Zimmerman Pond, New York: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Zimmerman Pond in Otsego County, New York. It sits in mixed forest country. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Otsego County list holds plenty of bigger water. Some 12 miles away sits Cooperstown, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Richfield Springs (14 miles) and West End (17 miles). Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Zimmerman Pond

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Otsego County records list brown trout, brook trout, white sucker and common carp among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Zimmerman Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 66°F at the top of summer and 19°F at the bottom of winter. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Zimmerman Pond follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Gardner Pond, 1.9 miles away. The position on Zimmerman Pond is worth confirming on the day.