Lake Champion in Sullivan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Sullivan County entry here is Lake Champion, in New York. It lies 1,181 feet above sea level. The water covers some 33 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 1.1 miles on foot. The closest town, Barryville, is 5.2 miles distant. The nearest city of size is Paterson, 54 miles away. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Lake Champion

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Sullivan County, recorded fish include brown trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, white sucker and rainbow trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Lake Champion the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 23°F in January up to 69°F in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early April. The lid tends to go about early April and return around late December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lake Champion.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lake DeVenoge, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Lake Champion in particular, ask before you travel.