Fishing Curtis Lake in Herkimer County, New York

• Overview

  Curtis Lake is one of the Herkimer County listings for New York. It lies 1,401 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Dolgeville, is 19 miles away. The nearest city of size is Syracuse, 63 miles away. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Curtis Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Herkimer County names white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout, brown bullhead and brown trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Curtis Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 66°F; by January the average is down near 16°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Curtis Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Tom Kettle Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Curtis Lake.