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290-acre lake near Mina. The lake tops out around 35 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Findley Lake draws 313 acres inside 5.8 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 2.3, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 39% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 2 mi end to end and 0.6 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Chautauqua County. For a second option, Chautauqua Lake lies 16 mi east.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for winter largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (30 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: white perch sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 11 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 11 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 35 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft | dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 11 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (35 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | dusk | Deep basin (35 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Spring yellow perch on Findley Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 35 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (35 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 35 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (35 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 1 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, pumpkinseed slide up into 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 1 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Dock / pier line (2 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Count 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 35 ft.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2025* | Muskellunge | 1,450 | ~8.3" |
| October 2024* | Muskellunge | 1,450 | ~8.6" |
* 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 Findley Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Findley Lake is about 35 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, white perch, yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Findley Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For largemouth 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, Findley Lake was most recently stocked October 2025 with 1,450 muskellunge. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Findley 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.
Chautauqua Lake 16 mi · Lake Erie - Presque Isle Bay 20 mi, PA · Bear Lake 24 mi · Lower Cassadaga Lake 27 mi · Upper Cassadaga Lake 27 mi · Lake Erie - Eastern Basin 32 mi, PA/NY/ON · Allegheny River 39 mi, PA · Allegheny Reservoir 42 mi, PA/NY · New Albion Lake 44 mi · Quaker Lake 44 mi · Conneaut Lake 45 mi, PA · Lake Erie - Central Basin East 45 mi, OH/PA/ON
See how Findley Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New York · best crappie lakes in New York · best bluegill lakes in New York · best yellow perch 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. 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.