South Lake in Herkimer County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find South Lake in Herkimer County, New York. Everything around it is rolling bush. At 478 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The perimeter runs near 6.7 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Few waters listed in Herkimer County are bigger. The closest town, Boonville, is 23 miles distant. After that come Dolgeville at 29 miles and Little Falls at 32 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on South Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Survey and observation records for Herkimer County include white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout and brown bullhead. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Take South Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 63°F on average, January about 13°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan around that when you fish South Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Little Salmon Lake, 2.4 miles out. Confirm before you fish South Lake.