Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
120-acre lake near Berne. The lake tops out around 60 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Traced from the shoreline, Thompsons Lake runs 129 acres with 2.4 miles of edge. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. About 18% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.9 mi with a 0.3-mi widest point. The water lies in Albany County. For a second option, Warners Lake lies 3 mi southwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown bullhead in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 12 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Back-bay flat, a feeding flat in the 4 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (60 ft) |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (57 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (57 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season chain pickerel use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 18 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Early season brown trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 25 to 60 ft game here, winter a 5 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 57 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (57 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (38 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (57 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
When the water first warms, pumpkinseed slide up into 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a feeding flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, rock bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 38 ft that scores good in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Keep a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (38 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (57 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (60 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Thompsons Lake also holds rainbow trout (8 to 30 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 5 structure features on Thompsons Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 60 ft.
Access data: New York State DEC — Boat Launches (FishNY). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | Brown Trout | 2,340 | ~8" |
| June 2025* | Rainbow Trout | 10,000 | ~4.2" |
| April 2025* | Brown Trout | 540 | ~9.4" |
| April 2025* | Brown Trout | 1,780 | ~9.4" |
| November 2024* | Rainbow Trout | 3,370 | ~6" |
| April 2024* | Brown Trout | 550 | — |
| April 2024* | Brown Trout | 1,820 | ~9.4" |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: NYSDEC fish-stocking lists, retrieved 2026-09-03.
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 Thompsons Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Thompsons Lake is about 60 ft (18 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target brown bullhead, largemouth bass, chain pickerel, brown trout, pumpkinseed, rock bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass on Thompsons Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 57 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brown bullhead, the summer bite is best in after dark 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.
Yes — per NYSDEC fish-stocking lists records, Thompsons Lake was most recently stocked 2026 with 2,340 brown trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Thompsons 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.
Warners Lake 3 mi · Basic Creek Reservoir 11 mi · Collins Lake 13 mi · Snyders Lake 21 mi · Kinderhook Lake 24 mi · Glass Lake 26 mi · Crooked Lake 26 mi · Tsatsawassa Lake 28 mi · Tomhannock Reservoir 28 mi · Schoharie Reservoir 28 mi · Schaghticoke Reservoir 29 mi · Dunham Reservoir 30 mi
See how Thompsons Lake 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: published agency survey data. 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.