Fishing at Crooked Lake, Herkimer County, New York

• Overview

  Crooked Lake stands in Herkimer County, New York. Land around it is mixed forest. Surface area is around 128 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. There is roughly 2.6 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Few waters listed in Herkimer County are bigger. 28 miles away sits Tupper Lake, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Kingston, 78 miles away. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Crooked Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Herkimer County: white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout and brown bullhead. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Crooked Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 13°F and July at about 64°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan around that when you fish Crooked Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Covey Pond sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Crooked Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.