Forked Lake is located just outside of the Hamlet of Deerland, which is at the south end of Long Lake. Forked Lake is primarily a warm water fishery, but it has some cold water opportunities. This lake is shaped like a "Y." All three tips of the lake are shallow and provide for excellent sunfish and bass fishing.
Physical Features:
Elevation: 1,743 Feet
Area: 1,248 Acres
Shoreline Length: 21.3 miles
Max Depth: 74 Feet
County and Town: Hamilton County, Town of Long Lake
Access:
There is access on the eastern arm of the lake at the Forked Lake campground off of the North Point Road. The campground is located 3 miles west of the Hamlet of Deerland. This site is a beach launch and can hold 40 cars and trailers. The western arm of the lake has a large, paved launch which is located just past the Raquette River Bridge on the North Point Road. A portion of the north arm of Forked Lake is privately-owned and marked off by a buoy line. It is illegal to fish in the private portion of the lake without landowner permission.
For more information on this launch including Google Maps driving directions, visit the Boat Launch Sites for Hamilton County page.
Fish Species:
Brook trout, lake trout, yellow perch, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, rainbow smelt, redbreast sunfish and pumpkinseed.
Fishing:
Forked Lake is a top fishing water in Hamilton County for largemouth and smallmouth bass. The 3 tips of the lake are shallow and provides for excellent warm water fishing. The southern end of the lake has the best habitat for smallies. The center of the lake is a deep pocket of water, which is where most trout and salmon are caught. Trout and salmon are not stocked in Forked Lake, but migrate over from Raquette Lake.
Ice Fishing:
Permitted.
