Stark Falls Reservoir in St. Lawrence County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Stark Falls Reservoir in St. Lawrence County, New York. The surface lies 1,345 feet up. Roughly 645 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. Around 6.8 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. Few waters listed in St. Lawrence County are bigger. Nearest place of any size is Hannawa Falls, 16 miles away. For a city, Gloucester is 76 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Stark Falls Reservoir

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Reported across St. Lawrence County: rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Stark Falls Reservoir gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 66°F and January about 13°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It sets the rhythm of the year at Stark Falls Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Midget Pond is 2.5 miles off. For Stark Falls Reservoir in particular, ask before you travel.