Second Lake, Fulton Chain Lakes in Herkimer County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Second Lake, Fulton Chain Lakes in Herkimer County, New York. Everything around it is lake country bush. Boonville is the closest place, 27 miles off. It is 78 miles to Syracuse, the nearest city. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive. Trees come down to the water on one side more than the other.

• Where to Fish on Second Lake, Fulton Chain Lakes

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Herkimer County records list white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout, brown bullhead and brown trout among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Second Lake, Fulton Chain Lakes where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 64°F, while January sits near 13°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Second Lake, Fulton Chain Lakes the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. First Lake, Fulton Chain Lakes at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Second Lake, Fulton Chain Lakes carry more weight than any list.