Payne Lake Fishing Guide, Lewis County, New York

• Overview

  In New York, Payne Lake falls inside Lewis County. It lies 1,247 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 20 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Supplies mean a trip to Lowville, 10 miles off. Beyond it, Carthage at 20 miles and West Carthage at 20 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Payne Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Lewis County include white sucker, brown trout, pumpkinseed and brook trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Payne Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 66°F in July and bottom out at 16°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Payne Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Cleveland Lake, 0.5 miles out. For Payne Lake in particular, ask before you travel.