SCHROON LAKE and Surrounding Ponds Thread

[SchrnLker]

Went out today, 14" ice north basin, which is 3-4" less than last week.  Getting more of a challenge to find a place to get off with a 4 wheeler. Getting on was no problem since everything had buttoned up over night.  Last trip, time for steelhead.

[Swinginhammers_and_fishin]

Looks like another cold night tonight.
I have plans on trying paradox in the morning tomorrow.  Any current updates from today or yesterday?
I will report what I find tomorrow.

[rob45]

Looks like another cold night tonight.
I have plans on trying paradox in the morning tomorrow.  Any current updates from today or yesterday?
I will report what I find tomorrow.

Hit Schroon and Paradox today. Had a hard time getting on Paradox, but found a sliver of ice that held up to us getting out. Ice solid once we were out there.  Nobody else out today.  I broke through getting off the ice soaking one of my boots, but I knew it was going to happen. Should help things if it’s going to be cold tonight though.

[Swinginhammers_and_fishin]

Thanks for the update-glad to hear you were safe

[Swinginhammers_and_fishin]

Paradox had 12”-13” of ice on lake.  Edges were sketchy as stated above.  Got on and off with a plank fairly easily though.  Couldve done it without a plank-just have to pick and choose each step a little carefully.

Fishing wasn’t great, but not as bad as it could be...they seemed to bite when they wanted to and shut off randomly

Don’t know how it’ll hold up going forward, a couple good cold nights coming up but also 60* Friday...

[SSmokinn SS]

Paradox had 12”-13” of ice on lake.  Edges were sketchy as stated above.  Got on and off with a plank fairly easily though.  Couldve done it without a plank-just have to pick and choose each step a little carefully.

Fishing wasn’t great, but not as bad as it could be...they seemed to bite when they wanted to and shut off randomly

Don’t know how it’ll hold up going forward, a couple good cold nights coming up but also 60* Friday...

Problem is as schroon thaws and the schroon River backs up into paradox, those thawing edges creep farther and farther out. Likely the season is done. Let me know when I can put my boat on it lol

[touge30]

l.g wide open

[SchrnLker]

Sat. morning

[Redneck_BFMC]

Cuomo said "shelter in place"...thats no problem 

[DerekF_17]

What are the odds Schroon is fishable by Christmas?

Forecast doesn’t look great. I’m going with 25%

[lowaccord66]

What are the odds Schroon is fishable by Christmas?

Forecast doesn’t look great. I’m going with 25%

0% water temps still a few degrees below 50.

[FingerLaker607]

Closer to 25% than 0...the water should be ready to freeze by the end of next week. We will have to see how cold it gets after that. Theres a chance, albeit a small one

[ship of fools]

0% water temps still a few degrees below 50.

I'm with you. Christmas is three weeks from Thursday and the 10 day forecast shows highs in the 30's and 40's and lows from the low 20's to low 30's. That will bring the temperature down a bit but that won't lock it up.

[reggie1610]

Normally need that very cold night and no wind to lock up a lake the size of Schroon. That doesn't appear to be in the forecast....

[DerekF_17]

If not Schroon by Xmas/NYE, any suggestions for lakes to monitor? Lakers/Walleye preferred but understand that beggars can’t be choosers...

[bosco2]

I’ve got a spy in Franklin County and I’m asking him to keep an eye on the ponds up Tupper/Saranac way.

[SSmokinn SS]

Who needs ice? 36”. Released to get bigger.... or die. Hard to tell. The fish looked old as dirt 🤣

[finsntins]

not me,fishing has been really good last couple weeks!!!!

[lowaccord66]

Lg has been more fun.  Imagine looking for lakers and finding an absolute pile of these.

[Adironzach]

Lg has been more fun.  Imagine looking for lakers and finding an absolute pile of these.

I got into a good school of 3# smallies in about 95 fow when i was targeting lakers on the king last month. The smallies chased just like lakers too which threw us off at first. All the hookups came after a chase up to <50'. Not the target species but i will never complain about catching fish 

[lowaccord66]

Pretty much what happened to me.

[SSmokinn SS]

That’s what happens when you find winter holes.

[DerekF_17]

Hoping to make a run up there between Xmas and NYE. Schroon seems unlikely to be ready so eyeing Paradox lake. Anyone willing to share general tips? Where to park/access? Are there really sufficient numbers of rainbow and lake trout to bother targeting them?

[SSmokinn SS]

Hoping to make a run up there between Xmas and NYE. Schroon seems unlikely to be ready so eyeing Paradox lake. Anyone willing to share general tips? Where to park/access? Are there really sufficient numbers of rainbow and lake trout to bother targeting them?

Numbers aren’t great there for lakers and rainbow. It will be a while before you can get into the big lake due to freezing conditions to even think about targeting lakers and big rainbows.

[PSCfishingking]

Hoping to make a run up there between Xmas and NYE. Schroon seems unlikely to be ready so eyeing Paradox lake. Anyone willing to share general tips? Where to park/access? Are there really sufficient numbers of rainbow and lake trout to bother targeting them?

I only ever catch perch on Paradox. Happy to do so but never have better luck. I'm not the greatest to get tips on Paradox from! Haha. I'm listening too if anyone has something!!! Lol

[DerekF_17]

I’ve got a spy in Franklin County and I’m asking him to keep an eye on the ponds up Tupper/Saranac way.

Any word from your spy? Tupper is an especially long drive for me but would do it. Any sense of if Simon usually locks up ahead of Tupper?

[bosco2]

I’ll inquire again. I stopped obsessing when last weekend’s forecast turned to upper 30’s and rain. Simond for sure before Tupper. I think Racquette Pond is an even better bet and there’s a “Sunset Cam” linked from the Adirondack Wild Center site right on it from the ball park/promenade. If you stay at the Sunset Motel you can’t find easier ice access in the whole park IMO. Tip ups for pike. If you’re just desperate to get on the ice, Little Wolf might be a good bet too. I get a lot of hammer handles out of there, decent perch, small walleye (rarely over 18”) but it punches above its weight big time if you get into the smallmouth. I wouldn’t keep anything though. Flip them over and look at the spots on their belly and you’ll see why. 

Please....anyone who’s got a foot closer to the region and would disagree with the ice prognostication...plea se speak up. I don’t want to lead anyone towards a dangerous situation. I, myself, can’t go exploring this weekend and I wouldn’t ask anyone to do my dirty work for me.

[SSmokinn SS]

I’ll inquire again. I stopped obsessing when last weekend’s forecast turned to upper 30’s and rain. Simond for sure before Tupper. I think Racquette Pond is an even better bet and there’s a “Sunset Cam” linked from the Adirondack Wild Center site right on it from the ball park/promenade. If you stay at the Sunset Motel you can’t find easier ice access in the whole park IMO. Tip ups for pike. If you’re just desperate to get on the ice, Little Wolf might be a good bet too. I get a lot of hammer handles out of there, decent perch, small walleye (rarely over 18”) but it punches above its weight big time if you get into the smallmouth. I wouldn’t keep anything though. Flip them over and look at the spots on their belly and you’ll see why. 

Please....anyone who’s got a foot closer to the region and would disagree with the ice prognostication...plea se speak up. I don’t want to lead anyone towards a dangerous situation. I, myself, can’t go exploring this weekend and I wouldn’t ask anyone to do my dirty work for me.

Those little black dots all over the smallies are just a small harmless parasite. They are only in the skin and fins. They arent a grub that you see in pan fish.

However bass season is closed so keeping them during ice season is illegal 👍

[bosco2]

Thank you for that reminder. I never keep bass....ever....but that would’ve slipped me.
Also, my spy works for CSX and left town for some holidays OT so I lost him for now.

[Adironzach]

I’ll inquire again. I stopped obsessing when last weekend’s forecast turned to upper 30’s and rain. Simond for sure before Tupper. I think Racquette Pond is an even better bet and there’s a “Sunset Cam” linked from the Adirondack Wild Center site right on it from the ball park/promenade. If you stay at the Sunset Motel you can’t find easier ice access in the whole park IMO. Tip ups for pike. If you’re just desperate to get on the ice, Little Wolf might be a good bet too. I get a lot of hammer handles out of there, decent perch, small walleye (rarely over 18”) but it punches above its weight big time if you get into the smallmouth. I wouldn’t keep anything though. Flip them over and look at the spots on their belly and you’ll see why. 

Please....anyone who’s got a foot closer to the region and would disagree with the ice prognostication...plea se speak up. I don’t want to lead anyone towards a dangerous situation. I, myself, can’t go exploring this weekend and I wouldn’t ask anyone to do my dirty work for me.

I expect Little Wolf to be frozen along with the smaller lakes/Ponds based on the current forecast. As long as the winds stay down, the smaller bodies of water can add about 5" this week given the temps. To how thick they'll actually get, only one way to find out haha. As always with any of these early ice situations though, spud spud spud