Winch Pond in Essex County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In New York, Winch Pond belongs to Essex County. The bank is 1,850 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 9 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Lake Placid lies 6 miles from the water. North Elba is 7 miles away, with Saranac Lake at 12 miles. Nearby, in order: 0.4 miles away is Marsh Pond, Copperas Pond 0.6 miles, 1 mile away is Owen Pond, Warren Pond 1.4 miles and 2 miles away is Coldspring Pond. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Winch Pond

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Essex County cover brown trout, brook trout, white sucker, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Winch Pond the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 63°F and January reads 13°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Winch Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Marsh Pond, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Winch Pond for certain.