Finger Lakes
The New York Finger
Lakes are a popular chain of 11 lakes located in the West-Central section of
Upstate New York. The Finger Lakes are situated on the northern edge of
the Appalachian Upland and drain northward to Lake Ontario.
The Finger Lakes
area is also New York's largest wine producing region. Over 100 wineries and
vineyards are centered around Seneca, Cayuga, Canandaigua, and Keuka Lakes.
New
York Finger Lakes
Canandaigua Lake
The
fourth largest Finger Lake. 16 1/2 square mile lake with a max depth of
274 ft. Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Pickerel, Largemouth Bass,
Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, and Bluegill can be caught.
Canandaigua Lake Map
New York Finger Lakes
Seneca Lake
Deepest of the Finger Lakes with a max depth of 618 ft. Lake Trout,
Rainbow Trout, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass can be
caught.
Seneca
Lake Map
New York Finger Lakes
Otisco Lake
Most easterly of the
Finger Lakes, located near Syracuse. 2,200 acres with a max depth of 76
ft. Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Bluegill,
Crappie, Brown Trout, and Tiger Musky can be caught. Walleye fishing is
good during the spring, early summer and fall. Casting from shore, or from the
causeway after dark with stick baits works well for walleye. Tiger Musky
are most often caught in the weedbeds at the north and south ends.
Otisco
Lake Maps
New York Finger Lakes
Cayuga Lake
Longest of the Finger Lakes. 38 miles long and 2 miles wide.
Very deep with a max depth of 435 ft. Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow
Trout, Northern Pike, Pickerel, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass,
Bluegill, and Crappie can be caught. Two state parks; Cayuga Lake State
Park at the northwest end and Taughannock State Park on the southwest side,
provide launch facilities on the lake.
Cayuga
Lake Map
New York Finger Lakes
Keuka Lake
Shaped like a Y and the third largest Finger Lake. 11,584 acres and
max depth of 183 ft. Features good fishing for: Lake Trout, Brown Trout,
Atlantic Salmon, Pickerel, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, and Largemouth
Bass.
Keuka
Lake Maps
New York Finger Lakes
Skaneateles Lake
Highest of the Finger Lakes at 867 ft. above sea level. Lake Trout,
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Pickerel, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth
Bass can be caught. Fish the north and south ends for warm water species
such as pickerel, largemouth bass, walleye, smallmouth bass and panfish. Use
stickbaits and spinnerbaits near the weeds.
Over 13 miles
long with a max depth near 300 ft.
Skaneateles Lake Map
New York Finger Lakes
Owasco Lake
Sixth largest Finger Lake at 17 miles long and 6,600 acres. Lake Trout,
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Northern Pike, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, and
Smallmouth Bass can be caught. Both the south and north ends of the lake
hold smallmouth bass, panfish, northern pike and walleye due to the rocky
structure. You can fish for trout all year, even through the ice but the
prime trout season is during May and June. Max. depth of 170 ft. There
is a launch site in the town of Auburn at the north end of the lake in Emerson
Park.
Owasco
Lake Map
New York Finger Lakes
Honeoye Lake
1,772 acres with a max depth of 30 ft. Healthy populations of
Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, and Pickerel. Rock Bass,
Bluegill, and Crappie also can be caught. Walleye are the only fish
stocked in the lake with about 8.7 million fry annually.
Honeoye
Lake Map
New York Finger Lakes
Canadice Lake
Smallest of the Finger Lakes. 649 acres with a max depth of 95 ft.
A 16 foot boat is the maximum length allowed and the largest motor permitted
is 10 horsepower. Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Pickerel, Smallmouth Bass,
and Largemouth Bass can be caught. You can find largemouth at the
southern tip of the lake near the weed beds; smallmouth are found near the
rocks and drop-offs in the deeper edges of the lake.
Canadice
Lake Maps
New York Finger Lakes
Hemlock Lake
One of the two Finger Lakes whose shoreline is virtually undeveloped.
1,800 acres with a max depth of 91 ft. Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow
Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, and Pickerel can be
caught. Boats may not exceed 16 feet in length and motors may not exceed
10 h.p.
Hemlock
Lake Map
New York Finger Lakes
Conesus Lake
Most westerly of the
Finger Lakes. 3,420 acres with a max depth of 66 ft. Northern
Pike, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, and Bluegill can be caught.
Conesus
Lake Map
Finger Lakes Area Trout Fishing Tips
For a
trophy steelhead catch, the best locations are Naples Creek, Catherine Creek
and Springwater Creek. Also, early-season fishing from the shores of the
western Finger Lakes produces rainbows and brown trout. Recommended locations
include Hemlock Lake along the eastern shore, Keuka Lake at Keuka Lake State
Park, Seneca Lake at the south end piers and the shore of Canadice Lake.
At the April 1 opening several Cayuga Lake tributaries are recommended for
great Rainbow Trout fishing, including Salmon Creek, Cayuga Inlet, Yawgers
Creek and Fall Creek. From Skaneateles Lake, Grout Brook is a favorite
with Syracuse-area rainbow anglers.
