← New York fishing maps

Best walleye lakes in New York

83 New York waters hold walleye, 79 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. Low-light predator with reflective eyes. Feeds on structure edges at dawn, dusk and night.

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 — Niagara Bar and Western Shore — 584 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Chinook SalmonWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Lake Ontario — Henderson Harbor and Golden Crescent — 234 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
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. Black Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Skaneateles Lake — 300 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
9. Canandaigua Lake — 250 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
10. Allegheny Reservoir — 180 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
11. Owasco Lake — 177 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Oneida Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Tupper Lake — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Chautauqua Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
15. Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Carry Falls Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Brant Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Tomhannock Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Conesus Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Onondaga Lake — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Union Falls Flow — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Otisco Lake — 76 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Delta Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Cross Lake — 66 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Saratoga Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 58 more New York waters holding walleye.

Find the closest walleye waters to you →

When to fish walleye in New York

• Spring 4–15 ft — Spawning runs to gravel shoals, rocky shorelines and inflows.
• Summer 15–35 ft — Deep humps and breaklines by day; edges and flats in low light.
• Fall 12–40 ft — Fish steep structure near deep basins; big fish move shallow at night.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Deep basin flats and humps; short dawn/dusk feeding windows.

Also in New York: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass 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

Walleye elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Montana · Saskatchewan · Wyoming · Indiana · North Dakota · Iowa · Texas · Ohio · Alberta · Connecticut · Nebraska · Missouri · Vermont · Oklahoma · South Dakota · Utah · Arizona · Colorado · Illinois · New Mexico · Kansas · West Virginia · New Jersey · Kentucky · Tennessee · Georgia · North Carolina · Manitoba · Virginia · Pennsylvania · Arkansas · Maryland