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426-acre lake near Piercefield. The lake tops out around 10 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The drawn water covers 396 acres wrapped in 4.4 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.2 mi with a 1.1-mi widest point. Its nearest charted neighbour, Trout Pond, is 3 mi to the southwest.
Early season muskellunge use the shallows, holding in 3 to 10 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 10 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 10 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 3 to 10 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 10 ft through summer, 3 to 10 ft in winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for brook trout tight to the bank in 1 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 10 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 1 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Horseshoe Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 10 ft.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2025* | Brook Trout | 4,000 | ~4.4" |
| September 2025* | Brook Trout | 150 | ~4.1" |
| September 2024* | Brook Trout | 4,000 | ~4.5" |
| September 2024* | Brook Trout | 150 | ~4.5" |
| June 2024* | Walleye | 8,500 | ~1.7" |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: NYSDEC fish-stocking lists, retrieved 2026-09-23.
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 Horseshoe Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Horseshoe Lake is about 10 ft (3 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 muskellunge, walleye, brook trout on Horseshoe Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for muskellunge in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For muskellunge, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. 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, Horseshoe Lake was most recently stocked September 2025 with 4,000 brook trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Horseshoe 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.
Trout Pond 3 mi · Tupper Lake 6 mi · Piercefield Flow 8 mi · Massawepie Lake 9 mi · Little Simer Pond 9 mi · Lake Lila 11 mi · Cranberry Lake 12 mi · Lake Eaton 13 mi · Long Lake 14 mi · Forked Lake 16 mi · Rollins Pond 16 mi · Whey Pond 17 mi
See how Horseshoe Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in New York · best muskellunge lakes in New York · best brook trout lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps. 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.