Fishing at Forest Lake, Ulster County, New York

• Overview

  Forest Lake lies in Ulster County, New York. Elevation runs to 2,172 feet. Small at around 14 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Compared with other New York water on our list, it sits high. For a base, Livingston Manor sits 11 miles out. After that come Liberty at 15 miles and Fallsburg at 19 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Forest Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Ulster County: common carp, brown trout, brook trout, goldfish and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Forest Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 64°F, with January the cold end at about 18°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. At Forest Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Sand Pond at 2.9 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Forest Lake is worth confirming on the day.