Best known as a vacation spot, Lake George is also one of the best New York fishing lakes. Located on the outskirts of the Adirondack region, Lake George offers both cold water and warm water fishing for a variety of species, including bass, trout and pike. The lake is also home to a number of campgrounds and other accommodations, making it a complete package if you’re planning a fishing vacation in the Empire State this year.
Bass Fishing
Lake George supports substantial populations of both large-mouth and small-mouth bass, through small-mouths are more common. You can find small-mouths around Lake George’s many rock piles, rocky reefs and drop-offs, where they often strike Senkos, tube jigs and live crayfish. If you’re after large-mouth bass, you can find them in shallow weedy bays and backwaters. Try tempting them with plastic worms, spinner baits and live minnows. Bass fishing in Lake George is often at its best in late spring and early summer.
Pike and Pickerel
Northern pike and chain pickerel can both be found in Lake George, and are equally popular among summer anglers and ice fisherman. The best time to catch pike may be in the spring, when they move to spawn in weedy backwater areas. As they return to the lake from spawning, pike often bite readily on spoons, spinners, minnow baits and live bait-fish. Pike and pickerel both gravitate to weedy areas in Lake George, and spots with a mix of weeds and rocky cover can be especially productive. Pike are the larger of the two species, and individuals over 10 pounds are not uncommon.
Cold Water Fishing
When it comes to fishing, Lake George may be best known for its cold water species, which include landlocked salmon, rainbow trout and lake trout. These fish are restricted to deep water in summer, but may be found shallower during the colder months, when they are heavily targeted by ice fishermen. Lake trout spawn in fall in rocky areas, and they can be caught by trolling or casting spoons and minnows. Lake Trout populations are abundant due to consistent stocking, but rainbow trout are no longer stocked, and have become something of a rarity.
Pan Fish
If you plan on bringing kids to fish at Lake George, chances are you will be targeting pan fish. You won’t be disappointed. Sunfish and bluegill bite readily in night crawlers and small jigs, and you can catch them right from shore in spring and summer. Yellow perch are abundant as well, with some fish running 12 inches or greater. Ice fishing for perch can be outstanding. Crappie are less common in Lake George, but fishing for these pan fish can still be productive, especially in May when they move into shallow water to spawn. Both perch and crappie will strike brightly colored jigs and small live minnows.
Licenses and Regulations
Be sure to pick up a New York fishing license before you wet a line in Lake George. Licenses are available at most bait shops and sporting goods stores in the area. While you’re at it, you can pick up a free copy of the state’s fishing regulations booklet, which contains all the seasons, daily limits and size restrictions you will need to know.