Stony Lake near Lowville: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Stony Lake is one of the Lewis County waters in New York. Height above sea level is 1,325 feet. Roughly 71 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The full circuit measures close to 1.5 miles on foot. Few waters listed in Lewis County are bigger. Lowville lies 14 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Syracuse, 68 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Stony Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Lewis County, recorded fish include white sucker, brown trout, pumpkinseed, brook trout and brown bullhead. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Stony Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 15°F in January up to 65°F in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. From about mid April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Expect Stony Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, East Pond is 0.4 miles off. Rules at Stony Lake are worth checking on the day.