Tom Kettle Lake Fishing Guide, Herkimer County, New York

• Overview

  Tom Kettle Lake belongs to Herkimer County, New York. Height above sea level is 1,362 feet. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Nearest town is Dolgeville, 19 miles off. Boonville lies 21 miles off, Little Falls another 21 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Tom Kettle Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Herkimer County: white sucker, yellow perch, brook trout and brown bullhead. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Tom Kettle Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 66°F for July and 16°F for January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Expect Tom Kettle Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Curtis Lake is 0.6 miles off. For Tom Kettle Lake in particular, ask before you travel.