Second Lake in Ulster County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Second Lake in Ulster County, New York. This is pine and birch country. It lies lower than most water we list in New York. Some 2.4 miles away sits Hurley, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Albany, 55 miles distant. Not far off: 0.4 miles out stands Third Lake, Twin Lakes 0.5 miles off, 0.6 miles out stands First Lake, DeWitt Lake 0.9 miles off and 1.2 miles out stands Fourth Lake. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Second Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Ulster County: common carp, brown trout, brook trout, goldfish and rainbow trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Anyone new to Second Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 72°F, while January sits near 25°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late March. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late March and starts locking again about late December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That is the shape of the year on Second Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Walter Williams Preserve runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Third Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Second Lake.