Lake Nawahunta in Orange County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Orange County, New York. It sits at 807 feet above sea level. At roughly 14 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The town to know is Central Valley, 3.7 miles out. The big place round here is Paterson, 27 miles distant. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake Nawahunta

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Orange County, recorded fish include common carp, brook trout and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Lake Nawahunta a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 26°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Lake Nawahunta runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. There are picnic tables recorded roughly half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Silver Mine Lake is 0.8 miles off. Treat access at Lake Nawahunta as something to verify.