Military Lake Fishing near Tupper Lake, New York

• Overview

  Military Lake lies in Essex County, in New York. Everything around it is pine and birch. It covers about 20 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Tupper Lake at 21 miles is the nearest place to stop. Then North Elba, 23 miles, and Lake Placid, 24 miles. This one is safely inside the county line. It sits away from the main road, which keeps the noise down.

• Where to Fish on Military Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Essex County list brown trout, brook trout, white sucker and pumpkinseed. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Military Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 64°F, the coldest about 14°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Military Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. You will be walking about 0.9 miles from the nearest car park. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Military Pond sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. For Military Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.