Ochre Pond, New York: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Franklin County, Ochre Pond is a New York water. Height above sea level is 1,614 feet. Surface area runs to about 25 acres — small enough to read in one session. Nearest place of any size is Saranac Lake, 11 miles away. The big place round here is Ville-Marie, 86 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ochre Pond

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Franklin County: brook trout, white sucker, brown trout and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Take Ochre Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 65°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Ochre Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Grass Pond, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Ochre Pond.