Horton Ponds in St. Lawrence County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The St. Lawrence County entry here is Horton Ponds, in New York. Land around it is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 23 acres — small enough to read in one session. For supplies, Hannawa Falls is 9.6 miles out. The big place round here is Gloucester, 70 miles distant. No border sits close enough to matter. The water gives you a straightforward day if you keep it simple.

• Where to Fish on Horton Ponds

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for St. Lawrence County names rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and white sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Horton Ponds before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 67°F in July and bottom out at 14°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Horton Ponds.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. You can launch: the ramp is half a mile away. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Five Falls Reservoir at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Horton Ponds is worth confirming on the day.