Fishing at Limekiln Lake, Hamilton County, New York

• Overview

  Limekiln Lake falls in Hamilton County, part of New York. Height above sea level is 1,886 feet. About 465 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. The perimeter runs near 4.9 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Few waters listed in Hamilton County are bigger. For supplies, Boonville is 31 miles out. Further out sit Lowville (35 miles) and Tupper Lake (39 miles). The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Limekiln Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. County-wide records name lake trout, brook trout and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Limekiln Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 64°F and January near 13°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Limekiln Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Fawn Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. What applies at Limekiln Lake may have changed since it was mapped.