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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
198-acre lake near Caroga. The lake tops out around 45 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, East Caroga Lake draws 236 acres inside 5.1 miles of shoreline. A development index of 2.3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 73% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 1.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.8 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Fulton County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: West Caroga Lake, 1 mi northwest of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for chain pickerel tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 3 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Spring puts brown bullhead in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring brown bullhead. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Old creek channel (11 ft) |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring pumpkinseed on East Caroga Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 18 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
East Caroga Lake carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 45 ft down.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | Rainbow Trout | 1,250 | ~8" |
| June 2025* | Rainbow Trout | 1,260 | ~9.1" |
| May 2024* | Rainbow Trout | 1,260 | ~9.6" |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: NYSDEC fish-stocking lists, retrieved 2026-08-18.
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 East Caroga Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
East Caroga Lake is about 45 ft (14 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, brown bullhead, yellow perch, pumpkinseed on East Caroga Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for chain pickerel in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth bass, 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.
Yes — per NYSDEC fish-stocking lists records, East Caroga Lake was most recently stocked 2026 with 1,250 rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on East Caroga 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.
West Caroga Lake 1 mi · Canada Lake 3 mi · Great Sacandaga Lake 17 mi · Jerseyfield Lake 19 mi · Piseco Lake 20 mi · Lake Pleasant 25 mi · Sacandaga Lake 25 mi · Summit Lake 26 mi · Otsego Lake 33 mi · South Lake 33 mi · Canadarago Lake 34 mi · Collins Lake 34 mi
See how East Caroga Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best yellow perch lakes in New York · best chain pickerel lakes in New York · best pumpkinseed lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.