Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
2,944-acre lake near Syracuse. The lake tops out around 63 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.
Drawn out, this is 2,978 acres of water rimmed by 12.4 miles of bank. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 32% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 3.7 mi with a 3.6-mi widest point. For a second option, Jamesville Reservoir lies 11 mi southeast.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. 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 (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (24 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 16 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (2 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (43 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 24 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (16 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (24 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (24 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (24 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: white perch sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 40 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 50 ft. The spot to know is Shallow feeding flat, a feeding flat in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for white perch in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. 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 (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (43 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Break off the point (43 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown bullhead in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 12 ft before dropping to 10 to 25 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in spring. 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 (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (63 ft) |
Onondaga Lake also holds yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 8 structure features on Onondaga Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 63 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 Onondaga Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Onondaga Lake is about 63 ft (19 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, walleye, northern pike, white perch, brown bullhead, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, bluegill, common carp on Onondaga Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Onondaga 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.
Jamesville Reservoir 11 mi · Green Lake 13 mi · Cross Lake 14 mi · Otisco Lake 16 mi · Oneida Lake 16 mi · Otter Lake 17 mi · Skaneateles Lake 18 mi · Lake Neatahwanta 19 mi · Cazenovia Lake 19 mi · Tully Lake 22 mi · Owasco Lake 23 mi · Duck Lake 24 mi
See how Onondaga Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New York · best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best walleye lakes in New York · best northern pike 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.