Harris Lake Fishing in Essex County, New York

• Overview

  Harris Lake is an Essex County water, in New York. The surface lies 1,552 feet up. The water covers around 313 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The perimeter runs near 5.6 miles, so plan the walk before you start. It ranks high for size among our Essex County listings. Nearest place of any size is North Elba, 21 miles away. For a city, Albany is 93 miles off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Harris Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Essex County include brown trout, brook trout, white sucker and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Harris Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 64°F, the coldest about 15°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan any trip to Harris Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Woodruff Pond sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Harris Lake may have changed since it was mapped.