Canadice Lake

Located in southwest Ontario County, Canadice Lake lies 30 miles south of Rochester. It is the smallest of the Finger Lakes whose shorelines are virtually undeveloped.

Physical Features:

Elevation: 1096 feet

Area: 649 acres

Length: 3 miles

Maximum width: 0.3 miles

Maximum depth: 95 feet

Thermocline: about 30 feet

Water Quality

Canadice Lake is one of the sources of water for the City of Rochester. It is typically clear but suffers moderate oxygen depletion in summer. While this condition does not seriously threaten trout, it does, temporarily, confine them to a narrow layer of the water column.

Plant Life

The largest weedbed is located at the lake's southern extremity. Due to the steepsidedness of the east and west shores, there is only a narrow band of weeds along them. Types of weeds include milfoil, pondweeds and eelgrass.

Special Regulations

Recreational use of Canadice Lake is regulated by the City of Rochester Water Department. Fishing and boating are allowed by permit only. Boats may not exceed 16 feet in length and motors may not exceed 10 h.p. Check your watershed visitor permit for details. Annual permits can be obtained free of charge from a self-service booth at the north end of nearby Hemlock Lake.

Public Access Sites

Public boat access is available on the lake's east side near the intersection of Canadice Road and Birch Hill Road, via an unimproved gravel ramp. There are other informal access points along the east shore suitable for cartop boats, shore fishing and ice fishing. Access is by special permit only.

Fish Management

Fishery surveys begun in the 1950's revealed a good lake trout population. Records show that lake trout were stocked into Canadice Lake as early as 1942. To diversify the fishery, brown trout and rainbow trout were later added. Stocking of all three continues to the present time along with occasional stocking of surplus landlocked salmon.

Trout and salmon may be taken year-round at Canadice. Check your Fishing Regulations Guide for size and bag limits. Smelt and alewives provide the primary salmonid forage with some contributed from yellow perch and minnows.

Although Canadice is best suited for salmonid and smallmouth bass, it also provides significant fishing opportunities for largemouth bass and chain pickerel in its limited, shallow water habitat. Similarly, "panfish," including rock bass, yellow perch, bluegills, pumpkinseeds and bullhead, are also important contributors to the fishery.

Note:

Fishing Canadice Lake offers a unique experience in western New York, where most lakeshores are heavily developed. The beautifully wooded shores and hillsides of Canadice, and bigger sister Hemlock Lake, provide an atmosphere approaching that experienced only in relatively remote areas like the Adirondacks and Canadian provinces. The boat size/horsepower limitation contributes importantly to the "unspoiled" atmosphere.