant Pond the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 72°F at the top of summer and 26°F at the bottom of winter. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Bryant Pond runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Secor Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. For Bryant Pond in particular, ask before you travel.