Findley Lake is located in southwestern Chautauqua County in the Town of Mina. Fish habitat in Findley Lake is provided mainly by abundant beds of aquatic vegetation.
Elevation: 1,410 feet
Area: 292 acres
Shoreline Length: 5.5 miles
Max Depth: 37 feet
Mean Depth: 11 feet
County and Town: Chautauqua County, Town of Mina
Public access for launching of boats and canoes is provided at two sites at the north tip of the lake on Route 426/430, in the Village of Findley Lake. One launch is operated by the DEC and is for hand launching only with parking for 25 cars. The other is operated by the Findley Lake Association and is open to the public on weekdays only. The Findley Lake Association ramp is for trailered boats.
For more information on this launch including Google Maps driving directions, visit the Boat Launch Sites for Chautauqua County page.
The lake has a fishing platform, boat mooring dock, and a separate kayak launching platform. The dock and platform are accessible from the parking lot, using a concrete walkway with railings.
From the Route 426/430 Parking Area in the Village of Findley Lake, wheelchair accessible features include the:
Visit the DEC Accessible Recreation Destinations web page for additional accessible recreation opportunities.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass, tiger muskellunge, muskellunge, northern pike, walleye, black crappie, yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed.
Findley Lake provides angling for a variety of sportfish and panfish. Anglers should note that the lake experiences oxygen depletion below depths of 13 - 15 feet from June-September, preventing fish from living below these depths.
Panfish: Findley Lake provides angling for several types of panfish. The most common are black crappie, yellow perch, bluegill and pumpkinseed. Live baits such as worms and minnows produce well, as do jigs and small lures. Ice fishing is popular on Findley Lake, especially for panfish. In the spring, try using an 8 foot fly rod with a 3-4 weight line and poppers or wet flies for some fast action with sunfish.
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass are found in good numbers in Findley Lake; their growth rate is average, reaching 12 inches by age 5. Bass anglers have success with spinner baits, surface plugs, plastic worms, crank baits as well as live crayfish and shiners. Largemouth bass prefer areas of dense vegetation, while smallmouth bass prefer more open areas, particularly those with rocky bottoms.
Muskellunge, Northern Pike and Walleye: Since 2009, the DEC has been annually stocking Findley Lake with advanced muskellunge fingerlings (8-9 inches). The burgeoning musky population offers decent fishing, including some trophy sized catches. Northern pike reproduce naturally in the lake and are found in moderate numbers. Most pike will be in the 18 - 25 inch range, although fish in the 30 - 35 inch range are taken occasionally. When fishing for muskies and pike, anglers do well with large live minnows and 6 - 10 inch baitfish imitations. The DEC stocks pond fingerling walleye (5,500) in Findley Lake every other year, to provide additional angling opportunity.
Ice fishing is permitted on Findley Lake.