---
title: Owasco Lake Facts, History, Boating & Fishing
url: https://visitowascolake.com/the-lake
updated: 2026-10-24
site: Visit Owasco Lake
---

# Owasco Lake: Facts, History and Getting on the Water

## The name

- **FingerLakes.com:** Owasco may come from the Iroquois *dwas-co*, "bridge on the water," or *was-co*, "floating bridge."
- **Visit Finger Lakes:** "The Crossing Point" or "Floating Bridge."
- **Springside Inn's history page:** the name is believed to mean "crossing."

## History

Visit Finger Lakes notes:

- **Wasco,** a site at the northern end of the lake, was once home to one of the earliest settlements of the Cayuga people.
- In the **19th century** the lake was known for resorts and casinos catering to the social elite. A railway (the Syracuse Railway) ran down the west side, and passenger steamboats carried vacationers between destinations.
- **Moravia,** at the southern end, is the birthplace of President Millard Fillmore and was John D. Rockefeller's childhood home. **Fillmore Glen State Park** has deep gorges and 5 waterfalls.

Springside Inn, on the lake's west side, is part of that history. A boys' school named Springside was founded there in 1851, and in 1919 Captain John Holland opened the building as a summer resort.

## Water and wildlife

- The **Owasco Inlet** is the largest tributary and supplies almost 55% of the surface water entering the lake.
- The lake supplies water to **more than 70% of Cayuga County**.
- Shallow water means **warm summer temperatures**, good for swimming and boating.
- The **Owasco Flats** at the southern end, an inlet and floodplain, offer birding, paddling and nature trails.
- **Fish:** walleye, perch, smallmouth bass, trout, northern pike and salmon. The northern end is good for ice fishing in winter.

## Boating and paddling

According to FingerLakes.com:

- **Launches:** four boat launch sites and two marinas.
- **Owasco Paddles** at Emerson Park rents kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards.
- **Reagan's Kayak & Canoe Rental** rents canoes, kayaks and SUPs, and delivers in season.
- **Car-top launch** at the Rt. 38 parking area, or launch at South Shore Marina.
- **Fishing:** the south end is good for panfish, northern pike and smallmouth bass.

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Other pages: https://visitowascolake.com/index.md, https://visitowascolake.com/emerson-park.md, https://visitowascolake.com/auburn.md, https://visitowascolake.com/springside-inn.md, https://visitowascolake.com/faq.md, https://visitowascolake.com/sources.md
Related sites: https://getmarriedinthefingerlakes.com/, https://getmarriedinskaneateles.com/, https://stayinthefingerlakes.com/, https://stayatowascolake.com/, https://enjoythefingerlakes.com/, https://springsideinn.com/