Fishing at Lake Stahahe, Orange County, New York

• Overview

  Look for Lake Stahahe in Orange County, New York. The bank gives way to rolling hill. It measures about 88 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 1.5 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Few waters listed in Orange County are bigger. Harriman lies 5 miles from the water. Sloatsburg lies 6 miles off, Walton Park another 6.1 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Lake Stahahe

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Records held for Orange County cover common carp, brook trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed and brown trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Lake Stahahe to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 26°F. The calendar is generous: something works in nearly every month. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Plan any trip to Lake Stahahe around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is a mapped landing stage 80 yards away. Overnight stays are possible 120 yards away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Green Pond at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Lake Stahahe is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.