Fishing Good Luck Lake in Hamilton County, New York

• Overview

  Hamilton County in New York is where Good Luck Lake sits. It stands 1,647 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 96 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. With about 1.8 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Some 15 miles away sits Dolgeville, the nearest settlement. Gloversville follows at 17 miles, then Saint Johnsville at 19 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Good Luck Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Hamilton County, recorded fish include lake trout, brook trout, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Good Luck Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 65°F and January about 15°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Good Luck Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Chub Lake, 0.9 miles away. Nothing on Good Luck Lake should be assumed from this page alone.