Black Lake abounds in prime fish habitat including massive
bays, expansive weedbeds, island drop-offs, midlake shoals, rocky points and
rocky shorelines. Healthy populations of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass,
bluegill, yellow perch, crappie, northern pike and walleye inhabit these
fish-holding areas, and anglers who are "in the know" about seasonal fish
location experience fish-filled outings.
BASS
When bass season opens on the third Saturday in June,
largemouths can be found in any of the Black Lake shallow-water bays. Both live
bait and a variety of artificial will catch fish, but the number one producer of
bucketmouths is the plastic worm.
From late July through August, largemouth
fishing gets tougher as the water warms into the eighties and the lake sees
increased boating and angling pressure. Top summer locations include heavy
weedcover, island drop-offs, rocky points, and deep water adjacent to midlake
shoals. Early morning and evening are the best fishing times. Live crabs are the
top producer, but plastic worms, spinnerbaits, and deep-diving crankbaits also
catch fish.
Black Lake's best largemouth catches are made in the fall when
anglers work midlake shoals, rocky points, and the rocky shorelines of the
islands and the mainland. Live minnows work extremely well as do the jig and
pig, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits.
Black Lake contains a thriving population
of smallmouths, which can be taken from opening day until November 30. In June
and early July an angler's best bet is to work the rocky points. Shallow-running
crankbaits produce the top catches.
Midsummer smallies move to the midlake
structures, particularly those in the southern half of the lake. The fish
inhabit deep water adjacent to the shoals although they will move into the
shallows to feed under low-light conditions. Live crabs are the best bait
followed by deep-diving crankbaits, which imitate crayfish.
Like the
largemouths, smallmouth fishing peaks in the fall. As the water cools,
bronzebacks spend more time on top of the shoals where they are more
concentrated and more accessible to anglers. Minnows replace crabs as the best
live bait, and shallow-running crankbaits replace the deep divers.
PANFISH
Despite the excellent bass fishing on Black Lake, approximately
half of the lake's anglers pursue panfish instead of largemouths and small
mouths. Since panfish thrive throughout Black Lake, seasonal location is not as
critical as it is for bass. However, knowledge of location will improve catches
on panfish outings.
BLUEGILL
Bluegills are quite plentiful and quite catchable. These fish
move into bays and other marshy areas in late April through May where they
remain until spawning is completed in mid-June. Throughout the summer, bluegill
will school near weedlines, rock piles, and other structures. Although bluegill
fishing is good throughout most of the year, fall fishing is generally slow.
YELLOW PERCH
Yellow perch can literally be taken anywhere in the lake in
late spring and through the summer. Since small perch are so abundant, the most
successful anglers constantly move until they locate schools of larger fish. In
the fall, perch schools concentrate just off the rocky points.
CRAPPIE
Black Lake's most popular panfish is the black crappie. Like
bluegill, the crappie migrate into the lake's marshy bays in late April and
early May. During the spawning period of late May and early June, papermouths
congregate on rocky points. During the summer, crappie disperse throughout the
lake, and anglers constantly move to locate fish as they do schools of perch.
Fall crappie move to midlake shoals and rock piles.
NORTHERN PIKE
Northern pike normally spawn in Black Lake's large, shallow,
weedy bays (often abutting marshy wetlands). When the season opens on the first
Saturday in May, they are usually found around new weed growth in the three to
five foot depths of these bays. Drift and cast over the weeds with spoons,
stickbaits, tandem spinnerbaits or in-line spinners. By mid-June, the the
weededge has developed in six to seven feet of water and most pike relate to it
in July. Drift the edge and cast the same early season lures. From August thru
fall, since Black Lake is the same temperature from top to bottom, they can be
found most anywhere. However, most pike, especially the big guys, tend to go
deep. try drifting along bottom structure in 12 to 16 foot depths with live
baits, like 5 inch shiners or a six inch sucker or try vertical jigging a large
tube jig. Black Lake's best northern pike fishing usually takes place in winter.
Big fish, some up to 12 lbs. are caught regularly. December is the prime month,
but the action holds up all winter long. Most anglers put out a few tip-ups with
large shiners while they jig for perch or crappie.
WALLEYE
After the season opens on the first Saturday in May,
concentrate on areas with moving water, such as the Indian River, the narrows of
Black Lake or the Oswegatchie River. In recent years they have been picking some
up around mid-lake shoals. Jig the edges of weedbeds with black or yellow
bucktails tipped with minnows or try slow trolling in deep water with a weighted
Dixie Spinner nightcrawler harness. While walleye numbers are on the increase,
the Black Lake Association, the Black Lake Fish and Game Club and the DEC have
worked long and hard to bring the walleyes back to Black Lake. Please, keep a
few for dinner but return all you can to help them get reestablished.
CATS AND BULLHEAD
The best time of year for Black Lake Channel Cats is during
their spawning season in late May and early June when they congregate in a few
places such as Lower Deep Bay. Live baits are best {crabs, nightcrawlers and
minnows}, but they'll also hit jigs or even deep diving crankbaits. Work hard
bottomed areas 10 to 15 feet deep.
For bullhead, still-fish nightcrawlers or
leeches on the bottom. Action is usually best after dark but holds up all day
long if it's overcast. Concentrate on bays where the wind is blowing in.
Fisheries biologists have referred to Black Lake as a "fish
factory". In truth, the lake does produce excellent populations of fish.
Locating these fish is both the fun and the challenge of fishing Black Lake.
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