Fishing at Sunset Lake, Sullivan County, New York

• Overview

  Sunset Lake belongs to Sullivan County, New York. The water sits 1,470 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 12 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Sullivan County standards. The nearest place of any size is Liberty, 2.1 miles away. For a city, Paterson is 66 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Sunset Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Sullivan County records list brown trout, brook trout and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Sunset Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 68°F in July and bottoms out near 21°F in January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Sunset Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Parking within 140 yards means no long carry with tackle. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Dixie Lake is 0.4 miles off. Rules at Sunset Lake are worth checking on the day.