Squaw Lake Fishing in Hamilton County, New York

• Overview

  New York holds Squaw Lake, in Hamilton County. The ground round it is mixed forest. The water covers some 91 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 1.8 miles keeps the choices simple. It is high ground by New York standards. Boonville is the closest town at 32 miles. It is 81 miles to Syracuse, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Squaw Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name lake trout, brook trout and yellow perch. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Squaw Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 13°F in January to roughly 63°F in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Squaw Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Muskrat Pond is 0.9 miles distant. Treat Squaw Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.