Fishing at Cedar Lake, St. Lawrence County, New York

• Overview

  Cedar Lake lies in St. Lawrence County, New York. The setting is pine and birch. Around 72 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Bank access stretches around 1.7 miles in total. It is among the larger waters listed here for St. Lawrence County. Gouverneur is the closest town at 9.9 miles. It is 61 miles to Kingston, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Cedar Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across St. Lawrence County, recorded fish include rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Read Cedar Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 15°F in January up to 68°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near early December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Cedar Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Trout Lake, 1.1 miles away. Treat Cedar Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.