Experience what makes Saratoga County one of the most desirable places to live in Upstate New York. This county, nestled at the foothills of the Adirondacks and bordered by the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, is a Tech Valley phenomenon that hasn’t lost its natural touch. As people from the tech and manufacturing industries move to Saratoga, they learn that the county is more than just an economic powerhouse. It’s also a scenic place with a proud history, modern infrastructure, and a vibrant arts and culture scene.
Whether you’re traveling here for work or leisure, you’ll be amiss if you don’t at least try fishing in its productive bodies of water. This part of Upstate New York offers prime fishing spots for the newbie angler, the recreational fisherman, and even the most competitive angler looking to break a few personal records.
Saratoga County has 13 towns and cities, many of which offer fantastic fishing grounds and great access points to many of them, guaranteeing an unforgettable fishing experience.
Start your fishing journey in the county by fishing in its eponymous lake, Saratoga Lake. The lake is considered one of the top fisheries in the state. It is annually stocked with 8,600,000 walleye and home to other prime catch. Fish species commonly caught here include northern pike, yellow perch, brown bullhead, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, redbreast sunfish, black crappie, rock bass, bluegill, and pumpkinseed.
For prime trout fishing, particularly for brown, rainbow, and brook trout, head to Kayaderosseras Creek, the biggest river within Saratoga County boundaries that feeds Saratoga Lake. It is divided into four sections: South Corinth, Porter Corners, Rock City Falls, and Milton Center-Ballston Spa.
Bass anglers, particularly those targeting largemouth bass, should head to Lake Lonely. Locals report that the largemouth bass in this body of water tends to be abundant in number and in good size and condition. Other fish species in the 136-acre lake include northern pike, sunfish, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, black crappie, pumpkinseed, and bluegill.
Other great warm-water fisheries in the county include Round Lake and Ballston Lake, which offer small boat launches. Hiking fishers will love fishing in Moreau Lake State Park. Some of the best trails for fishing in the state park are the Lake Bonita Loop and the Mud Pond Loop. Both paths are best explored from March to November.
Meanwhile, competitive anglers will love Great Sacandaga Lake, a prime fishing spot for northern pike along with stocked rainbow trout and walleye, as well as largemouth and smallmouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass, and brown bullhead. It has four boat launches around the county, including Northville Boat Launch; on North Shore Road, you will find the Town of Day Boat Launch; at Mayfield, there’s the Northampton Beach Campground and Day Use Area boat launch; and lastly, Broadalbin has the Broadalbin Boat Launch site off Route 110.
Fly fishing is one of the most popular fishing techniques in this part of New York State. Ice-fishing in the region, though, must not be dismissed. Many of its prime fishing waters are open to ice fishing, with many bodies of water remaining frozen late into the season.
Join the crowds from July to September during the open season at one of the oldest horse race tracks in the country, the Saratoga Race Course
If you want to learn horseback riding, there’s no better place to start. Plenty of sites offers guided horseback riding on the region’s trails and farms where you can get horseback riding lessons.
See a show at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, a prestigious cultural hub that hosts many equally prestigious companies, including the Opera Saratoga, Philadelphia Orchestra, and New York City Ballet. Or watch a movie at the historic Malta Drive-In Theater, a well-loved local institution that has been around since the 1940s and hosts screenings from April to October.