Fishing at Lily Pond, Oswego County, New York

• Overview

  Lily Pond sits within Oswego County in New York. It sits at 443 feet above sea level. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Oswego County. Mexico sits 5.8 miles from the bank. Minetto is 7.8 miles and Volney 8 miles. Water in the same corner: 1.4 miles out stands Mud Pond, Crooks Pond 3.2 miles away, 3.9 miles out stands Paddy Pond, Goodfellows Pond 7.8 miles away and 8.1 miles out stands Russ Pond. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lily Pond

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Oswego County, recorded fish include alewife, rainbow smelt and lake trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Lily Pond repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 70°F and January near 22°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That is the shape of the year on Lily Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Mud Pond at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. For Lily Pond, the notice at the access point is the final word.