Wappinger Lake – Wappingers Falls, NY

Fishing in Wappinger Lake, Wappinger Falls, NY.

Wappingers Lake is a popular location in the Hudson Valley, however the lake is known to be very shallow and overrun with European Water Chestnuts. Even with the issues, Wappingers Lake is a popular location to fish. The lake is catch and release only with a parking area, just off of Route 9 near the Subaru dealership. Rental boats are available at the Lakehouse where you will get to meet Vinnie, who has extreme knowledge of the lake. No gas motors are allowed in the lake, so be prepared to row or use a trolling motor. 

Wappingers Lake is fed by the Wappingers Creek and feeds the lower Wappingers Creek which dumps into the Hudson River. There are deep pockets of water near the Route 9 bridge, where you can access from either boat or the walking path from the parking area or if you have a boat, there’s deeper water near the south end dam. 

Shallow water can mean higher water temperatures when it gets hot outside, which reduces the oxygen in the water. When the oxygen is reduced, fish tend to be sluggish and do not regularly feed as they would during cooler times. It’s also advised if you do fish during hot weather and you catch a fish, make sure you keep the fish out of water for the least amount of time possible and nurse the fish back by holding it in the water until it can swim away on it’s own.

If you do own your own boat, there is a public boat launch on Spring Street.

Elevation: 85 feet
Surface Area: 87 acres
Shore Length: 3.7 miles
Max Depth: 16 feet
Mean Depth: 5 feet

Wappinger Lake Contour Map (NYS DEC)

Last Updated on July 20, 2020 by Fish HV Contributors