Fishing at Old Pond, Saratoga County, New York

• Overview

  Saratoga County in New York is where Old Pond sits. The bank is 1,749 feet above sea level. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Edinburg is the closest town at 5.4 miles. Albany is the closest city, 48 miles away. Alternatives close at hand: Little Lake 0.5 miles off, Rice Pond roughly 0.9 miles, Greenfield Lake 1.1 miles off, Northville Reservoir roughly 3.4 miles and Bennett Lake 3.5 miles off. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Old Pond

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Saratoga County cover brown trout, pumpkinseed and white sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Old Pond that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 66°F, while January sits near 17°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about early December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That shapes the year on Old Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Little Lake is 0.5 miles distant. For Old Pond in particular, ask before you travel.