Guilford Lake fishing

Fishing at Guilford Lake has Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Crappie, and 8 more on the stocking report. It is stocked about 1.9 times a year since 2011, most often in April and May. Species guides list dawn, day, and dusk for Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Bluegill, dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass, and dawn, dusk, and night for Crappie.

Last stocked

April 1, 2025

Plants on record

28

Since 2011

Species recorded

3

Average size

11 in

Elevation

1,558 ft

Access and facts

Nearest town
Guilford
Boat ramp
Yes
ADA accessible
No

DEC-listed public hand launch on Guilford Lake in Guilford. Parking for 12 cars.

Sources: access , shore_notes , nearest_town , speciesFound , fishing_notes , fishing_notes , watch_outs

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How Guilford Lake is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of April. In 2025 it was April 1, 2025, about when it usually is.

No plants recorded in 2016.

Bowman Creek (6.8 mi) was stocked more recently. Bowman Creek is also stocked with Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout.

Fish at Guilford Lake

Fishing Guilford Lake is most likely to be for Brown Trout. Brown Trout accounts for 14 of 28 plants on record, ahead of Rainbow Trout and one more.

Brown Trout 14 plants
Plants
14 of 28
Last stocked
April 1, 2025
Average length
13 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Brown Trout guide.

Rainbow Trout 13 plants
Plants
13 of 28
Last stocked
April 1, 2025
Average length
9.1 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Rainbow Trout guide.

Brook Trout 1 plant
Plants
1 of 28
Last stocked
November 1, 2022
Average length
7 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Brook Trout guide.

Fishing Guilford Lake

Guilford Lake, a 70 acre natural kettle lake located in Chenango County, offers diverse fishing opportunities. Fish species present include black crappie, brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, and walleye. Stocked trout are able to survive throughout the year, providing potential for larger hold-over fish. Largemouth bass are abundant and have good growth rates, with fish over 20 inches caught each year.

Sources: dec.ny.gov , en.wikipedia.org

What to watch for

There are some scattered, dense beds of rooted aquatic plants around the margins of the entire lake. The greatest concentrations of these aquatic plants occur along the northern and western shore.

Fish stocked per year

  • 2,0002011
  • 2,0002012
  • 2,0002013
  • 2002014
  • 2,0002015
  • 2,0002017
  • 1,7702018
  • 2,0002019
  • 1,5502020
  • 1,7702021
  • 4,0002022
  • 2,0002023
  • 2,1002024
  • 2,1002025

Stocking history

Showing 15 of 28 plants Showing 28 plants

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
April 1, 2025 Rainbow Trout 1,890 9.5 in report
April 1, 2025 Brown Trout 210 13.6 in report
April 1, 2024 Rainbow Trout 1,890 10 in report
April 1, 2024 Brown Trout 210 13.6 in report
April 1, 2023 Brown Trout 200 13.8 in report
April 1, 2023 Rainbow Trout 1,800 8.9 in report
November 1, 2022 Brook Trout 2,000 7 in report
April 1, 2022 Rainbow Trout 1,800 9.5 in report
April 1, 2022 Brown Trout 200 13.5 in report
April 1, 2021 Brown Trout 200 13.5 in report
April 1, 2021 Rainbow Trout 1,570 9 in report
April 1, 2020 Rainbow Trout 1,350 8.8 in report
April 1, 2020 Brown Trout 200 13.1 in report
April 1, 2019 Rainbow Trout 1,800 9.5 in report
April 1, 2019 Brown Trout 200 11.7 in report
April 1, 2018 Rainbow Trout 1,570 9 in report
April 1, 2018 Brown Trout 200 12.4 in report
May 1, 2017 Rainbow Trout 1,800 9 in report
April 1, 2017 Brown Trout 200 13 in report
April 1, 2015 Rainbow Trout 1,800 8.8 in report
April 1, 2015 Brown Trout 200 12.4 in report
April 1, 2014 Brown Trout 200 13.1 in report
April 1, 2013 Rainbow Trout 1,800 9.3 in report
April 1, 2013 Brown Trout 200 12.4 in report
April 1, 2012 Rainbow Trout 1,800 8.8 in report
April 1, 2012 Brown Trout 200 13.1 in report
April 1, 2011 Rainbow Trout 1,800 8.8 in report
April 1, 2011 Brown Trout 200 13.1 in report
Show 13 more plants Show less

Species found here

Confirmed present independent of the stocking records above, not from a stocking event.

  • largemouth bass : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • smallmouth bass : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • chain pickerel : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • black crappie : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • pumpkinseed sunfish : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • bluegill : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • rock bass : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • yellow perch : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • brown bullhead : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • white sucker : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)
  • golden shiner : Documented in a DEC fisheries survey of this water. (source)

Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

Nearest lakes