Best walleye lakes in New York
28 New York waters hold walleye, 24 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.
- Lake Erie — Eastern Basin — 205 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Lake Champlain — 392 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Great Sacandaga Lake — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Lake Ontario — Niagara Bar and Western Shore — 584 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Chinook Salmon
- Seneca Lake — 700 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Lake Ontario — Henderson Harbor and Golden Crescent — 234 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Skaneateles Lake — 300 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
- Canandaigua Lake — 250 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Owasco Lake — 177 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Tupper Lake — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
- Otsego Lake — 166 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill
- Brant Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Otisco Lake — 76 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Conesus Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Saratoga Lake — 95 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Cross Lake — 66 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Cazenovia Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Honeoye Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Cossayuna Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Cuba Lake — 44 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- East Branch Reservoir — 64 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Common Carp
- Waneta Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Goodyear Lake — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Boyd Corners Reservoir — 43 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch
- Diverting Reservoir — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
…plus 3 more New York waters holding walleye.
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 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
Walleye elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · Montana · Wyoming · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Nebraska · Ohio · Utah · Colorado · South Dakota · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Arizona · Illinois · Kansas · Oklahoma · Tennessee · Missouri · Manitoba · Alberta · Georgia · Vermont · West Virginia · Pennsylvania