Merwin Lake Fishing in Columbia County, New York

• Overview

  Merwin Lake sits within Columbia County in New York. It sits in rolling bush country. Kinderhook is the closest place, 2 miles off. It is 20 miles to Albany, the nearest city. Also on the doorstep: Fowlers Pond at about 1.6 miles, Smith Pond (3.7 miles), Kinderhook Lake at about 5.8 miles, Sutherland Pond (6 miles) and Knickerbocker Lake at about 6.3 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Merwin Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Columbia County include common carp, brown trout, goldfish and rudd. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Merwin Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 22°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Break-up comes around late March, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at late March and the freeze at late December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Anyone fishing Merwin Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Fowlers Pond is 1.6 miles distant. Confirm access to Merwin Lake locally before you travel.