Owasco is the fourth largest of the Finger Lakes at 6,665 surface acres, but pike anglers can confine their casts and trolling runs to a few locations. One logical place to hunt for July lunkers would be the dark water off Indian Cove, just beyond those south-shore weedbeds. Another good spot is off Burtis Point, at the mouth of Dutch Hollow Brook about three miles down the east shore from the north end of the lake.

The city of Auburn straddles U.S. routes 5 and 20 at Owasco's north end. Route 38 parallels the west shore, while Route 38A and Rockefeller Road overlook the east side of the lake. Emerson Park, on the lake's outlet, has a serviceable boat launch, but anglers who wish to explore the Indian Cove area could best do so by shoving off from one of the private marinas at Cascade in the lake's southwest corner.

Anglers are reminded that the minimum creel length for Owasco pike is 22 inches.

Information on Auburn-area accommodations is available from the Cayuga County Tourism office at (800) 499-9615.

SANDY POND
A 2,400-acre bay on Lake Ontario's Oswego County shore, Sandy Pond has a mean depth of 8 feet and a maximum depth of just 13 feet. Weedy from end to end, it's perfect habitat for northern pike and the panfish they love to eat. A run-of-the mill pike in Sandy Pond is a 5-pounder, but 15-pounders are caught annually. In July, the biggest pike will be in the deepest part of the bay, or tucked under weed mats or deadfalls in areas where boat traffic is relatively light.

To get to Sandy Pond from the Syracuse area, take Interstate 81 north to Exit 36 in Pulaski. Follow Route 13 west to Port Ontario, turn right onto Route 3 and go north about five miles to Route 15 or, a bit farther on, to Seber Shores Drive. Either left turn will take you to several private marinas where visiting boaters may launch for a modest fee.

For lodging information, call the Oswego County Tourism office at (315) 349-8322.

SIXTOWN POND
Here's a bit of a sleeper, but it won't interest readers whose primary interest is a trophy-class northern. Sixtown Pond in Jefferson County doesn't grow many whoppers, but if you're one of those anglers who enjoy hooking lots of medium-sized pike in relative solitude, it could be just the retreat you've been looking for.

Shown on some maps as Crystal Lake, Sixtown Pond is off Route 178 about six miles west of the Adams exit on Interstate 81. It covers a mere 173 surface acres, and most of its anglers are local residents.

Frank Flack, the DEC's Region 6 fisheries manager, said it is fished harder through the ice than during the summer months. Tourists tend to hurry past it on their way to the 1,000 Islands or Henderson Harbor.

Sixtown holds many 2- to 6-pound pike and a few up to 9 or 10 pounds. The minimum creel length is 18 inches.

A one-quarter-mile access road leads from Route 178 to the pond. Look for the large DEC sign on the right while heading west. At the end of the access road, there's a small, ledge-rock launching area suitable for canoes and small, trailered craft.

The DEC office in Watertown at (315) 785-2261 can supply a basic map of Sixtown Pond to anglers. For information on lodging near Sixtown Pond, contact the 1,000 Islands Chamber of Commerce at (800) 8-ISLAND.

1,000 ISLANDS
Old-timers claim the pike fishing in the 1,000 Islands region of the upper St. Lawrence River isn't what it used to be, yet a good ice-fisherman will have no problem catching several nice fish per outing in Eel Bay, Chippewa Bay and other areas where northerns stage prior to their spring spawning run.