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840-acre lake near Schroon. The lake tops out around 55 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 887 acres of water rimmed by 12.5 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 41% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 3.8 mi with a 0.9-mi widest point. You'll find it in Essex County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Eagle Lake, 5 mi east of here.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 17 to 55 ft before dropping to 14 to 55 ft for winter. Summer lake trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 52 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (10 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 17 to 55 ft | dawn | Deep basin (52 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (10 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 14 to 55 ft | dawn | Deep basin (52 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Secondary point, a point in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (31 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (31 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | Secondary point (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (31 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| 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 (13 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 |
Come spring, look for chain pickerel tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 3 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (31 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Paradox Lake also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), cisco (lake herring) (17 to 55 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
11 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 52 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | Rainbow Trout | 5,510 | ~8" |
| June 2025* | Rainbow Trout | 1,590 | ~10" |
| April 2025* | Rainbow Trout | 5,560 | ~8.8" |
| April 2025* | Lake Trout | 1,610 | ~6.8" |
| April 2025* | Landlocked Salmon | 520 | ~7.4" |
| November 2024* | Landlocked Salmon | 130 | ~18" |
| May 2024* | Landlocked Salmon | 500 | ~7.2" |
| April 2024* | Lake Trout | 1,350 | ~6.8" |
* 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 Paradox Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Paradox Lake is about 55 ft (17 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 lake trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, chain pickerel, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, cisco (lake herring) on Paradox Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 52 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For lake trout, the summer bite is best in 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, Paradox Lake was most recently stocked 2026 with 5,510 rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Paradox 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.
Eagle Lake 5 mi · Pharaoh Lake 6 mi · Putnam Pond 7 mi · Schroon Lake 8 mi · Brant Lake 12 mi · Jabe Pond 15 mi · Loon Lake 16 mi · Lake Champlain - South Lake 17 mi, NY/VT · Lake George 19 mi · Sunset Lake 23 mi, VT · Sunrise Lake 23 mi, VT · Newcomb Lake 23 mi
See how Paradox Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New York · best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best northern pike lakes in New York · best yellow perch lakes in New York
More water nearby: Essex County fishing maps (9 charts). 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.