Pico Lake, New York: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Pico Lake in Herkimer County, New York. It stands 2,057 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 31 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. About 1.4 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It sits higher than most water we list in New York. Boonville sits 27 miles from the bank. Syracuse sits 78 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Pico Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Herkimer County include white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout, brown bullhead and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Pico Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 64°F; by January the average is down near 13°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Pico Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Cliff Pond at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Pico Lake.