Jones Lake in Herkimer County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In New York, Jones Lake falls inside Herkimer County. The country here is rolling bush. At about 48 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. About 1.1 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It sits higher than most water we list in New York. The nearest place of any size is Boonville, 28 miles away. For a city, Syracuse is 77 miles off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Jones 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. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Herkimer County include white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout and brown bullhead. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Jones Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 63°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Jones Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• 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. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Deer Lake, 0.9 miles away. Signs at Jones Lake carry more weight than any list.