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A bounded 25 km reach of the Thousand Islands navigation corridor from Alexandria Bay toward Chippewa Bay, using charted NOAA ENC soundings. The river tops out around 171 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings, 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.
Traced from the shoreline, St. Lawrence River - Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay runs 9,299 acres with 28.3 miles of edge. Index 2.1 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. 52% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 10 mi end to end and 9.8 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Butterfield Lake, 6 mi to the southeast.
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Spring smallmouth bass concentrate at Channel current seam (mile 2.5), a prime-rated current seam around 4 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 | Channel current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) (30 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) — creek channel, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is 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-channel hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) (30 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) (30 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Fall northern pike concentrate at Channel current seam (mile 9.9), a prime-rated current seam around 10 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: muskellunge in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Slackwater eddy (mile 4.3), an eddy pocket in the 11 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.3) (11 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.3) (11 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.3) (11 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) (30 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Spring yellow perch on St. Lawrence River - Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Slackwater eddy (mile 4.3) — eddy pocket, 11 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.3) (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.3) (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.3) (11 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Channel current seam (mile 9.9), a current seam in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (10 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
St. Lawrence River - Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay also holds channel catfish (8 to 25 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.
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Channel bar / point (mile 6.2) at roughly 45 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 St. Lawrence River - Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
St. Lawrence River - Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay is about 171 ft (52 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, yellow perch, rainbow trout, channel catfish, common carp on St. Lawrence River - Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay.
Channel current seam (mile 9.9) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth 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 St. Lawrence River - Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay 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.
Butterfield Lake 6 mi · Mud Lake 7 mi · Lake of the Woods 8 mi · Millsite Lake 8 mi · Clear Lake 8 mi · Crystal Lake 9 mi · Sixberry Lake 9 mi · Red Lake 10 mi · Basin Lake 11 mi, ON · Hyde Lake 11 mi · Moon Lake 11 mi · Pleasant Lake 12 mi
See how St. Lawrence River - Alexandria Bay to Chippewa Bay stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best walleye lakes in New York · best northern pike lakes in New York · best channel catfish lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA hydrographic surveys. 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.