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Best smallmouth bass lakes in New York

53 New York waters hold smallmouth bass, 47 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. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.

1. Lake Erie — Eastern Basin — 205 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
2. Lake Champlain — 392 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
3. Cayuga Lake — 435 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
4. Great Sacandaga Lake — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
5. Lake Ontario — Niagara Bar and Western Shore — 584 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Chinook Salmon
6. Seneca Lake — 700 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
7. Lake Ontario — Henderson Harbor and Golden Crescent — 234 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
8. Keuka Lake — 187 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
9. Lake George — 187 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
10. Lake Champlain — South Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
11. Skaneateles Lake — 300 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
12. Long Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
13. Canandaigua Lake — 250 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
14. Cannonsville Reservoir — 144 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
15. Pepacton Reservoir — 182 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout
16. Owasco Lake — 177 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
17. Indian Lake — 88 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout
18. Tupper Lake — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
19. Schroon Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
20. New Croton Reservoir — 146 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
21. Raquette Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook Trout
22. Ashokan Reservoir — 172 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
23. Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill
24. Rondout Reservoir — 170 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout
25. Muscoot Reservoir — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill

…plus 28 more New York waters holding smallmouth bass.

When to fish smallmouth bass in New York

• Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
• Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.

Also in New York: best largemouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout 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 rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

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