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Fishing Arctic Lake: what the data says
60-acre lake near Sanford. The lake tops out around 33 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The drawn water covers 53 acres wrapped in 1.4 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. About 39% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Arctic Lake
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is a 8 to 30 ft game here, winter a 7 to 33 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 33 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Arctic Lake
Spring largemouth bass on Arctic Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 33 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Yellow Perch fishing at Arctic Lake
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 33 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (33 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (33 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Pumpkinseed fishing at Arctic Lake
In spring, pumpkinseed run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 6 to 18 ft for winter. Spring pumpkinseed concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 2 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Brown Bullhead fishing at Arctic Lake
Early season brown bullhead use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 3 to 12 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (33 ft) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 33 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 20 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 10 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Arctic Lake stocking report
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | Rainbow Trout | 2,600 | ~8" |
| April 2025* | Rainbow Trout | 2,620 | ~10.2" |
| April 2024* | Rainbow Trout | 2,620 | ~9.6" |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: NYSDEC fish-stocking lists, retrieved 2026-07-29.
Arctic Lake fishing regulations
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New York waters are set by the New York DEC — and special regulations can apply to Arctic Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Arctic Lake?
Arctic Lake is about 33 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Arctic Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Arctic Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Arctic Lake?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Arctic Lake?
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Is Arctic Lake stocked with fish?
Yes — per NYSDEC fish-stocking lists records, Arctic Lake was most recently stocked 2026 with 2,600 rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
What are the fishing regulations for Arctic Lake?
Fishing on Arctic Lake is regulated by the New York DEC. Check the official New York regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Nearby waters
Cannonsville Reservoir 9 mi · Delaware River (Upper) 26 mi, NY/PA · Pepacton Reservoir 31 mi · Beaverkill 32 mi · Goodyear Lake 33 mi · Arnold Lake 37 mi · Alder Lake 39 mi · Lake Huntington 41 mi · Neversink Reservoir 46 mi · White Lake 46 mi · Otsego Lake 48 mi · Canadarago Lake 49 mi
See how Arctic Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New York · best rainbow trout lakes in New York · best yellow perch lakes in New York · best pumpkinseed lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.