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Peck's Lake was once a private hunting and fishing resort for travelers and sportsmen. Near the turn of the twentieth century, dams were constructed at both ends of the lake as we now know it, resulting in a 1390 acre manmade lake, begot from its original three bodies of water. The formation of the lake created great fishing structure and habitat with a unique submerged structure and topography and shoreline features. Peck's Lake is most known for its numerous large Northern Pike caught from her waters. In addition to Pike, the lake also hosts Chain Pickerel; Largemouth, Smallmouth and Rock Bass; Rainbow Trout;Crappie; Walleye; Yellow Perch; Bluegills; and Bullheads. Our fish stocking program ensures the continued productivity of the lake. The PLPA also promotes Catch & Release ideals when fishing our waters.
Northern Pike With its snakelike body, huge head and razor-sharp teeth, the northern pike has a fearsome appearance and a reputation to match, known to strike large bass or walleye struggling on a fisherman's line. Shallow weedy areas bays or connecting marshes are ideal habitat for pike. Northerns spawn soon after ice-out, beginning when the water temperature reaches 40š. Northern Pike will eat almost anything afloat, often striking fish one-half their body length. Northerns bite best during early or late daylight hours, seldom when the sun is at its apex. The world record pike weighed-in at 46 lbs, 2 oz at nearby Sacandaga Reservoir. Pike over 40 inches in length have been taken at Peck's Lake.
Chain Pickerel Closely related to Northern Pike with similar behavior and characteristics. The easiest way to differentiate the two is through the coloration. Pike are olive to greenish-brown with irregular rows of small, oval spots while Pickerel, similar in base coloring have dark chain like markings, (hence the name "chain") and a dark bar under the eye. Chain Pickerel do not grow nearly as big as Pike, generally less than 30 inches in length and less than 10 pounds. Pickerel are also not nearly as abundant at Peck's Lake.
Largemouth Bass There is nothing quite like the explosive strike or the breathtaking leaps of a largemouth bass. Bass have as a versatile diet as Northerns, but primarily feed on small fish, crayfish and frogs. Bass usually won't spawn until water temperatures reach the low- to mid- sixties with the male left to guard the nest after spawning. "Bucketmouths" generally shy away from bright sunlight and are most active under the dim conditions of dawn or dusk. Largemouth bass spend most of their lives in water that is only 5 to 15 feet deep, feeding in the shallows and suspending in deeper water near their feeding grounds during the day. Bass are most likely to be found near some type of shady cover, or structure which makes Peck's Lake an ideal haven for bass. In most northern lakes, a Largemouth Bass weighing 6 to 8 pounds is considered a trophy catch.
Smallmouth Bass Pound for pound, the Smallmouth Bass puts up a thrilling fight. While closely related to Largemouths, the two differ in many ways. "Smallies" are not as sensitive to light and lurk in the shallows most of the day, closer to their food source. Smallmouths also prefer cooler water temperatures for spawning. These bass will also form large schools. Smallmouths bass have well-defined territories and once an angler finds a good spot, will seldom have to move far through the seasons to find them again, though he may have to change techniques. Smallmouths prefer rocky shorelines where cover structure is present, such as fallen trees or large rocks. A 5 pound Smallmouth is considered a trophy in most lakes. Smallmouths are identified by vertical stripes along its flanks while Largemouths have a single dark, horizontal stripe.
Rock Bass As with their larger relatives, all bass are members of the Sunfish family. Rock Bass share many of the same habits and habitant with Smallmouth Bass, and are found in great numbers along rocky shorelines in shady areas. Rock Bass can be found in great numbers in Peck's Lake. Though the are not considered "good-eating" by most humans, they provide excellent forage for the larger species.
Rainbow Trout Introduced to our waters several times over the years, Rainbows have never taken to the waters of Peck's Lake. The last stocking of Rainbow in 2001 introduced both larger and smaller fish in hopes that the larger ones would reproduce that year, and the smaller ones would grow and reproduce in 2 to 4 years. Trout need cold water to survive with high oxygen content, which limits their habitat to only a few spots on our lake. Rainbows can be identified easily with their metallic-greenish top, slivery-white belly and distinctive red band on the side. Rainbows can be taken in a variety of ways, this most popular being with fly-fishing tackle
Bullhead Bullheads are popular simply because they are abundant and easy to catch. Prime time for Bullhead fishing is late spring and summer, after the water has warmed to above 60š. Bullheads may feed anytime, but are most active toward evening, cruising the shallows for insect larvae, snails, worms, fish eggs and small fish. Bullheads are considered more of a bottom feeder than an aggressive hunting fish. Bullheads are delicious to eat if caught in early or early summer, but as the water warms, their flesh softens and develops a muddy taste. Extreme caution should be exercised when handling Bullheads, as their venom-coated spines can inflict a painful wound.
Walleye Introduced to our waters in 1998, Peck's Lake has what is believed to be a relatively small Walleye population, with only four reported caught in 1750. They are extremely light sensitive and are most active at night. Walleye fishing peaks when food is least abundant, as in spring before a new crop of baitfish has been produced. Walleyes prefer cooler water with rocky bottoms, though they will seek out sandy bottoms after spawning and generally will not go deeper than thirty feet. Cloudy or windy days will improve daytime fishing as the waves break up the sunlight and Walleyes will remain in the shallows.
Yellow Perch Clear, northern lakes with moderate vegetation, such as Peck's Lake, boast the largest populations of what is considered the tastiest of freshwater fish. Spawning occurs when the water temperature nears 45š. Perch lay their eggs in jelly-like bands which cling to rocks, plants and other bottom debris. Staggering numbers of young are hatched, benefiting the larger predatory fish. Because their reproductive potential is so great, perch can generally withstand heavy fishing pressure. Perch feed only during the day as they cannot see well in dim light. At night, perch schools will break up and the fish will rest on the bottom, regrouping into large schools the next morning. Perch prefer rocky or firm-sandy bottoms.
Pumpkinseed & Bluegill Sunfish Sunfish offer something for everyone! For the youngster learning to fish they are easy to catch; for the expert, catching large sunfish is a challenge. Spawning starts in summer when the water temperature nears 68š. Sunfish build spawning beds on sandy or gravel bottoms as with their larger bass relatives, and spawning can last up to six weeks. Despite heavy fishing pressure, sunfish often overpopulate a lake because they produce millions of young. This results in too much competition for and a slow growth rate. Insects, larvae, crustaceans and occasionally small fish make up most of the sunfish's diet. They will eat several times their own body weight from May to October.
Crappie Were introduced to the original waters of what is now known as Peck's Lake in the 19th century. Although they do not leap or make powerful runs, Crappies are a favorite among fishermen because they are easy to catch and good to eat. Crappies undergo population cycles where they can be extremely abundant for a few years and then mysteriously disappear. Although crappies are usually found near some type of structure or cover, they can sometimes be difficult to find as they might suspend over the deepest part of the lake in search of food. Crappies feed both night and day, though prime feeding time is at dusk. There are two types of Crappies, Black and White. Black Crappies are usually found in cooler, northern lakes while Whites prefer warmer waters. The Black Crappie has a speckled color pattern, while the White Crappie has stripes. Crappies find on similar food sources as bass, but smaller in size. Small minnows are very effective.
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