Waterbody · New York
Chautauqua Lake Fishing Regulations 2026
Chautauqua Lake fishing regulations in 2026: top targets are muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass. 302 current rules across 4 species from DEC.
Rules (302)
DEC regulates 302 rules across 4 species at this water.
Walleye
All Finger LakesIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
All Fresh WatersIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 5
Ashokan ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Black LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Boyd Corners ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Butterfield LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Canadarago LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Cayuta LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Cazenovia LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Clear LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Clyde River / Erie Canal (Seneca/Wayne Counties)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Clyde River From The Confluence With Seneca River Upstream To Lock 26 On The Erie CanalIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Cross LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Delaware River & Wes (Ny/Pa Border Water)
- Season closes
- Mar 14
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
East Branch ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Eaton Brook ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Erie Canal From The Confluence With Seneca River Upstream To Lock 26 On The Erie CanalIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Fort PondIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Grass LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Greenwood Lake (New York/New Jersey Border Water)
- Season opens
- May 1
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Harris LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Horseshoe LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Hyde LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Indian River From Black Lake Upstream To The Falls In RossieIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Indian River From The Confluence With The Oswegatchie River Upstream To Black LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Jamesville ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Kiwassa LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Lake Erie And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, And Their TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Lake PleasantIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Lake Pleasant TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Lake RonkonkomaIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Little Wolf PondIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Lower Niagara River And TributariesOut of season
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Mohawk River From The Confluence With The Hudson River Upstream To The Rte. 32 BridgeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Otselic River From Whitney Point Reservoir Upstream To The Cortland County Rte. 169 Bridge At Landers CornersIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Pleasant Lake (Town Of Macomb)In season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Putnam PondIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Rio ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Sacandaga LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Sacandaga Lake OutletIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Sacandaga Lake TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Seneca River From Plainville Road (Hamlet Of Jacks Reef – Onondaga County) Upstream To Seneca LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Seneca River From Plainville Road (Hamlet Of Jacks Reef) Upstream To Seneca LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Seneca River From The Confluence With Oneida River Upstream To Plainville Road (Hamlet Of Jacks Reef) Oswego Countyredfield ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Sixtown PondIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Skaneateles LakeOpen year-round
- Season opens
- Jan 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Min size
- 12"
St. Regis Falls ImpoundmentIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Swinging Bridge Reservoir Ulster County Alder LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Titicus ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Upper Niagara River And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Waterport ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Waterport Reservoir (Livingston/Orleans Counties)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
White PondIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Whitney Point ReservoirIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Tiger Muskellunge
Chadakoin River From Chautauqua Lake Downstream To Warner DamIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 1
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 40"
Chautauqua Lake And Its Tributaries Upstream To The First Road BridgeIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 1
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 40"
All Fresh WatersIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 1
Lake Erie And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 15
- Season closes
- Dec 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 54"
Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, And Their TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 15
- Season closes
- Dec 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 54"
Lower Niagara River And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 15
- Season closes
- Dec 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 54"
Otisco LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 36"
Upper Niagara River And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 15
- Season closes
- Dec 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 54"
Muskellunge
Chadakoin River From Chautauqua Lake Downstream To Warner DamIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 1
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
Chautauqua Lake And Its Tributaries Upstream To The First Road BridgeIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 1
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
All Fresh WatersIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 1
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 1
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
Lake Erie And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 15
- Season closes
- Dec 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 54"
Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, And Their TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 15
- Season closes
- Dec 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 54"
Lower Niagara River And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 15
- Season closes
- Dec 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 54"
Upper Niagara River And TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- Jun 15
- Season closes
- Dec 15
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 54"
Largemouth Bass
FAQ
Who regulates fishing on Chautauqua Lake?
DEC regulates fishing on Chautauqua Lake.
What species can I target on Chautauqua Lake?
Chautauqua Lake is best known for muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass. Other species are present and tracked in the rule tables below.
Where should I verify these rules?
These rules summarize DEC's published content. Always confirm with the official source before keeping a catch.
Reference only. Regulations change mid-season. Always verify with the official source before keeping a catch.