Woods Lake, New York: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Hamilton County, New York, sits Woods Lake. The water sits 1,385 feet up. It measures about 70 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. About 1.7 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Start from Northville, 7.5 miles down the road. The nearest city of size is Albany, 50 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Woods Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Hamilton County list lake trout, brook trout, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Take Woods Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 66°F, while January sits near 16°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Woods Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Grant Lake, 1.9 miles away. For Woods Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.