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Best pumpkinseed lakes in New York

137 New York waters hold pumpkinseed, 137 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 brilliant little sunfish of weedy northern bays — a snail-crunching shallow-water resident that outnumbers bluegill across the east and Canada.

1. Cayuga Lake — 435 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Great Sacandaga Lake — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
3. Keuka Lake — 187 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Skaneateles Lake — 300 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
5. Indian Lake — 88 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Tupper Lake — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Schroon Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
8. Raquette Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Brant Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Piseco Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brown TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Tomhannock Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. Forked Lake — 74 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
14. Onondaga Lake — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Union Falls Flow — 25 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, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Otisco Lake — 76 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Lower Saranac Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
18. Saratoga Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Chazy Lake — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Lower Chateaugay Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Upper Chateaugay Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Canadarago Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow PerchWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Paradox Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Rushford Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Newcomb Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Pumpkinseed, Brown BullheadWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 112 more New York waters holding pumpkinseed.

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When to fish pumpkinseed in New York

• Spring 1–8 ft — Spawning colonies carpet warm, protected bays — small baits dropped on the beds get instant attention.
• Summer 2–10 ft — Docks, pads and weed flats — pumpkinseeds hold tighter to vegetation than bluegill and love snails and nymphs.
• Fall 4–14 ft — Schools tighten on the last green weeds — find healthy cabbage near a drop and the school is there.
• Winter 6–18 ft — A staple ice panfish — soft-bottom flats just outside the deepest green weeds; downsize and watch for lift bites.

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 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 brown bullhead lakes · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes · best bluefish lakes · best black sea bass lakes · best tautog (blackfish) lakes

Pumpkinseed elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · Montana · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Connecticut · Rhode Island