Best brook trout lakes in New York
36 New York waters hold brook trout, 34 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 native char of cold ponds and streams. Needs the coldest, cleanest water in the lake.
- Long Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Cranberry Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Raquette Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Forked Lake — 74 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Woodhull Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, SplakeWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Chazy Lake — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lower Chateaugay Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Newcomb Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Pumpkinseed, Brown BullheadWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- South Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Brook Trout, Brown BullheadWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Pharaoh Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Rock Bass, PumpkinseedWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Beaverkill — 6 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- St. Regis Pond — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Splake, PumpkinseedWhy #12: 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 #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Trout Pond — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Brown BullheadWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Lake Lila — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Horseshoe Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Muskellunge, Brook TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Nicks Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Jabe Pond — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Whey Pond — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown BullheadWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Clear Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Brook TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Moose Pond — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Moss Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Yellow Perch, Brook Trout, Brown BullheadWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lower Browns Tract Pond — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Brook Trout, Pumpkinseed, Brown BullheadWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Wolf Pond — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Brook Trout, Pumpkinseed, Brown BullheadWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Clear Pond — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon, SplakeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
…plus 11 more New York waters holding brook trout.
Find the closest brook trout 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 brook trout in New York
- Spring 2–15 ft — Ice-out scatters brookies along shorelines and inflow mouths, feeding on the first insect activity.
- Summer 10–30 ft — Brookies hold where the coldest water is — spring holes, deep basin edges and inflow plumes.
- Fall 2–15 ft — Fall is the show: brilliant spawning colors on gravel shoals and inflow gravel.
- Winter 3–20 ft — A classic ice-fishing target — active all winter in shallow to mid-depth water.
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