Little Deer Lake in Herkimer County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Little Deer Lake belongs to Herkimer County, New York. Everything around it is rolling bush. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Our Herkimer County list holds plenty of bigger water. Supplies mean a trip to Boonville, 27 miles off. The nearest city of size is Syracuse, 76 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Little Deer Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Herkimer County: white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout and brown bullhead. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Little Deer Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 63°F, the coldest about 13°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Little Deer Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Twin Lakes is 0.2 miles distant. Nothing on Little Deer Lake should be assumed from this page alone.