Fishing Lake Lacoma in Monroe County, New York

• Overview

  In New York, Lake Lacoma falls inside Monroe County. It sits at 449 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 10 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Monroe County list. Nearest place of any size is Pittsford, 3.3 miles away. Rochester sits 9.9 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Lacoma

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Monroe County cover alewife, rainbow smelt, johnny darter, lake trout and common carp. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Lake Lacoma the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 23°F to 71°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about late December in an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Lake Lacoma follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. There are toilets half a mile off. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Lilly Pond at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Lake Lacoma before loading the car.