Merriam Lake, New York: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Herkimer County, New York. Everything around it is lake country bush. The water measures roughly 20 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is high ground by New York standards. Tupper Lake is the closest place, 32 miles off. The nearest city of size is Kingston, 85 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Merriam Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Herkimer County records list white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout and brown bullhead among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The near bank of Merriam Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 64°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about early December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Merriam Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Jock Pond is 0.7 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Merriam Lake.