Fishing at South Pond, Herkimer County, New York

• Overview

  The Herkimer County end of New York holds South Pond. It lies 2,051 feet above sea level. It measures about 39 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Roughly 1.2 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. It sits higher than most water we list in New York. You are 31 miles from Lowville. Further out sit Tupper Lake (33 miles) and Boonville (34 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on South Pond

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name white sucker, yellow perch and brook trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At South Pond the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in July and bottom out at 13°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Anyone fishing South Pond regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Twitchell Lake Primitive Area covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Twitchell Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on South Pond before loading the car.