Fishing Clear Pond in Franklin County, New York

• Overview

  Clear Pond stands in Franklin County, New York. The setting is rolling bush. It measures about 84 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 1.3 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Malone sits 18 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Ville-Marie, 72 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Clear Pond

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Franklin County, recorded fish include brook trout, white sucker, brown trout and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The near bank of Clear Pond is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 65°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Clear Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Buck Pond is 0.6 miles off. Nothing here settles the position at Clear Pond for certain.