Nanticoke Lake
Nanticoke Lake is a small artificial impoundment in Broome County, New York, United States. It is located within the Nanticoke Lake Multiple Use Area in the Town of Lisle and managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Geography
Nanticoke Lake covers approximately and lies at an elevation of about. The shoreline extends roughly, with a maximum depth near. The site lies within the Nanticoke Lake Multiple Use Area, a public recreation and conservation property managed by the DEC.
History
The lake was constructed in the 1970s by impounding a tributary of Nanticoke Creek with the intent of creating a wild, self-sustaining brook trout fishery similar to those found in the Adirondacks. Low dissolved oxygen concentrations during summer months limited brook trout survival. Unauthorized introductions of species such as largemouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch, and sunfish further reduced the habitat suitability for trout. As a result, the DEC now stocks the lake with rainbow trout, focusing on a put-and-take fishery with limited summer survival expected.
Ecology
Rooted aquatic vegetation in Nanticoke Lake is sparse. Fish species documented in the lake include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch, and pumpkinseed sunfish.
Recreation
Nanticoke Lake and the surrounding Multiple Use Area offer freshwater fishing, paddling, and wildlife observation. Access to the lake is provided by a hand launch on Squedunk Road, approximately south of Center Lisle; visitors must walk about from the parking area to the lakeshore. Only electric motors are permitted on the water. Anglers typically target rainbow trout in spring and early summer shortly after stocking.
Management
DEC annually stocks the lake with approximately 2,300 yearling rainbow trout to support recreational fishing. New York statewide fishing regulations apply.