Lily Pond Fishing Guide, Sullivan County, New York

• Overview

  Set in Sullivan County, Lily Pond is a New York water. The surroundings are lake country bush. It runs to roughly 76 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 1.4 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It is high ground by New York standards. Start from Livingston Manor, 4.3 miles down the road. Further out sit Liberty (5.9 miles) and Fallsburg (13 miles). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lily Pond

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Sullivan County names brown trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, white sucker and rainbow trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Lily Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 66°F and January near 20°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly mid December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Lily Pond more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Mud Pond at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Lily Pond are worth checking on the day.