Skaneateles Lake

Onondaga, Cortland & Cayuga Counties, New York

NYSDEC lists Skaneateles Lake at about 8,960 acres with a maximum depth of 300 feet, in Onondaga, Cortland and Cayuga counties.

Air temp Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surface area8,960 acres

Max depth300 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Deep, cold water. Downriggers or vertical jigging.

Shorelines and inlets in cool months, deeper water in summer.

DEC lists Atlantic salmon (landlocked)

Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.

Weedy coves. Spinners, spoons and live shiners, all year.

Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.

Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.

Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

DEC launch siteRamp
Two miles south of Skaneateles village on the west shore off Route 41A; concrete ramp, parking for 30 trailersDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the state agency or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Skaneateles Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation before you fish.

No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.

Lake trout, rainbows and landlocked salmon use the deep, cold water (to 300 feet).
The DEC ramp off Route 41A holds only 30 trailers; arrive early.
Smallmouth bass are the main warmwater target.

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.