Photo by J. Michael Kelly.

What's not to like about pike?

Northerns smack surface lures and shallow-running stickbaits with reckless abandon. They put up a great fight on light tackle, and they can grow to be as long as a canoe paddle.

Whether you yearn for a couple of small pike to fry, or a big one to cover that blank space on your den wall, July is the month to make your dreams come true in New York.

Northerns feed all summer in hundreds of the Empire State's rivers, lakes and ponds. But the following five fishing holes are especially worth visiting in the next few weeks:

SILVER LAKE
Joe Evans is a New York Department of Environmental Conservation Region 9 biologist. He touts Silver Lake in Wyoming County as the best place in the state to catch large numbers of pike.

"It's not really known for big ones," Evans said, "although every once in a while, somebody fishing Silver Lake will catch a fish in the 40-inch class, which would be 10 to 15 pounds.

"But if you're a knowledgeable fisherman, you can catch a bunch of pike there, with most of them running between 18 and 30 inches."

A small body of water, Silver Lake covers approximately 761 acres and 40 feet down at its deepest, and receives fairly heavy fishing pressure. Not all of its anglers are after northerns -- the lake also holds ample numbers of walleyes, bass and panfish. But if you want a bit of privacy while you fish, Evans suggests that you try Silver Lake early on a weekday morning.

Fish a large shiner or troll with your favorite stickbait along the outer edges of the weeds that ring the lake to a depth of about 12 or 15 feet.

To reach Silver Lake, take the Thruway to the Batavia exit, and then go southeast on Route 63. Just before the Genesee-Wyoming county line, turn right onto Route 246, which leads to the village of Perry. The lake is about half a mile west of there. The state park on the south end of the lake has a serviceable launch ramp.

Anglers can download a contour map of Silver Lake from the DEC's Web site at www.dec.ny.gov. Click on "Fishing," and then look for the heading "Lake contour maps" on the screen. Lakes are listed by county.

For information on lodging in Wyoming County, try the county tourism unit at (716) 493-3190. Camping is also available at Letchworth State Park, which lies a few miles east of Silver Lake.

The park's phone number is (716) 493-3600.

SENECA LAKE
The public pier at Watkins Glen, in the southwest corner of Seneca Lake, is a year-round pike hotspot.