Updated Jul 2026
New York Fishing Guide
15 documented fish species across 72 graded New York lakes. Filter the map by species, then find the cleanest-graded water for what you want to catch.
New York Fish Map
Every New York lake with a documented fishery, colored by water-quality grade. Pick a species to see only the lakes that hold it.
Best-Graded Lakes by Species
Top New York game species, ranked by water-quality grade. Nobody else grades the water under the fish.
Walleye
All 19 →- ADeruyter ReservoirMadison
- AEaton ReservoirMadison
- ACazenovia LakeMadison
- BSodus Bay LakeWayne
- BConesus LakeLivingston
- BButterfield LakeJefferson
Tiger Muskellunge
All 13 →- AChenango LakeChenango
- ALincoln PondEssex
- ALake MoraineMadison
- BConesus LakeLivingston
- BCanadarago LakeOtsego
- CLime LakeCattaraugus
Muskellunge
All 3 →- CChautauqua LakeChautauqua
- CFindley LakeChautauqua
- DWaneta LakeSchuyler
Fish Species in New York
Every documented species, grouped by type. Each links to the best-graded New York lakes for that fish.
Panfish
Trout, Salmon & Coldwater
Other Species
New York Fishing by County
Lakes with a documented fishery, by county.
Where to stay for a New York fishing trip
Top-rated places to stay near New York lakes
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What fish are in New York lakes?
New York lakes have 15 documented fish species across 72 graded lakes. The most common are Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Walleye, Lake Trout, Tiger Muskellunge.
What are the best fishing lakes in New York?
The best New York fishing lakes pair a documented fishery with a high water-quality grade. Use the species filter on the map, or the best-by-species tables, to find A- and B-graded lakes for your target species.
Where does the New York fish data come from?
Fish species are documented by state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records, joined to each lake's EPA water-quality grade. It reflects documented presence, not a guarantee every species is currently catchable.
Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.