Indian Lake Fishing near Malone, New York

• Overview

  Indian Lake is one of the Franklin County listings for New York. Salt water lies 29 miles off. This is sizeable water at about 333 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. Around 2.9 miles of margin, front to back. It ranks high for size among our Franklin County listings. The closest town, Malone, is 12 miles away. Dannemora lies 20 miles off, Franklin another 24 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Indian Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Franklin County cover brook trout, white sucker and brown trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The near bank of Indian Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 65°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Indian Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Drain Pond, 1.1 miles out. Check the position on Indian Lake before loading the car.