Francis Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (NY)

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Francis Lake

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Fishing Francis Lake: what the data says

137-acre lake near Watson. The lake tops out around 15 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.

The outline encloses 144 acres, worked by 4.1 miles of shoreline. A development index of 2.4 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Call it 0.7 mi long by 0.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. If the bite dies, Soft Maple Reservoir is 5 mi to the northwest.

Chain Pickerel fishing at Francis Lake

Start shallow in spring: chain pickerel sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for chain pickerel in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white)
Summer	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait
Winter	4 to 15 ft	dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Jigging spoon (through ice)

Yellow Perch fishing at Francis Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	5 to 15 ft	dawn	Deep basin (15 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	5 to 15 ft	midday	Deep basin (15 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (15 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Brown Bullhead fishing at Francis Lake

Come spring, look for brown bullhead tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 3 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 15 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dusk & night	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)
Summer	3 to 12 ft	night & dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)
Fall	5 to 15 ft	dusk	Deep basin (15 ft)
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Deep basin (15 ft)

Notable structure

Francis Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 15 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 15 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 4 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft

Francis 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 Francis Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official New York fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Francis Lake?

Francis Lake is about 15 ft (5 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 Francis Lake?

Anglers target chain pickerel, yellow perch, brown bullhead on Francis Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Francis Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for chain pickerel in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Francis Lake?

For chain pickerel, 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Francis Lake?

Fishing on Francis 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

Soft Maple Reservoir 5 mi · Stony Lake 6 mi · Effley Falls Pond 6 mi · Long Pond 9 mi · Brantingham Lake 12 mi · Salmon Lake 13 mi · Twitchell Lake 14 mi · Wolf Pond 15 mi · Nicks Lake 15 mi · Clear Lake 15 mi · Moss Lake 17 mi · Fourth Lake 18 mi

See how Francis Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in New York · best chain pickerel lakes in New York · best brown bullhead 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.