Fishing at Upper Lake, Suffolk County, New York

• Overview

  Upper Lake is one of the Suffolk County listings for New York. The bank is 36 feet above sea level. At 18 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It lies lower than most water we list in New York. Some 1.2 miles away sits Yaphank, the nearest settlement. Gordon Heights lies 2 miles off, Middle Island another 2.7 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Upper Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Survey and observation records for Suffolk County include alewife, blueback herring, pumpkinseed and bluegill. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Upper Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 73°F, while January sits near 31°F. Conditions shift steadily rather than sharply. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Plan around that when you fish Upper Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The water borders Carmans River Pine Barrens State Forest, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lower Lake, 1 mile away. Ask locally about Upper Lake if anything is unclear.