West Pond Fishing near Lowville, New York

• Overview

  Out in Herkimer County, New York, sits West Pond. The water sits 1,893 feet up. It measures about 40 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 1.3 miles keeps the choices simple. 31 miles away sits Lowville, the nearest town. Syracuse is the closest city, 83 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on West Pond

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Herkimer County list white sucker, yellow perch and brook trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On West Pond the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 64°F; by January the average is down near 13°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. The season on West Pond follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Dart Lake sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for West Pond.