Fishing at Goodale Lake, Cortland County, New York

• Overview

  Goodale Lake lies in Cortland County, in New York. It sits at 1,145 feet above sea level. The water covers some 43 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 0.9 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. You are 5.2 miles from Homer. Syracuse is the closest city, 24 miles away. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Goodale Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Cortland County, recorded fish include brown trout, brook trout and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Goodale Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 67°F and January reads 20°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Goodale Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A rest area sits about half a mile from the water. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Green Lake, 0.6 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Goodale Lake for certain.