Olympus Lake in Sullivan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Olympus Lake is a Sullivan County water, in New York. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. Small at around 12 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Sullivan County are larger. 3.1 miles away sits Livingston Manor, the nearest town. After that come Liberty at 5.3 miles and Fallsburg at 13 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Olympus Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Sullivan County records list brown trout, brook trout and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Olympus Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 66°F and January near 20°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about mid December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That shapes the year on Olympus Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Expect 0.9 miles away in from where the car goes. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Pearl Lake at 0.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Olympus Lake before loading the car.