← New York fishing maps

Best largemouth bass lakes in New York

209 New York waters hold largemouth bass, 202 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. Ambush predator that relates to cover — weeds, timber, docks — and moves shallow to feed.

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 Champlain — 392 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 15 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Lake Ontario — Henderson Harbor and Golden Crescent — 234 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
4. Cayuga Lake — 435 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Great Sacandaga Lake — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
6. Seneca Lake — 618 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
7. Keuka Lake — 187 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Black Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #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. Lake Champlain — South Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Long Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Canandaigua Lake — 250 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
13. Pepacton Reservoir — 182 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
14. Cranberry Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Owasco Lake — 177 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Oneida Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Chautauqua Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
18. Schroon Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
19. New Croton Reservoir — 146 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Common CarpWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Muscoot Reservoir — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Upper Saranac Lake — 92 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Brant Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Tomhannock Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Conesus Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 184 more New York waters holding largemouth bass.

Find the closest largemouth bass waters to you →

When to fish largemouth bass in New York

• Spring 2–10 ft — Pre-spawn through spawn: target shallow flats, pockets and cover near deep access.
• Summer 8–20 ft — Fish the edges: weedlines, drop-offs, and deep cover close to shallow feeding areas.
• Fall 4–15 ft — Follow the baitfish: points and creek channels leading into pockets.
• Winter 15–35 ft — Slow and deep: steep drops and channel bends near wintering basins.

Also in New York: 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 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

Largemouth Bass elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · Montana · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · Florida · Indiana · North Dakota · Iowa · Texas · Ohio · Connecticut · Nebraska · Missouri · Vermont · California · Oklahoma · South Dakota · Utah · Arizona · Colorado · Illinois · New Mexico · Kansas · West Virginia · Mississippi · Idaho · New Jersey · Kentucky · Alabama · Oregon · Tennessee · Puerto Rico · Georgia · North Carolina · Delaware · Nevada · Virginia · Rhode Island · Louisiana · South Carolina · Pennsylvania · Arkansas · Maryland · Hawaii