Best channel catfish lakes in New York
19 New York waters hold channel catfish, 15 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. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.
- Lake Erie — Eastern Basin — 205 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
- Cayuga Lake — 435 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lake Champlain — South Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Pepacton Reservoir — 182 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Cross Lake — 66 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Hudson River - Kingston to Catskill — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Whitney Point Reservoir — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- St. Lawrence River — Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay — 171 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Hudson River - Haverstraw Bay to Newburgh — 196 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 6 carry-in or shore-oriented
- South Bay Lake Champlain — 19 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Hudson River - Tappan Zee to Haverstraw Bay — 46 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel CatfishWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Hudson River - Newburgh to Poughkeepsie — 98 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Hudson River - Yonkers to Tappan Zee — 59 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel CatfishWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston — 136 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lake Como — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Long Pond — 53 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Harlem River — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Little Simer Pond — 114 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Anawana Lake — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
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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 channel catfish in New York
- Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
- Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
- Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
- Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.
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 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 chain pickerel 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
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