Little Black Lake Fishing in Sullivan County, New York

• Overview

  In New York, Little Black Lake falls inside Sullivan County. It sits in pine and birch country. Surface area runs to about 18 acres — small enough to read in one session. The nearest place of any size is Monticello, 9 miles away. Paterson is the closest city, 63 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Little Black Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Sullivan County include brown trout, brook trout and smallmouth bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Little Black Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 21°F to 68°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Little Black Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Meyers Pond sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Little Black Lake for certain.