Lake · Onondaga, New York
Skaneateles Lake
Location Snapshot
Skaneateles Lake is a deep Finger Lake with naturally reproducing and stocked salmonids plus a secondary bass fishery. The principal supported targets are lake trout, rainbow trout, and landlocked salmon, with smallmouth bass, yellow perch, largemouth bass, and walleye providing additional species variety within the same fishery.
Current Lake Rating
Unavailable
Current lake conditions cannot be rated because the available water observations are too old.
Rating confidence: Low
Should I Go?
Not Enough Data
Fishing guidance for this destination based on available lake conditions, weather, and seasonal context. It is not a boating, swimming, ice, or access-safety rating.
Why
- The latest water observations are too old to support a reliable fishing-window recommendation.
Watch for
- The readings shown below are historical and may not reflect current conditions.
Current Readings
- Water temperature
- 14.9 °C
- Last updated
- Oct 18, 2025, 4:15 AM
≈ 58.8 °F · Stale observation
Source: USGS · SKANEATELES LAKE AT SKANEATELES NY · 04236000 · Stale data
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Weather Near Lake
Current Weather
Clear
Temperature
41°F
Feels like
37°F
Wind
1 mph NE
Wind gust
5 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Oct 20, 2026, 5:45 AM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this lake
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.00 in
Little recent rainfall near this lake.
Next 24 Hours
Tue 6 AM
Clear
Temp 41°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 1 mph
Tue 10 AM
Clear
Temp 50°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Tue 2 PM
Clear
Temp 59°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 8 mph
Tue 6 PM
Clear
Temp 53°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 7 mph
Tue 10 PM
Clear
Temp 43°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Wed 2 AM
Clear
Temp 38°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Tue, Oct 20
Clear
High 60°F / Low 39°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 15 mph
Wed, Oct 21
Clear
High 57°F / Low 37°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 9 mph
Thu, Oct 22
Overcast
High 58°F / Low 36°F
Chance 6%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 17 mph
Fri, Oct 23
Overcast
High 54°F / Low 34°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 8 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this lake's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence lake level and access, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, and reservoir operations where applicable.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Lake Elevation History
Elevation is reported relative to the datum used by this USGS monitoring site. Elevations from different lakes or datums should not be directly compared.
Loading historical elevation…
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Skaneateles Lake.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Lake trout, landlocked salmon, and rainbow trout are primary in Skaneateles Lake. Lake trout are wild, and landlocked salmon and rainbow trout are stocked. Smallmouth bass and yellow perch are common and established. Largemouth bass and walleye are present and established. It covers 8,960 acres, averages 145 feet deep, and reaches 300 feet.
Target species
Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: NYSDEC
Landlocked Salmon
Salmo salar
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Stocked
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: NYSDEC
Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Stocked
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: NYSDEC
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: NYSDEC
Yellow Perch
Perca flavescens
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: NYSDEC
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus nigricans
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: NYSDEC
Walleye
Sander vitreus
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Source: NYSDEC
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Trolling
Stocking information
Landlocked salmon and rainbow trout are stocked in Skaneateles Lake.
- Stocked
Landlocked Salmon
Stocked · NYSDEC
- Stocked
Rainbow Trout
Stocked · NYSDEC
Official sources
Hatch Match
General fly suggestions
- Midge larvaGeneral stillwater midge-style family — not a live Chironomidae Hatch claim.
- Woolly-bugger-style streamerGeneral stillwater streamer family. Not a baitfish or kokanee Hatch event.
- Ant or beetleGeneral shoreline terrestrial family — not a local Hatch calendar.
These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.
Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Onondaga, New York
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
County
Onondaga
DEC Region
7
Management Category
Finger Lake
Regulation Scope
Skaneateles Lake and tributaries.
Regulation Summary
Finger Lakes and tributaries special regulations apply.
Surface Area
8960 acres
Maximum Depth
300 ft
Average Depth
145 ft
Target Species
Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Atlantic Salmon, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch
Public Access
Public
Boat Launch
Available