Rob Pond in Hamilton County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Rob Pond in Hamilton County, New York. The ground around here is rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 21 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is high ground by New York standards. Tupper Lake is the closest place, 20 miles off. Saranac Lake is 35 miles and North Elba 39 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Rob Pond

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name lake trout, brook trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and brown bullhead. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Rob Pond the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 13°F to 64°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It sets the rhythm of the year at Rob Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Sly Pond, 0.6 miles out. Where Rob Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.