Fishing at Plank Pond, Otsego County, New York

• Overview

  Plank Pond falls in Otsego County, part of New York. The surroundings are lake country bush. It covers about 7 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Otsego County standards. Worcester sits 8.3 miles from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Cobleskill at 11 miles and Cooperstown at 12 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Plank Pond

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Otsego County cover brown trout, brook trout, white sucker and common carp. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Plank Pond light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 18°F in January and 66°F in July. 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. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Plank Pond by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Bear Swamp Pond sits 1.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Plank Pond for certain.