New York regulations
Lake Trout Regulations in New York 2026
New York lake trout 2026 open seasons vary by 94 management regions. Statewide rules apply for 21″ min. Pick your region in the rule table below. Sourced from DEC.
Rules (238)
All Fresh WatersIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3
All Tributaries To Canadice Lake, Canandaigua Lake, Hemlock Lake, Keuka Lake, And Seneca Lake Upstream To The First Barrier Impassable By FishIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout
All Tributaries To Cayuga Lake Upstream To The First Barrier Impassable By Fish, Except Fall CreekIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination
All Tributaries To Owasco Lake, Otisco Lake And Skaneateles Lake Upstream To The First Barrier Impassable By Fish, Except Spafford CreekIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination
All Waters Inhabited By Trout, Except As Permitted BelowOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Min size
- 18"
All year Daily Limit-3 Minimum Length-18"
Big Fish PondIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Bigsby PondIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Canadice LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or Atlantic Salmon
Canandaigua LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or Atlantic Salmon
Cayuga LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 3 Brown Trout, 3 Rainbow Trout, or 3 Atlantic Salmon
Conesus LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or Atlantic Salmon
Copperas PondIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Fall Creek (Cayuga Lake) From The Downstream Edge Of The Railroad Bridge Below Rt. 13 To Ithaca FallsCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Mar 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
- Gear
- Artificial Only
Catch and Release only in combination
Fawn Lake (Town Of Lake Pleasant)In season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
First Lake Of Essex ChainIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Fourth Lake Of Fulton Chain
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Gear
- Ice Fishing Permitted
Daily Limit-3 Ice fishing permitted
Hemlock LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or Atlantic Salmon
Honeoye LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or 3 Atlantic Salmon
Inland Trout StreamsIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
April 1–Oct 15 3
Kensico ReservoirOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Keuka LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or Atlantic Salmon
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Lake Erie And TributariesOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 12"
Lake GileadOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Lake GleneidaOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Lake LilaIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, And Their TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Dec 1
- Season closes
- Sep 30
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
Lake PlacidIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Lake PleasantIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Min size
- 18"
April 1 through October 15 Daily Limit-3 Minimum Length-18"
Little Fish PondIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Lower Niagara River And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Dec 1
- Season closes
- Sep 30
Millsite LakeIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Mirror LakeIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Moose PondIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Min size
- 15"
April 1 through October 15 Daily Limit-3 Minimum Length-15"
Moose Pond (Town Of St. Armand)In season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Otsego LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 23"
All year
Owasco LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 3 Brown Trout, 3 Rainbow Trout, or 3 Atlantic Salmon
Pharaoh LakeIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Rondout ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Sagamore LakeIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Schroon River From Schroon Lake Upstream To Alder Meadow Rd. Upper Cascade Lake
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Schroon River From Starbuckville Dam Upstream To Schroon Lake
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Seneca LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or Atlantic Salmon
Skaneateles LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
in combination, Catch shall include no more than 3 of any species
St. Regis PondIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Sterling LakeIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
Third Lake Of Fulton Chain
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Gear
- Ice Fishing
Daily Limit-3 Ice fishing permitted
Upper Niagara River And TributariesOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 12"
Upper Saranac LakeIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 23"
Water Regulation Lake
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Daily Limit-3 Minimum Length-18"
West Branch ReservoirOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Woodhull Lake Jefferson County All Waters, Except Sandy PondIn season
- Season opens
- Apr 1
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Other New York fish regulations
Other regulated species in New York with current rule pages — same DEC source, same verification cadence.
- Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow)528 rules
- Walleye240 rules
- Salmon (Chinook, Coho, Pink)61 rules
- Muskie (Muskellunge)60 rules
- Northern Pike54 rules
- Bluegill (Sunfish)44 rules
- Stripers (Striped Bass)29 rules
- Yellow Perch16 rules
- Tog (Tautog / Blackfish)9 rules
- Crappie (Black & White)7 rules
- Channel Catfish5 rules
- Redfish (Red Drum)4 rules
- Black Sea Bass4 rules
- Bluefish4 rules
- Fluke (Summer Flounder)3 rules
- Scup (Porgy)2 rules
- Weakfish2 rules
- Largemouth Bass2 rules
- Smallmouth Bass2 rules
Also known as
Lake Trout is also called lakers. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in New York.
Frequently asked questions
When is Lake Trout season in New York?
Lake Trout season in New York runs from Apr 1 to Oct 15 per DEC.
What is the size limit for Lake Trout in New York?
Minimum size for Lake Trout in New York is 15 inches in All Tributaries To Canadice Lake, Canandaigua Lake, Hemlock Lake, Keuka Lake, And Seneca Lake Upstream To The First Barrier Impassable By Fish, per DEC. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Lake Trout in New York?
Daily bag limit for Lake Trout in New York is 3 in All Fresh Waters, per DEC.
Official sources cited
- https://www.eregulations.com/newyork/fishing/region-5-regulations
- https://www.eregulations.com/newyork/fishing/great-lakes-tributaries-regulations
- https://www.eregulations.com/newyork/fishing
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with DEC before keeping a catch.