Pearl Lake Fishing near Livingston Manor, New York

• Overview

  Pearl Lake stands in Sullivan County, New York. It sits at 1,991 feet above sea level. It sits higher than most water we list in New York. Livingston Manor sits 3.9 miles from the bank. Paterson sits 73 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Within a short drive: Olympus Lake (0.8 miles), Lily Pond within 1.3 miles, Mud Pond (1.7 miles), Cranberry Pond within 1.8 miles and Hunter Pond (2.2 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pearl Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Records held for Sullivan County cover brown trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, white sucker and rainbow trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Pearl Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 66°F for July and 20°F for January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running early April to mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Pearl Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Olympus Lake, 0.8 miles out. Check the position on Pearl Lake before loading the car.