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Best freshwater drum lakes in New York

7 New York waters hold freshwater drum, 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. The hardest-pulling fish nobody brags about. Roams current seams and mussel beds — bites all day.

1. Cayuga Lake — 435 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
2. Hudson River - Kingston to Catskill — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
3. Hudson River - Haverstraw Bay to Newburgh — 196 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
4. Hudson River - Tappan Zee to Haverstraw Bay — 46 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish
5. Hudson River - Newburgh to Poughkeepsie — 98 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
6. Hudson River - Yonkers to Tappan Zee — 59 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish
7. Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston — 136 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike

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When to fish freshwater drum in New York

• Spring 5–20 ft — Big spring runs into current — gravel bars and creek mouths.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Channel edges and mussel beds; drum feed by ear — a dragging bait gets found.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Schools slide toward deep holes; slow bottom presentations.
• Winter 15–45 ft — Deep and slow.

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 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

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