Putnam Pond in Essex County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Putnam Pond is one of the Essex County waters in New York. It sits in pine and birch country. The water covers around 283 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Few waters listed in Essex County are bigger. The town to know is Ticonderoga, 7.8 miles out. Crown Point is 11 miles and Port Henry 16 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Putnam Pond

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Essex County include brown trout, brook trout, white sucker and pumpkinseed. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Putnam Pond repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 67°F and January at 17°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan any trip to Putnam Pond around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Mud Pond sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Putnam Pond in what we hold.