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Best brown trout lakes in New York

15 New York waters hold brown trout, 7 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. Wary, nocturnal-leaning predator. Shorelines and inflows in cold months; the thermocline in summer.

1. Lake Erie — Eastern Basin — 205 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
2. Cayuga Lake — 435 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
3. Lake Ontario — Oswego and Mexico Bay — 630 ft max · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Lake Trout
4. Lake Ontario — Niagara Bar and Western Shore — 584 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Chinook Salmon
5. Lake Ontario — Rochester Shore — 723 ft max · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Lake Trout
6. Keuka Lake — 187 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
7. Owasco Lake — 177 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
8. Indian Lake — 88 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout
9. Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill
10. Meacham Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout
11. Mahopac Lake — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Brown Trout, Chain Pickerel
12. Delaware River (Upper) — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
13. Ausable River (West Branch) — 5 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout
14. Salmon River — 8 ft max · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Brown Trout
15. Niagara River (Lower) — 40 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead

When to fish brown trout in New York

• Spring 3–25 ft — Cold-water browns hug shorelines, river mouths and mud lines — often in a few feet of water early and late.
• Summer 25–60 ft — Browns sit at the thermocline by day and slide shallow after dark — the night troll takes the giants.
• Fall 5–30 ft — Spawn-run browns stage off tributaries and gravel shorelines, aggressive and territorial.
• Winter 5–35 ft — Browns feed all winter — nearshore when bait is in, deeper breaks otherwise.

Also in New York: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best chain pickerel lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

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