Fishing Lake Celeste in Putnam County, New York

• Overview

  Lake Celeste is a Putnam County water, New York side. The bank is 443 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Putnam County. For a base, Highland Falls sits 3.5 miles out. North Stamford is the closest city, 24 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Lake Celeste

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Putnam County include brown trout, bluegill, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Lake Celeste the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 26°F and July at about 72°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Lake Celeste fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Indian Lake is 0.9 miles off. Nothing on Lake Celeste should be assumed from this page alone.