Owasco Lake

Owasco Lake

Overview
Length 11 Miles / Max Depth 177 Feet / Max Width 1 Mile / Shoreline 23 Miles
Owasco Lake is an excellent recreation spot. Because it is smaller and shallower than many other Finger Lakes, its waters warm up much more quickly, so swimming, skiing, and boating are popular.

Named for the Iroquois word for the log crossings over the Owasco River, Owasco Lake has been attracting visitors for nearly 200 years. The outlet for the lake at the northern end is called the Owasco Outlet, which becomes the Owasco River. The river runs through the City of Auburn, eventually making its way to the Seneca River and beyond. Owasco Flats - an expansive wetlands at the southern end of Owasco Lake featuring a great variety of nature's splendor.

Fishing
Owasco Lake provides fishing for the following species - lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, northern pike, walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, chain pickerel, rock bass, yellow perch, bluegills, and bullheads. The south end is noted for good panfishing, northern pike and smallmouth bass fishing. Lake trout fishing is excellent year round, but particularly during May, June and September. Owasco Lake is a good ice fishing location for trout, panfish and northern pike. Walleye fishing is good during the spring and early summer in the north end of the lake.

Bird Watching
During migration, you might be able to spot tundra swans and common loons resting on the lake. During breeding season, watch for bald eagles and osprey, fishing the length of the lake. The Flats also hosts a great blue heron rookery. These are some of 102 bird species known to breed in the Owasco Valley.

Boating
Owasco Lake is a big draw for people who enjoy being on the water. The lakefront is highly developed, so public access to the lake is extremely limited. The only public beach - the only public access, period - is at Emerson Park in Auburn. You'll find two hand and trailer launches here. There are no other public boat launches on the lake, though a few unofficial spots can be found. Unless you're renting a lakefront property, you'll be putting in at Emerson Park.

Wineries
Because Owasco Lake is much smaller and more shallow than the other major Finger Lakes, it doesn't have the cool lake valley climate that attracts wine makers to the hills surrounding Seneca, Cayuga and Keuka lakes. In 2003 and 2004, CJS Vinyard & Aurelius Winery planted Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Riesling on a site on the southwest side of Owasco Lake.

Did You Know
Millard Fillmore (13th President of the United States) was born in Moravia, a small town on the West shore of Owasco Lake.

Keeping it Clean
Owasco Lake and its tributaries serves the people of Auburn, Cayuga County, and surrounding communities for their water supply, disposal of sewage effluent, recreation and wildlife habitat. Protecting Owasco Lake is essential to the maintenance of our community character, and the improvement of our economic future. It must be managed for many uses. The Owasco Watershed Lake Association, Inc. recognizes this and has joined together to draw the publics attention to the value and importance of Owasco Lake.

Personal:
My family spent every 4th of July on Owasco Lake when I was a child. Those weekends represent some of my best childhood memories.

References:
Note: The information above was compiled from various websites. It is meant to provide a general overview of the lake. It does not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of the information.

Bob Markel
“Your Personal Guide For Lakefront Real Estate”