Sunny Pond in St. Lawrence County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In New York, Sunny Pond falls inside St. Lawrence County. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. The water measures roughly 15 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. For a base, Tupper Lake sits 26 miles out. The big place round here is Kingston, 75 miles distant. Also within reach: Nicks Pond roughly 1.2 miles, Star Lake 3 miles away, Lost Pond roughly 3.1 miles, Twin Lakes 3.2 miles away and Readway Ponds roughly 3.4 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Sunny Pond

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across St. Lawrence County: rock bass, smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Sunny Pond responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 65°F and January near 14°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan any trip to Sunny Pond around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. 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. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Nicks Pond at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat Sunny Pond as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.