Panther Pond Fishing near Lowville, New York

• Overview

  The Lewis County end of New York holds Panther Pond. Everything around it is lake country bush. Small at around 12 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Lowville lies 16 miles from the water. Beyond it, Carthage at 24 miles and West Carthage at 25 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Panther Pond

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Lewis County, recorded fish include white sucker, brown trout, pumpkinseed, brook trout and brown bullhead. The county list is broader than any single water. Anyone new to Panther Pond should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 15°F in January up to 65°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Panther Pond regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Mikes Pond, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Panther Pond carry more weight than any list.