Fishing Crooked Lake in St. Lawrence County, New York

• Overview

  Crooked Lake lies within the bounds of St. Lawrence County, New York. It lies 1,470 feet above sea level. At about 55 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The full circuit measures close to 1.8 miles on foot. The closest town, Tupper Lake, is 16 miles away. The big place round here is Gloucester, 82 miles distant. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Crooked Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in St. Lawrence County include rock bass, smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Crooked Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 65°F, while January sits near 13°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Crooked Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Raquette River Wild Forest runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Leonard Pond sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Crooked Lake is worth confirming on the day.