Fishing at Onderdonk Lake, Albany County, New York

• Overview

  Out in Albany County, New York, sits Onderdonk Lake. Land around it is mixed forest. Around 70 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The full circuit measures close to 1.4 miles on foot. 6.2 miles away sits Berne, the nearest town. Then Durham, 11 miles, and Voorheesville, 11 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Onderdonk Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Albany County include common carp, goldfish, brown trout and pumpkinseed. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. At Onderdonk Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 67°F, with January the cold end at about 19°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly mid December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Onderdonk Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Myosotis Lake, 3.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Onderdonk Lake are worth checking on the day.