Fishing Byram Lake Reservoir in Westchester County, New York

• Overview

  This water sits in Westchester County, New York. Tidal water begins 9.6 miles from here. It runs to roughly 171 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The bank runs about 3.0 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is among the larger waters listed here for Westchester County. For a base, North Castle sits 2 miles out. Armonk follows at 3.1 miles, then Mount Kisco at 3.1 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Byram Lake Reservoir

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Westchester County records list common carp, striped bass, bluegill and brown trout among the fish reported. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Take Byram Lake Reservoir a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 72°F and January about 27°F. In milder years the surface never sets. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. That shapes the year on Byram Lake Reservoir. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Part of this sits inside or beside Eugene and Agnes Meyer Nature Preserve, so read the notices. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Cobamong Pond, 1.2 miles out. Signs at Byram Lake Reservoir carry more weight than any list.