Stewart Lake in Fulton County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Fulton County, New York, is where Stewart Lake sits. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. At about 37 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 1.1 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. It is high ground by New York standards. Start from Gloversville, 11 miles down the road. The big place round here is Albany, 52 miles distant. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Stewart Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fulton County records list brown trout, brook trout, white sucker and brown bullhead among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Stewart Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 15°F at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That is the shape of the year on Stewart Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Prairie Lake, 0.6 miles away. Rules at Stewart Lake are worth checking on the day.