Malta Development Blog

New York State has 217 lakes and all of them refresh our spirits, but we at Lakeview Landing think the best one of all is our own Saratoga Lake. Sitting slightly southeast of Saratoga Springs and encompassing the borders of three towns: Malta, Saratoga and Stillwater, Saratoga Lake is officially located at 43° 3' N latitude and 73° 43' W longitude. Fed by the Kayderosseras Creek (we call it the Kaydeross) from the northwest and emptying via Fish Creek at the north end of the lake, the water drains from Fish Creek ultimately into the Hudson River at Schuylerville.

This blog post is part of  our “Saratoga County NY Real Estate”  blog series. 

The Mohawk tribe of the Iroquois Five Nations named the Kaydeross Creek after its winding course and dramatic drop in elevation. Kayaderosseras translates as “Valley of the Crooked Stream.” In the late 19th century a dozen paper mills on its shores used its waters for power. The shores of the creek and Saratoga Lake were inhabited by native Americans since 7000 BC.

The lake covers 4,028 acres (that’s 6.3 square miles), has an average depth of 25 feet, with a maximum depth of 95 feet. It is 4.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. The lake’s shoreline extends 23 miles, the majority of which is privately owned.

Saratoga Lake is a favorite of locals for a number of recreational activities. The sport of rowing was popular in the late 1800’s and was re-popularized in 1986 as the competition Head of the Fish Regatta. Now, by number of boats entered, it is the second largest regatta in the U.S. The race is hosted by the Saratoga Rowing Association and held the last weekend of October.

Along the shores there are a number of marinas and a public boat launch is located at the northeastern end, near Fish Creek, just off Route 9P. The lake is used by a range of boats, both large and small, sail and power. Smaller boats are handy in the shallow waters close to the shore and larger boats stay nearer the center of the lake. Various private marinas rent kayaks and paddleboards and you can hire a fishing boat charter.

The lake contains a wide variety of game fish: smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, perch, carp, bluegill, crappie, sunfish, walleye and northern pike have all been caught in the lake. According to the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, each year the lake is stocked with 8,600,000 walleye. They and the smallmouth bass are usually found near the steep rocky shores; northern pike are found in the shallow weedy beds.

Saratoga Lake is an extremely fertile lake with a pH of 7.6. That, and its diverse bottom contours and varieties of vegetation support a large fish population. A popular summer Bass Fishing Tournament (catch and release) is held at the South Shore Marina and runs late-June through Labor Day. Saratoga Tackle & Archery has a weekly bass challenge.

The lake ices over each winter, with an “ice-out” date between mid-March and early-April. Ice fishing is permitted in the winter months. Enjoy ice skating near the South Shore Marina.

Take some time to visit Saratoga Lake soon! Come for the view and stay for the fun. You won't be disappointed.