Salmon Lake in Hamilton County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In New York, Salmon Lake falls inside Hamilton County. It stands 1,795 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 320 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The shoreline runs about 4.5 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Size puts it in the front rank of our Hamilton County list. The closest town, Tupper Lake, is 21 miles away. After that come Saranac Lake at 37 miles and North Elba at 41 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Salmon Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Hamilton County include lake trout, brook trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and brown bullhead. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Salmon Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 64°F and January near 13°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly early December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. At Salmon Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Fly Ponds, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Salmon Lake in particular, ask before you travel.