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286-acre lake near Harrietstown. The lake tops out around 46 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 324 acres of water rimmed by 4.7 miles of bank. Index 1.9 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 18% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 1.1 mi long by 1 mi wide at the broadest reach. The nearest mapped water is Kiwassa Lake, 3 mi to the south.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (44 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. Secondary point is the standout, a point at roughly 24 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (24 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (44 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a feeding flat in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (46 ft) |
Come spring, look for pumpkinseed tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 10 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 18 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 26 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (24 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (44 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring brown trout on Lake Colby hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 14 to 46 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 44 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (24 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (44 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (44 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Lake Colby also holds landlocked salmon (14 to 46 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 8 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 46 ft.
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 Lake Colby specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Lake Colby is about 46 ft (14 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, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, brown trout, landlocked salmon, yellow perch on Lake Colby.
Secondary point is the top-rated area: a point in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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.
Fishing on Lake Colby 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.
Kiwassa Lake 3 mi · Lower Saranac Lake 4 mi · Oseetah Lake 4 mi · First Pond 4 mi · Second Pond 4 mi · Lake Clear 5 mi · Pine Pond 5 mi · Weller Pond 7 mi · Spitfire Lake 8 mi · Middle Saranac Lake 8 mi · Lower St. Regis Lake 8 mi · St. Regis Pond 9 mi
See how Lake Colby stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New York · best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best rainbow trout 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.