Fishing Chamber Lake in Herkimer County, New York

• Overview

  In New York, Chamber Lake belongs to Herkimer County. The ground around here is rolling bush. It measures about 27 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Around 1.0 miles of margin, front to back. Compared with other New York water on our list, it sits high. The nearest town is Boonville, 21 miles away. Syracuse sits 71 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Chamber Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Herkimer County list white sucker, yellow perch and brook trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Chamber Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 64°F, with January the cold end at about 14°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Anyone fishing Chamber Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Second Lake at 0.3 miles is the nearest alternative. For Chamber Lake in particular, ask before you travel.