What is the deepest lake in New York?

Of the lakes with a published depth, Seneca Lake is the deepest at about 618 ft.

Deepest lakes in New York: 10 lakes ranked by depth

The deepest lakes in New York with a published depth, deepest first. Deep lakes stay cold below the surface all summer, which is what trout and big predators want.

Deepest first

#	Lake	Deepest	Size
1	Seneca Lake	about 618 ft	42,800 acres
2	Cayuga Lake	about 435 ft	42,800 acres
3	Skaneateles Lake	about 315 ft	8,800 acres
4	Canandaigua Lake	about 276 ft	10,800 acres
5	Lake George	about 196 ft	28,800 acres
6	Ashokan Reservoir	about 190 ft	about 6,330 acres
7	Keuka Lake	about 187 ft	11,700 acres
8	Pepacton Reservoir	about 180 ft	5,730 acres
9	Owasco Lake	about 177 ft	6,780 acres
10	Otsego Lake	about 167 ft	4,050 acres

1. Seneca Lake

Seneca Lake covers some 42,800 acres. Expect lake trout, trout, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. The deepest water is around 618 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove worth a first look.

Seneca Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Cayuga Lake

Cayuga Lake spreads over 42,800 acres. The lake is next to Union Springs. The fish here are lake trout, trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. It goes down to about 435 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove: good places to start. Cayuga Lake is the longest of New York's Finger Lakes.

Cayuga Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Skaneateles Lake

At some 8,800 acres, Skaneateles Lake is a good-sized lake. It lies within an easy drive of Syracuse (about 16 miles). Expect trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. It goes down to about 315 ft. Skaneateles Lake is so clean that the city of Syracuse has long used it as a largely untreated drinking-water source.

Skaneateles Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Canandaigua Lake

At 10,800 acres of water, Canandaigua Lake is a big lake. The lake is within an easy drive of Rochester (about 26 miles). It holds trout, lake trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. At about 276 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and an upper arm to work. Canandaigua Lake is the sole source of drinking water for the city of Canandaigua, New York.

Canandaigua Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Lake George

Lake George spreads over 28,800 acres. The fish here are smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, lake trout and yellow perch. It goes down to about 196 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Lake George today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Ashokan Reservoir

At about 6,330 acres, Ashokan Reservoir is a good-sized lake. The lake is next to West Hurley. The usual New York mix applies: largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and bluegill. At about 190 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look.

Ashokan Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Keuka Lake

Keuka Lake is a natural lake of 11,700 acres. The lake is right by Keuka Park. It holds lake trout, trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. The deepest water is around 187 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start. Keuka Lake is the only Y-shaped Finger Lake, with two long arms meeting at Penn Yan.

Keuka Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Pepacton Reservoir

Pepacton Reservoir is a reservoir of 5,730 acres of water. It lies near Walton. The fish here are trout. The deepest water is around 180 ft. Pepacton Reservoir is the largest reservoir by volume in the New York City water supply system.

Pepacton Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Owasco Lake

Owasco Lake covers some 6,780 acres. It lies about 22 miles northeast of Syracuse. Lake trout, trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are the draw. At about 177 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start. Owasco Lake is one of the eleven Finger Lakes in central New York and has the largest watershed of any of them.

Owasco Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Otsego Lake

Otsego Lake covers some 4,050 acres. It lies within an easy drive of Utica (about 26 miles). It holds lake trout, walleye, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. The deepest water is around 167 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a steep ledge: good places to start. Otsego Lake is the source of the Susquehanna River and was nicknamed 'Glimmerglass' by novelist James Fenimore Cooper.

Otsego Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

The clearest of them

Skaneateles Lake, Canandaigua Lake and Hemlock Lake are known for clear water. On a clear lake fish see a long way: lighter line, natural colours and longer casts make the difference.

Fishing deep water

In summer a deep lake splits into a warm top layer and a cold bottom; fish hold near the line between them, often 20 to 40 ft down. A depth finder, a slow troll or a jig dropped straight down finds them.