Lake Margaret Fishing Guide, Franklin County, New York

• Overview

  Out in Franklin County, New York, sits Lake Margaret. Tidal water begins 37 miles from here. Small at around 4 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Our Franklin County list holds plenty of bigger water. Saranac Lake lies 16 miles from the water. For a city, Ville-Marie is 75 miles off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lake Margaret

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Franklin County cover brook trout, white sucker, brown trout and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Lake Margaret rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 65°F in July and bottom out at 13°F in January. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Lake Margaret runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Mud Pond is 1.2 miles distant. Signs at Lake Margaret carry more weight than any list.