Printer-friendlySpecial Fishing Regulations for Essex County
- This is a list of exceptions to the General Angling Regulations of New York's Freshwater Fishing Regulations.
- Trout waters where ice fishing is permitted are identified here.
- Where regulations appear in the Method column, they pertain to all fishing in the listed water.
- In some cases, you will be referred to the regulations tables for major resource blocks (Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, Lake Champlain, Border Waters, New York City Reservoirs).
| Water | Species | Open Season | Minimum Length | Daily Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All waters | Alewife, blueback herring | Use or possession for use as baitfish prohibited | |||
| All waters except those listed below | Trout | April 1-Oct 15 | Any size | 5 plus 5 brooktrout under 8" | |
| Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first barrier | All species | See Lake Champlain regulations | |||
| All waters except Lake George | Yellow perch, sunfish | All year | Any size | Any number | |
| Boquet River from Wadhams Falls upstream to Route 9N in Elizabethtown | Trout | April 1-Oct 15 | 9" | 5 | |
| Indian River | Trout | All year | Any size | 5 | |
| West Branch Ausable River except section below: | Trout | April 1-Oct 15 | Any size | 5 | |
| West Branch Ausable River from mouth of Holcomb Pond Outlet downstream to marked boundary 2.2 miles downstream of Monument Falls | Trout | All year | Catch and Release only | Artificial lures only | |
| West Branch Ausable River from the Whiteface Ski Center bridge downstream to the Rt 86 bridge at the flume | Trout | All year | catch and release only | Artificial lures only | |
| Bigsby Pond, Copperas Pond | Lake trout | April 1-Oct 15 | 15" | 3 | Tip-ups prohibited Fishing prohibited Oct. 16-Mar 31 |
| Eagle Lake, Connery Pond, Hudson River | Trout | All year | Any size | 5 | Ice fishing permitted |
| Upper and Lower Cascades | Round whitefish | Possession Prohibited | Use or possession of baitfish prohibited | ||
| First Lake of Essex Chain, Pharaoh Lake | Lake trout | April 1-Oct 15 | 15" | 3 | Use or possession of baitfish prohibited |
| Lake George and tributaries to first barrier | Lake trout, landlocked salmon, trout, smelt | See Lake George under Warren County | Use or possession of smelt prohibited | ||
| Lake George and tributaries to first barrier | Yellow perch, sunfish | All year | Any size | 50 | |
| Crane Pond | Lake trout | All year | 15" | 3 | Ice fishing permitted. Use or possession of baitfish prohibited |
| Paradox Lake | Trout | All year | Any size | 5 | Ice fishing permitted |
| Paradox Lake | Lake trout | All year | 21" | 3 | Ice fishing permitted |
| Paradox Lake | Pickerel | All year | Any size | Any number | Ice fishing permitted |
| Mirror Lake, Lake Placid | Lake trout | April 1-Oct 15 | 15" | 3 | |
| Moose Pond (Town of St. Armand) | Black Bass | April 1-Nov 30 | Any size | Any Number | Use or possession of baitfish prohibited |
| Moose Pond (Town of St. Armand) | Lake trout | April 1-Oct 15 | 15" | 3 | Use or possession of baitfish prohibited |
| Schroon Lake, Schroon River from Schroon Lake upstream to Alder Meadow Rd. | Trout | All year | Any size | 5 | Ice fishing permitted |
| Schroon Lake, Schroon River from Schroon Lake upstream to Alder Meadow Rd. | Lake trout | All year | 18" | 2 | Ice fishing permitted |
| Schroon Lake, Schroon River from Schroon Lake upstream to Alder Meadow Rd. | Landlocked salmon | All year | 15" | 3 | Ice fishing permitted |
| Schroon Lake, Schroon River from Schroon Lake upstream to Alder Meadow Rd. | Pickerel | All year | Any size | Any number | Ice fishing permitted |
| Ticonderoga Creek from lower falls upstream to Lake George | Lake trout, landlocked salmon, trout | Lake Champlain regulations apply | |||
| Harris Lake, Franklin Falls Flow | Walleye | 1st Saturday in May through Mar 15 | 18" | 3 | ice fishing permitted |
In addition, the use or possession of baitfish is prohibited on all lands, lakes, ponds, and streams of the following geographic areas: Dix Mountain Wilderness, Giant Mountain Wilderness, High Peaks Wilderness, Hoffman Notch Wilderness, Hudson Gorge Primitive Area (except Hudson River), McKenzie Mountain Wilderness (except West Branch of the Ausable River), Pharaoh Lake Wilderness and Sentinel Range Wilderness (except East Branch Ausable River) and the following waters:
- Town of Jay - Clements Pond
- Town of Minerva - Barnes Pond, Black Pond, Center Pond, Clear Pond, First Lake (Essex Chain of Lakes), Hewitt Pond, Nate Pond, Rankin Pond, Little Rankin Pond, Sherman Pond, Stony Pond, Twenty Ninth Pond
- Town of Newcomb - Newcomb Lake (including Upper and Lower Duck Hole), Upper and Lower Preston Ponds
- Town of North Elba - Big Cherry Patch Pond, Cameras Pond, McKenzie Pond, Tom Peck Pond, Upper and Lower Preston Ponds
- Town of North Hudson - Bass Lake, Bloody Pond, Challis Pond, Courtney Pond, Howard Pond, Moose Mountain Pond, Triangle Pond, Lower Twin Pond, Upper Twin Pond
- Town of St. Armand - Moose Pond; Town of Schroon - Cotters Pond
- Town of Willmington - Morgan Pond (Cooperkill)
- Town of Moriah - Goose Puddle, Trout Pond
- Town of Schroon - Cotters Pond