Hankins Pond in Sullivan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hankins Pond is a Sullivan County water, in New York. The country here is rolling bush. Barryville lies 5.7 miles from the water. After that come Hawley at 11 miles and Honesdale at 14 miles. Other water within reach: Lake La Barr lies 1.1 miles on, Grassy Swamp Pond at about 1.1 miles, Rock Lake lies 1.4 miles on, Mahls Pond at about 1.5 miles and Tusten Mountain Lake lies 1.5 miles on. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Hankins Pond

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Sullivan County: brown trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, white sucker and rainbow trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Hankins Pond is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 23°F to 69°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near late December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. On Hankins Pond the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Lake La Barr, 1.1 miles out. For Hankins Pond, the notice at the access point is the final word.