Waterbody · New York
Lake Champlain Fishing Regulations 2026
Lake Champlain fishing regulations in 2026: top targets are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, lake trout. 269 current rules across 15 species from DEC.
Species pages for Lake Champlain
Dedicated rule pages for the most-targeted species at this water.
Rules (269)
DEC regulates 269 rules across 15 species at this water.
Lake Trout
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
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 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"
Walleye
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"
Landlocked Salmon
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Trout
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Min size
- 12"
Black Bass
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)Catch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Season opens
- Dec 1
- Gear
- Artificial Only
Catch and release only artificial lures only
Pickerel
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
Muskellunge
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
Northern Pike
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
Crappie
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)
- Daily bag
- 25 fish/day
- Min size
- 8"
Sauger
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)Closed
- Status
- Prohibited
May not be taken or possessed at any time.
Lake Champlain And TributariesClosed
- Status
- Closed
Sauger May not be taken or possessed at any time.
All Species
Lake Champlain And Tributaries To The First Impassible Barrier (New York/Vermont Border Water)Open
- Status
- Permitted
Ice fishing permitted
Ausable River From The Marked Boundary 800 Feet West Of The 1st State Route 9 Bridge Upstream From Lake Champlain Upstream To Rainbow FallsClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
Fishing from boats prohibited.
Largemouth Bass
Plus 3 more species. See the New York pillar page for the full list.
FAQ
Who regulates fishing on Lake Champlain?
DEC regulates fishing on Lake Champlain.
What species can I target on Lake Champlain?
Lake Champlain is best known for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, lake trout. 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.