Fishing at Long Pond, Westchester County, New York

• Overview

  Within Westchester County, New York, you have Long Pond. Elevation runs to 495 feet. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Supplies mean a trip to North Castle, 0.7 miles off. Armonk is 2.5 miles away, with Bedford at 4.3 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking. Ground round the water is easy walking in most parts.

• Where to Fish on Long Pond

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Westchester County include common carp, striped bass and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Long Pond should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 72°F for July and 28°F for January. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Plan any trip to Long Pond around it. A cold snap sets things back for several days.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Windmill Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Where Long Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.