Pharoah Lake Fishing near Ticonderoga, New York

• Overview

  Look for Pharoah Lake in the Warren County part of New York. The ground round it is rolling bush. Roughly 419 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. Around 4.7 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. Few waters listed in Warren County are bigger. Ticonderoga is the closest place, 11 miles off. Albany sits 80 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Pharoah Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Warren County include brown trout, brook trout, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Pharoah Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 66°F and January at 16°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That is the shape of the year on Pharoah Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Wolf Pond, 0.9 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Pharoah Lake.