Fishing at Lower Sister Lake, Herkimer County, New York

• Overview

  Lower Sister Lake sits in Herkimer County, out in New York. The ground around here is lake country bush. It measures about 147 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The full circuit measures close to 1.6 miles on foot. Few waters listed in Herkimer County are bigger. Nearest town is Tupper Lake, 28 miles off. Lowville is 37 miles away, with Boonville at 39 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Lower Sister Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Herkimer County names white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout, brown bullhead and brown trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The near bank of Lower Sister Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 13°F in January and 64°F in July. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lower Sister Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. 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. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Upper Sister Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Signs at Lower Sister Lake carry more weight than any list.