Ice Fishing in Region 6
During northern New York's cold winter months, it is not uncommon to see ice fisherman with their tip-ups and ice shanties dotting the region's many frozen lakes and rivers. A person doesn't have to travel very far in the region to find a place to ice fish and many folks will come in from afar to avail themselves of the ice fishing opportunities. From small ponds, some rivers and the barge canal, to shallow bays on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, the variety of fish species and locations can keep the most avid of ice fisherman busy all winter.
In a typical North Country winter the ice fishing season is a long one. Often ice conditions permit December fishing and in most years the season continues well beyond the end of northern pike and walleye season on March 15th. Of utmost importance to the ice angler is condition of the ice. When deciding if ice is safe, it is always best to err on the side of caution. Always test the ice before setting forth. It is also a good idea to talk to the local people about areas that traditionally have thin ice conditions due to springs or moving water, i.e. the mouth of a tributary.
The mainstay of ice fishing in Northern New York are panfish, yellow perch, walleye and northern pike. A good place to fish for these species is where you see others already fishing or where they have fished. Some opportunities for catching other species does exist including a few waters where anglers are allowed to take trout and salmon through the ice. To be sure what species are open for ice fishing, size restrictions and bag limits, be sure to check the fishing regulation guide and look at the special regulation section.
| County | Town | Body of Water | Species Available | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herkimer | Manheim/Orion | Beardsley/ Keyser Lk. |
Panfish | Public |
| Webb | First Lake | Yellow perch, tiger muskellunge | Private | |
| Forestport | Forestport Res. | Chain pickerel | Public | |
| Webb | Fourth Lake | Yellow perch, lake trout, rainbow trout, landlocked salmon | Public | |
| Forestport | Kayuta Lake | Pickerel, panfish | Public | |
| Ohio | Limekiln Lake | Splake | Public | |
| Webb | Moshier Reservoir | Tiger muskellunge, panfish | Undeveloped | |
| Ohio | North Lake | Tiger muskellunge, perch | Public | |
| Webb | Old Forge Pond | Yellow perch | Undeveloped | |
| Webb | Second Lake | Yellow perch | Undeveloped | |
| Salisbury | Spruce Lake | Chain pickerel | Private | |
| Webb | Stillwater Reservoir | Splake | Public | |
| Webb | Third Lake | Yellow perch, lake trout, rainbow trout | Undeveloped | |
| Multiple | Mohawk River/ Barge Canal | Yellow perch, walleye, panfish | Public | |
| Warren | Weaver Lake | Panfish | Public | |
| Warren | Youngs Lake | Panfish | Public | |
| Jefferson | Antwerp | Antwerp Pond | Northern pike, black crappie, yellow perch | Undeveloped |
| multiple | Black River Bay | Northern pike, yellow perch, walleye | Public | |
| Alexandria | Butterfield Lake | Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch | Public | |
| multiple | Chaumont Bay/ Guffin Bay | Northern pike, yellow perch | Public | |
| Alexandria | Clear Lake | Yellow perch, walleye, northern pike | Public | |
| Ellisburg | Colwell Pond | Northern pike, yellow perch | Public | |
| Theresa | Crystal Lake | Northern pike, walleye, yellow perch | Private | |
| Theresa | Grass Lake | Northern pike, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge, walleye | Public | |
| Henderson | Henderson Bay | Northern pike, yellow perch, brown trout, rainbow trout | Public | |
| Theresa | Hyde Lake | Walleye, tiger muskellunge, northern pike, black crappie yellow perch | Public | |
| Orleans | Lake of the Isles | Northern pike, yellow perch, panfish | Public | |
| Theresa | Lake of the Woods | Lake trout, whitefish, northern pike (no rainbow trout fishing) | Public | |
| Ellisburg | Lakeview Pond | Yellow perch, northern pike, sunfish | Public | |
| Theresa | Millsite Lake | Northern pike, cisco (no lake or rainbow trout fishing) | Public | |
| Theresa | Moon Lake | Northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, black crappie, tiger muskellunge | Public | |
| Alexandria | Mud Lake | Northern pike, yellow perch, black crappie | Public | |
| Theresa | Muskellunge Lake | Northern pike, yellow perch, black crappie | Private | |
| Antwerp | Payne Lake | Walleye, yellow perch, northern pike | Public | |
| Orleans | Perch Lake | Northern pike, yellow perch, black crappie | Public | |
| Champion | Pleasant Lake | Northern pike, yellow perch, black crappie | Private | |
| Theresa | Red Lake | Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch | Public | |
| Theresa | Sixberry Lake | Walleye (no lake or rainbow trout fishing) | Public | |
| Henderson | Sixtown Pond | Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch | Public | |
| Lewis | Watson | Beaver Lake | Yellow perch, chain pickerel | Undeveloped |
| Greig | Brantingham Lake | Yellow perch, chain pickerel | Private | |
| Watson | Chase Lake | Yellow perch, chain pickerel | Private | |
| Watson | Francis Lake | Yellow perch, chain pickerel | Public | |
| Diana | Lake Bonaparte | Northern pike, walleye, brown trout, yellow perch, lake trout | Public | |
| Croghan/Orion | Soft Maple Res. | Tiger muskellunge | Public | |
| Martinsburg | Whetstone Marsh | Tiger muskellunge | Public | |
| Oneida | Sangerfield | Chittning Pond | Chain pickerel, panfish | Public |
| Western | Delta Reservoir | Walleye, yellow perch, northern pike | Public | |
| Vienna | Oneida Lake | Walleye, yellow perch, northern pike | Public | |
| Morristown | Black Lake | Northern pike, yellow perch, black crappie, walleye | Public | |
| St. Lawrence | Parishville | Blake Falls Res. | Walleye, yellow perch | Public |
| Colton | Carry Falls Res. | Walleye, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge | Public | |
| Hermon | Cedar Lake | Yellow perch | Private | |
| Fine | Greenfield Pond | Yellow perch | Private | |
| Macomb | Hickory Lake | Yellow perch, northern pike | Private | |
| Colton | Higley Falls Res. | Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch | Public | |
| Piercefield | Horseshoe Lake | Tiger muskellunge, walleye | Public | |
| Edwards | Huckleberry | Yellow perch | Public | |
| Norwood/Orion | Norwood Res. | Walleye, yellow perch, black crappie | Public | |
| Hopkinton | Lake Ozonia | Trout, Landlocked salmon | Public | |
| Piercefield | Piercefield Flow | Northern pike, walleye, yellow perch | Public | |
| Macomb | Pleasant Lake | Northern pike, walleye, yellow perch | Public | |
| Parishville | Rainbow Falls Res. | Walleye, yellow perch | Public | |
| Colton/Orion | S. Colton Reservoir | Walleye, yellow perch | Public | |
| Colton/Orion | Stark Falls Res. | Walleye, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge | Public | |
| Fine | Star Lake | Trout, lake trout | Public | |
| Parishville | Sterling Pond | Walleye | Private | |
| Hermon | Trout Lake | Trout, lake trout, walleye | Private | |
| Rossie | Yellow Lake | Northern pike, yellow perch | Private |
