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147-acre reservoir near Schaghticoke. 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Schaghticoke Reservoir draws 120 acres inside 4.4 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.9) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.1 mi with a 0.7-mi widest point. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Tomhannock Reservoir, 4 mi south of here.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 12 ft range, prime in winter. 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 (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. 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 (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 15 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come fall. 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 (1 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) |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 1 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring pumpkinseed on Schaghticoke Reservoir hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 1 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Schaghticoke Reservoir also holds common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), rock bass (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 5 structure features on Schaghticoke Reservoir; the deepest is Deep basin at about 15 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 Schaghticoke Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Schaghticoke Reservoir 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.
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, common carp, rock bass on Schaghticoke Reservoir.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in winter. 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 Schaghticoke Reservoir 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.
Tomhannock Reservoir 4 mi · Shaver Pond 10 mi · Dunham Reservoir 11 mi · Saratoga Lake 12 mi · Snyders Lake 16 mi · Lake Lauderdale 17 mi · Glass Lake 19 mi · Collins Lake 19 mi · Crooked Lake 20 mi · Cossayuna Lake 23 mi · Moreau Lake 24 mi · Tsatsawassa Lake 25 mi
See how Schaghticoke Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New York · best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best crappie lakes in New York · best bluegill 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.