Fishing Report For Seneca Lake, NY

By Rick Seaman

February 23, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Seneca Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Marinas
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Seneca Lake, NY

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Seneca Lake, NY

Lake Trout

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Lake trout are very popular at Seneca Lake. Many call this the lake trout capital of the world. Every Memorial Day, the National Lake Trout Derby is held, with cash prizes for various categories. In Summer these big trout look for water in the low to mid 40's, so you have to fish deep. Locals report that the middle third of the lake the best population of lakers. In Spring and lake fall they move to much shallower water. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish or small trout are good choices. Other choices include nightcrawlers, alewives or Berkeley Power Crawlers, fished on drop-shot rigs. Flashy spoons can be fished at any depth, either jigging, trolling or cast and retrieve. For big lakers, use larger baits.

Smallmouth Bass

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Local bass enthusiasts report good catches in the section of the lake from Seneca Lake State Park to the area around Yale. This lake is considered a good smallmouth bass fishery, with plenty of fish in the 3 lb to 5 lb range. In Spring and early Summer, smallies have been moving into relatively shallow water where they are susceptible to being caught on mid-range crankbaits, jerkbaits and jigs. In Winter, smallmouth drop to 20' or deeper along rocky ledges and structure. Smallmouth fishing is often good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

Yellow Perch

Current Report: Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Reported by many to be the "best yellow perch fishing lake", of all the finger lakes, Seneca Lake is churning out lots of quality perch these days. In Spring, they are being caught along shallow banks, and in bays, with virtually any type of cover - especially weeds. These tasty fish-fry candidates provide anglers with great table fare, and are a steady food source for larger, predator fish. Their diet consists primarily of minnows, young sunfish and crayfish. Mimicking these small fish and crawfish is eliciting strikes from hungry, yellow perch here. Jigs tipped with minnows, nightcrawlers or plastics are very popular here. Spinners and small spoons also work well for casting and retrieving.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, yellow perch, landlocked salmon (Atlantic salmon) and northern pike at Seneca Lake in New York.

Seneca Lake is a 43,000-acre lake with well over 100 miles of shoreline, is considered by many to be the lake trout capital of the world. Healthy populations of rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, landlocked salmon, yellow perch, bluegill and pumpkinseed all reside here in good numbers.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

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Marinas

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Fishing License

Click here for a New York Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".