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Best chain pickerel lakes in New York

84 New York waters hold chain pickerel, 84 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 eastern esox — a lie-in-wait weed-bed assassin that bites all year, including through the ice.

1. 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
2. Great Sacandaga Lake — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
3. 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
4. Schroon Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
5. Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Brant Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Piseco Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brown TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Saratoga Lake — 95 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
9. Swinging Bridge Reservoir — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow PerchWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Lake Pleasant — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Canadarago Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow PerchWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Paradox Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Sacandaga Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Whitney Point Reservoir — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Toronto Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Chain PickerelWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Canada Lake — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Chain PickerelWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
17. Eagle Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Goodyear Lake — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Mahopac Lake — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Brown Trout, Chain PickerelWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. DeRuyter Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Lake Sebago — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Glen Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow PerchWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Lamoka Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Eaton Brook Reservoir — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Lake Taghkanic — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 59 more New York waters holding chain pickerel.

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When to fish chain pickerel in New York

• Spring 2–10 ft — Early spawner: post-spawn fish prowl warming, weedy bays and eat everything that moves.
• Summer 3–15 ft — Classic ambush game: weed edges, pad fields and dock shade — flashy, steady retrieves.
• Fall 4–15 ft — Feeding hard around the last green weeds as water cools.
• Winter 5–18 ft — One of ice fishing's most reliable biters — shiners on tip-ups over weed flats.

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 muskellunge lakes · best striped bass lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best splake lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes · best bluefish lakes · best black sea bass lakes · best tautog (blackfish) lakes

Chain Pickerel elsewhere: Québec · Maine · New Hampshire · Massachusetts · New Brunswick · Connecticut · Vermont · Nova Scotia · New Jersey · Delaware · Rhode Island