Black Lake, NY Forum

Heading up in mid may for a long weekend and staying at the Log Cabins. We are hoping to be able to get some fishing in this time. We last came to the lake in 2021 and there was a storm front coming thru all weekend and we only got out on the lake once for a handfull of small crappie. This trip needs to be a lot better. Any tips on what to use for Pike and Crappie? We are primarily catch and release, but do keep a dozen or so for dinner one night while we are there. Thanks!

My advice for Pike is to throw spoons in the 3-5 FOW bays or shoreline. I like to use lures like the five of diamonds or red and white daredevil. There are other spoons that work well also. I personally like Michigan stingers in brass or silver. Fat Nancy’s on the way up has a good selection. I like to let the wind drift you around while casting, covers more ground. You can adjust your lures depth by speed or holding your rod tip up. Try to drag along weed tips. If you don’t see weeds move to where the weeds are manageable. For crappie depending on water temp, look for rock piles or along rock walls (hog back etc). Throw 1/64 oz jigs, cycle through colors if you’re not having any luck. You can also float minnows for both pike and crappie if you like to sit and fish. Good luck and may the weather treat you well. May is a tricky month with wind and weather. You can look back on this forum under my past post for more info on wind and temp, depth and locations. Bob-O

Thanks for the advice Bob-o. I have read a few of your past posts. We are really hoping the weather holds for us this year.

Any updates on how the fishing has been so far? We are headed up Saturday morning and the forecast is light rain for the 3 days we will be there.

Any idea on the water temp. We're coming up a week from Saturday. Staying at McClear's.

Jerry...we will be up there Saturday and I will try to post the water temp and how the fishing is.

Thanks. I'd appreciate it.

Water temp 63-64 . Sunday was nice.....no pike....caught several nice bass and a 4 lb cat-fish.....tons of panfish and small crappie. Today...cold and windy on the lake....little action other than panfish...