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Best lake trout lakes in New York

58 New York waters hold lake trout, 56 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. Deep, cold and long-lived. Below 50°F water year-round — shallow at ice-out and on fall spawning reefs.

1. 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
2. Lake Ontario — Oswego and Mexico Bay — 630 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Lake TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Lake Champlain — 392 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 15 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Lake Ontario — Niagara Bar and Western Shore — 584 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Chinook SalmonWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Lake Ontario — Rochester Shore — 723 ft max · survey depth data · Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Lake TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Cayuga Lake — 435 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Seneca Lake — 618 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
8. Keuka Lake — 187 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Lake George — 187 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
10. Skaneateles Lake — 300 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
11. Canandaigua Lake — 250 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
12. Owasco Lake — 177 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Indian Lake — 88 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Tupper Lake — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Schroon Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
16. Raquette Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Rondout Reservoir — 170 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Upper Saranac Lake — 92 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Piseco Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brown TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Forked Lake — 74 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Fourth Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Landlocked SalmonWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Kensico Reservoir — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Hemlock Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
25. Lake Placid — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 33 more New York waters holding lake trout.

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When to fish lake trout in New York

• Spring 10–40 ft — The brief shallow window: post-ice-out lakers roam rock shoals and points where anyone can reach them.
• Summer 50–120 ft — Below the thermocline in sub-50°F water — deep humps and basin edges near bait (smelt, cisco, alewife).
• Fall 10–50 ft — Turnover puts lakers on shallow rock reefs to spawn — big fish shallow, best late in the day.
• Winter 20–80 ft — One of the best ice targets — cold water is their comfort zone; they roam basin edges and humps all winter.

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 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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