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Best muskellunge lakes in New York

26 New York waters list muskellunge (official records or labelled estimates), 25 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The fish of 10,000 casts. Apex predator that shadows weed edges, rock and open-water bait schools.

1. Lake Erie — Eastern Basin — 205 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
2. Chautauqua Lake — 75 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
3. Allegheny Reservoir — 180 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
4. Tupper Lake — 85 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, MuskellungeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Otisco Lake — 76 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Canadarago Lake — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, MuskellungeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. St. Lawrence River — Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay — 171 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. Cossayuna Lake — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Loon Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Lake Durant — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Yellow Perch, PumpkinseedWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Horseshoe Lake — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Muskellunge, Brook TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Moon Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Hyde Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Jamesville Reservoir — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Rockland Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, White PerchWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Lake Ronkonkoma — 66 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Waneta Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Chenango Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Upper Cassadaga Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Stissing Pond — 65 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Muskellunge, Yellow PerchWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Lake Como — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Findley Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, MuskellungeWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Payne Lake — 15 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Lime Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
25. Bear Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 1 more New York waters holding muskellunge.

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When to fish muskellunge in New York

• Spring 3–12 ft — Post-spawn fish recover in shallow, warming bays — smaller baits, slower work.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep weedlines, rock points and open-water humps near bait schools.
• Fall 8–30 ft — The trophy season: big baits worked slow on steep rock and remaining green weeds.
• Winter 15–35 ft — Mostly dormant; deep basins adjacent to structure.

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