Photo by Jerrod Vila, NYSOWA
Even though winter grips our region, the number of outdoor activities to partake in are bountiful to say the least. There is snowshoeing, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling…the list goes on and on. However, one of the most popular, family-friendly winter activities occurs on our frozen lakes: ice fishing!
What more could an eager angler ask for in the Land of 44 Lakes? There are so many options to choose from for ice fishing, plus our area has a multitude of different species of fish to pursue. Whatever your specialty is, there is an opportunity for you to target that particular species of fish here within the southern Adirondacks. Here in Fulton County we have lakes and ponds filled with panfish to keep the kiddos interested and having fun, as well as deep water lakes gleaming with lake trout and other coldwater fish species. Great Sacandaga Lake is definitely a highlight, well known as a world-class Northern Pike fishing spot. In fact, it still holds rank as the largest northern pike ever recorded in the entire United States!
Photo by Jerrod Vila, NYSOWA
Ice fishing brings a camaraderie like no other. It really is more of a social event where folks just happen to be fishing at the same time. What could be better? More than just another “fishing trip,” ice fishing in Fulton County always seems to rank more along the lines of an event.
Jerrod Vila comes from generations of avid outdoorsmen. He started out rock hopping pint-sized Adirondack streams in onesie pajamas while pursuing four inch brook trout from the time he could walk. A CDL-A driver by trade, Jerrod is the outdoor columnist for the Amsterdam Recorder, feature writer for New York Outdoor News and member of NYSOWA (New York State Outdoor Writers Association). Jerrod has a passion for eclectic and elegant cuisine from all over the globe and a palate to match. He perhaps dabbles in way too many entities; but always seems to be able to make time for fishing and everything outdoors.