Lake Desolation in Saratoga County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Desolation sits within Saratoga County in New York. This is mixed forest ground. The water covers some 68 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 1.7 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The town to know is Edinburg, 8.8 miles out. Milton is 9.4 miles away, with North Ballston Spa at 10 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lake Desolation

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Saratoga County names brown trout, pumpkinseed, white sucker, common carp and tessellated darter. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Lake Desolation the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 67°F and January near 18°F on the long-run figures. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Lake Desolation runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Part of this sits inside or beside Saratoga Forest Preserve Detached Parcel, so read the notices. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Archer Vly, 1.5 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Lake Desolation.