Fishing at Meco Lake, Hamilton County, New York

• Overview

  Meco Lake is listed under Hamilton County, New York. Everything around it is rolling bush. The water measures roughly 15 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Compared with other New York water on our list, it sits high. Northville is the closest town at 13 miles. Gloversville follows at 16 miles, then Edinburg at 17 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Meco Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. 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. Fish documented in Hamilton County include lake trout, brook trout and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Meco Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 64°F, with January the cold end at about 14°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Meco Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Silver Lake, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Meco Lake in what we hold.