Keuka Lake Fishing
A 11,667-acre New York lake in Yates County and Steuben County, one of the Finger Lakes.
Pick for brown troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
A first visit to Keuka Lake
Measured from its NHD outline, Keuka Lake covers roughly 11,667 acres of Yates County and Steuben County. The DEC record gives Various as owner. About 6 miles separates the water from Keuka Park. Fisheries staff for Western Finger Lakes look after it.
The DEC species column lists brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, atlantic salmon, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. The access data show 2 mapped launches. Launch type, per DEC: trailer improved. For hard water, DEC notes ice fishing permitted. The DEC lists record 3 stocking years since 2019.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
For the brown trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Species DEC records at Keuka Lake
This fish list for Keuka Lake draws on DEC listings and stocking files, not a netting survey.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Launch ramps serving Keuka Lake
- Keuka Lake State Parkhard surface ramp, parking: 50 spaces (dec park field); managed by OPRHP
- Public Launch on Keuka Lakehard surface ramp, parking: 30 spaces (dec park field); managed by Municipal
Ramps in the neighborhood of Keuka Lake
- Public Launch on Sugar Creek (aka Guyanoga Creek)Sugar Creek (aka Guyanoga Creek), 5 miles northwest
- Waneta-Lamoka Wildlife Management AreaWaneta Lake, 7 miles south
- Severne Point LaunchSeneca Lake, 10 miles east
- Smith Memorial ParkSeneca Lake, 12 miles east
- Lodi Point State ParkSeneca Lake, 13 miles northeast
- Birdseye Hollow State Forest LaunchSanford Lake, 14 miles south
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
The take-home rules for Keuka Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 5; minimum 22" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Walleye | 3; minimum 18" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Brook Trout | 5, no more than 2 longer than 12" | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Black Bass | 5; minimum 12" | Jun 15 – Mar 15 |
| Black Bass | No harvest; Catch and release only | Mar 16 – Jun 14 |
| Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | 5 combined; minimum 15" | All year |
| Sunfish | 15; minimum 8" | All year |
| Alewife | No harvest | Closed |
| Tiger Muskellunge | 1; minimum 36" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Trout | 5; minimum 12" | All year |
| Walleye | No daily limit; minimum 12" | All year |
As one of the Finger Lakes, Keuka Lake uses the DEC Finger Lakes table rather than the statewide one.
2026 DEC freshwater fishing regulations (statewide table effective April 1, 2026); county special regulations from the DEC region pages; retrieved October 24, 2026, figures checked against the DEC pages October 25, 2026.
Latest stocking years at Keuka Lake
From 2023 through 2025, DEC logged 4 releases into Keuka Lake, with lake herring (cisco) the main fish.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lake Herring (Cisco) | stocked | 2 | 40,190 | 4.1 in, 7 in |
| 2024 | Lake Herring (Cisco) | stocked | 1 | 109,080 | 4 in |
| 2023 | Lake Herring (Cisco) | stocked | 1 | 28,160 | 0.3 in |
DEC Fish Stocking Lists (Actual), 2023 to 2025, and DEC Current Season Spring Trout Stocking, 2026 (data.ny.gov), retrieved October 24, 2026. New York stocking.
Keuka Lake and the lakes that ring it
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keuka Lake | 11,667 | 2 | 11 | yes | |
| Waneta Lake, Schuyler County | 6 miles south | 797 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Seneca Lake | 13 miles northeast | 43,394 | 8 | 9 | yes |
| Canandaigua Lake | 20 miles northwest | 10,528 | 3 | 5 | yes |
| Cayuta Lake | 22 miles southeast | 383 | 1 | 8 | yes |
| Cayuga Lake | 23 miles northeast | 42,910 | 8 | 12 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Nearby to Keuka Lake, by distance
More lakes a short drive from Keuka Lake
- Waneta Lake, Schuyler County6 miles south
- Seneca Lake13 miles northeast
- Canandaigua Lake20 miles northwest
- Cayuta Lake22 miles southeast
- Cayuga Lake23 miles northeast
Tackle sellers serving Keuka Lake
- Bubbas Bobbers & Baitbait and tackle shop, Hammondsport, 5 miles
- Deer Run Outfitterssporting goods store, Penn Yan, 8 miles
- Edge of Time Trading Postsporting goods store, Prattsburgh, 9 miles
- Seneca Lake Boat Launchmarina, Yates, 10 miles
- Bristol Harbour Marinamarina, Ontario, 19 miles
- Roy's Marina Inc.marina, Geneva, 21 miles
A day with a guide on Keuka Lake
- Ketchum Fish Charterscharter, Hammondsport
- Cornell Cooperative Ext.fishing guide, Dundee
- Eagle Eye Outfittersfishing guide, Penn Yan
Home bases for trips to Keuka Lake
- Dundee7 miles
- Penn Yan10 miles
- Watkins Glen16 miles
Keuka Lake across county lines
- Yates Countycounty seat Penn Yan
- Steuben Countycounty seat Bath
Piscifun kit that suits Keuka Lake water
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
The fish of Keuka Lake, pictured one by one
Photo: Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
_1.jpg){kind=link}
What gets asked about Keuka Lake
How far is Keuka Lake from the nearest New York town?
It lies in Yates County and Steuben County, DEC Western Finger Lakes, about 6 miles from Keuka Park.
What acreage is Keuka Lake?
Close to 11,667 acres by state hydrography.
Where do I put a boat in at Keuka Lake?
Start at Keuka Lake State Park, one of 2 mapped launches.
What might bend the rod at Keuka Lake?
Records show brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, atlantic salmon, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed.
Which minimum sizes does DEC set at Keuka Lake?
Black Bass: 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Mar 15.
Does Keuka Lake need a trout stamp?
Trout and salmon need no stamp in New York; the DEC freshwater license ($25.00 resident, $50.00 nonresident, $5.00 for residents 70 and older) covers them.
How often is Keuka Lake stocked?
DEC lists 4 stockings, the latest in 2025.
Where is bait sold on the drive to Keuka Lake?
Nearest on our list: Bubbas Bobbers & Bait, 5 miles.
Is ice fishing allowed on Keuka Lake?
Ice Fishing Permitted, per DEC.
Put Keuka Lake on the New York trip list
Get the DEC license squared away online first.