Best bluegill lakes in New York
92 New York waters hold bluegill, 88 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.
- Cayuga Lake — 435 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Black Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Skaneateles Lake — 300 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Muscoot Reservoir — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Tomhannock Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Conesus Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Onondaga Lake — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Otisco Lake — 76 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Saratoga Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- West Branch Reservoir — 52 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Butterfield Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Rushford Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Schoharie Reservoir — 132 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Whitney Point Reservoir — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Titicus Reservoir — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- South Bay Lake Champlain — 19 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Honeoye Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Cazenovia Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Goodyear Lake — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Millsite Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- DeRuyter Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Quaker Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lamoka Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Silver Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
…plus 67 more New York waters holding bluegill.
Find the closest bluegill waters to you →
How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See New York waters with public access data
When to fish bluegill in New York
- Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
- Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
- Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
- Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.
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