Clear Pool near Lake Carmel: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Clear Pool falls in Putnam County, part of New York. The bank is 846 feet above sea level. Small at around 10 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Putnam County are larger. Lake Carmel sits 3.2 miles from the bank. The big place round here is North Stamford, 24 miles distant. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Clear Pool

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Putnam County cover brown trout, bluegill and largemouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of Clear Pool is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 25°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The season stretches long at both ends here. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. At Clear Pool the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is a car park, Visitor Parking, half a mile from the bank. This sits inside Mount Nimham Unit, so read the reserve notices first. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Boyd Corners Reservoir, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Clear Pool, the notice at the access point is the final word.