New York's Peaceful Lake Ontario Village In The Golden Crescent Is A Fishing And Boating Paradise

Try to find Chaumont on a map. Take your time, it isn't easy. Nor is it a trick question. The little village is tucked away in the Golden Crescent of New York's Thousand Islands region, a peaceful spot along Lake Ontario that's a haven for boaters and fishermen.

This beautiful area, where the Chaumont River flows into Chaumont Bay, was originally the Iroquois people's land. They fought the French over the Thousand Islands region during the 17th century, including the waters surrounding the Point Peninsula and Stony Island. More than a century later, in 1801, a permanent settlement began to take shape that would eventually become Chaumont, named in honor of Jacque LeRay de Chaumont, a Frenchman who aided the American colonists in their quest for independence. Chaumont, which was incorporated into the larger town of Lyme, is now home to around 600 people. It's quiet and serene in this tiny village, offering visitors a chance to escape the hustle of daily life and enjoy some time out on the water.

Chaumont is just a quick drive, about 8 miles, from Watertown International Airport (ART). However, the small airport only receives nonstop flights from Philadelphia. For more options, check out Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR). Though the larger airport is more than 70 miles away, you can fly there from cities all across the country. It's then an easy drive, up I-81, a major highway in Western New York, to the Thousand Islands, a castle-topped island region with dazzling river views.

The Golden Crescent — the area around Chaumont and neighboring Three Mile Bay — is the biggest freshwater bay in the entire world. So it's an area that's best explored by watercraft. If you have your own boat, you can access it using the town's public boat ramp. You can do this at the nearby Chaumont Bay Marina, too. In addition to a boat launch, it offers a full range of boat services, including rentals, repairs, slips, and storage. It even has a bait-and-tackle shop if you're planning to go fishing. You should be in good hands, since a Yelp member says the marina does "a good job on almost anything that goes in the water." 

Crescent Yacht Club and Guffin Bay Resort & Marina are two other options in Chaumont. Crescent Yacht Club, which has been operating since 1901, welcomes members and visitors to its clubhouse. Its marina, Bearup Marine, services boats and offers repair services right along the water. Then, on the outskirts of town, you'll find Guffin Bay Resort & Marina. It has a pay-to-use boat launch, short- and long-term dockage for both boats and jet skis, and a 16-foot rental boat. The resort also has numerous lodging options. Both the Crescent Yacht Club and Guffin Bay Resort are highly rated on Google.

Once you're out on the water, you'll find small coves, safe anchorages, and stunning views of the villages lining the shoreline. Chaumont Bay is also an ideal place to watch the sunset. This truly is a boater's paradise.

Fishermen love Chaumont Bay just as much as boaters do. The bay's varying water depths, rocky shores, and rocky bottom make it perfect for fish to spawn, according to Guidesly. This diverse ecosystem means that some fishermen will be spinning or jigging, while others troll as they fish. Channel catfish, smallmouth bass, walleye, and yellow perch are regularly caught in these waters. Plus, if the weather isn't cooperating, you can head up the Chaumont River to find calmer conditions.

If fishing isn't your expertise and you want some help finding the best fishing spots, you can hire a guide. Smallmouth Adventures, a veteran-owned company, offers half-day, six-hour, and full-day fishing trips. One Google reviewer recommends it for "a smallmouth trip of a lifetime!" To go fishing in Chaumont Bay, you will need to purchase a fishing license from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. You can apply online, in advance, or in person at numerous locations in Chaumont. You should also consider returning to Chaumont to go ice fishing in the winter. Field & Stream named Chaumont Bay No. 1 on its list of the "10 Best Ice Fishing Lakes in America" this year.

During your time in Chaumont, plan to visit Long Point State Park. The serene camping location with ethereal views is on the Point Peninsula in Chaumont Bay. You also shouldn't miss Alexandria Bay, a wildly charming old-world village to swim, hike, and relax while you are this far north.