Fishing Highland Lake in Sullivan County, New York

• Overview

  Look for Highland Lake in the Sullivan County part of New York. The water sits 1,296 feet up. The water covers some 200 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 2.7 miles in total. It ranks high for size among our Sullivan County listings. Barryville is the closest place, 4.8 miles off. After that come Sparrow Bush at 11 miles and Monticello at 12 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Highland Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name brown trout, brook trout and smallmouth bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Highland Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 69°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Climate figures give an open season running early April to mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan around that when you fish Highland Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Lake DeVenoge at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Highland Lake before loading the car.