Gear & Tackle

Lakes & Reservoirs

Spin, Cast & Bait

Lake George Fishing Guide

New York

A 28,451-acre Adirondack lake about 32 miles long and up to 187 feet deep, with lake trout, both bass, northern pike, and perch.

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to Lake George for lake trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. In October, lake trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike are in season, and Soft Stick Bait, Ned Rig and Bass Jig are a good place to start. There are 6 shops within 25 miles (2 fly, 4 bait and tackle); the closest is Beach Road Bait and Tackle in Lake George, about 3 mi away. Battenkill River is also nearby if you want to make a trip of it.

Season at a Glance

Lake Trout
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
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What You'll Catch

Lake George Species

Lake Trout

Lake Trout

Prime Now
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F
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A
M
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O
N
D

Best: May to Jun, Oct to Feb

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
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Best: Mar to Jun, Sep to Oct

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
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Best: Apr to Oct

Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
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S
O
N
D

Best: Jan to Mar, Jun to Oct

Northern Pike

Northern Pike

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
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J
A
S
O
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Best: Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct

Images: Timothy Knepp, USFWS; USFWS; Duane Raver, USFWS. Public domain.

Plan by Month

What to Use

Month
Fish

15 picks for October. marks species in season in October.

  • Spinnerbait 3/8 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass

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  • Suspending Jerkbait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Hard Bait · Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass

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  • Casting Spoon 1/4 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Spoon · Northern Pike, Lake Trout

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  • Soft Stick Bait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Largemouth Bass

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  • Ned Rig 2.5 to 3 in

    Lure

    Finesse · Smallmouth Bass

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  • Bass Jig 3/8 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Largemouth Bass

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  • Bladed Jig 3/8 to 1/2 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Largemouth Bass · Around grass.

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  • Squarebill Crankbait 1.5 to 2.5 in

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

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  • Lipless Crankbait 1/2 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

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  • Walking Topwater 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Topwater · Largemouth Bass · Low light.

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  • Paddle-Tail Swimbait 3 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Lake Trout · Jigged deep.

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  • Tube Jig 3 to 4 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Smallmouth Bass

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  • Crappie Jig 1/32 to 1/8 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Yellow Perch

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  • Live Minnows 1 to 3 in

    Bait

    Live Bait · Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass

  • Nightcrawlers Whole or half

    Bait

    Live Bait · Yellow Perch

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Rod & Reel

Recommended Setups

Lake Trout

Fly 8 to 9 wt rod with a full-sink line when fish are shallow after ice-out.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-heavy spinning or baitcasting rod, 20 to 30 lb braid with a fluorocarbon leader, or downrigger trolling gear.

Largemouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 7 or 8 wt rod, bass-taper floating line, 12 to 16 lb leader for poppers and divers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-heavy baitcasting rod, 7:1 reel, 15 lb fluorocarbon or 50 lb braid around heavy cover.

Smallmouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 6 or 7 wt rod, floating line, 10 to 12 lb leader. Crayfish patterns, Clousers, and poppers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium spinning rod, 2500 reel, 8 lb braid to a 6 to 8 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Yellow Perch

Spin / Cast 6 ft ultralight spinning rod or ice rod, 4 lb line, perch spreader or small jig.

Matched to These Species

Gear for Lake George

Rods

Ugly Stik Bigwater Trolling Rod

A long, forgiving trolling rod for downriggers and planer boards.

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Reels

Abu Garcia Revo SX Baitcasting Reel

A reliable baitcaster for jigs, Texas rigs, and moving baits.

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Soft Plastics

Yamamoto Senko 5 in

The original salted stick bait. Fish it weightless or wacky rigged.

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Rigs

Mack's Lure Wedding Ring Spinner

Small spinners tipped with corn or maggots for kokanee and perch.

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Rods

St. Croix Musky Casting Rod

A heavy, long casting rod for big bucktails, jerkbaits, and figure-eights.

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Reels

Pflueger President Spinning Reel

Light and smooth for its price. A favorite for finesse and panfish rods.

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Line

PowerPro Spectra Braided Line

Thin, strong braid for long casts, sensitivity, and pulling fish from cover.

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Hard Baits

Rapala X-Rap Jerkbait

A suspending jerkbait that shines in cold, clear water.

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Within 25 Miles

Shops Near Lake George

Within 25 Miles

Guides and Charters Near Lake George

Make It a Trip

Nearby Water

Rivers & Streams · Vermont

Battenkill River

A classic Vermont trout stream near Manchester, home of the American Museum of Fly Fishing.

Brook Trout · Brown Trout

Rivers & Streams · Vermont

White River

The longest free-flowing river in Vermont with wild rainbows and browns.

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout

Rivers & Streams · Massachusetts

Deerfield River

A Berkshire tailwater with catch-and-release trout water and wild browns.

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout

Lakes & Reservoirs · Vermont · About 77 mi

Lake Champlain

Smallmouth and largemouth in the same day, plus pike, salmon, and lake trout.

Smallmouth Bass · Largemouth Bass · Northern Pike