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Special Fishing Regulations for Franklin 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).
Special Fishing Regulations for Waters in Franklin County
Water Species Open Season Minimum Length Daily Limit Method
All waters Alewife, blueback herring Use or possession for use as baitfish is prohibited
All waters Yellow Perch & Sunfish All year Any size Any number
All waters except those listed below Trout April 1-Oct 15 Any size 5 plus 5 brook trout under 8"
All waters except those listed below Black Bass 3rd Saturday in June - November 30 12" 5
Big Fish Pond, Little Fish Pond, St. Regis Pond Lake trout April 1-Oct 15 15" 3 Use or possession of baitfish prohibited
Lake Clear, Meacham Lake Trout All year Any size 5 Ice fishing permitted
Lake Clear, Meacham Lake Landlocked salmon All year 15" 3 Ice fishing permitted
Lake Colby Trout All year Any size 5 Ice fishing permitted
Lake Colby Landlocked salmon All year 15" 3 Ice fishing permitted
Lake Colby Black bass 3rd Saturday in June - November 30 Any size 5 Ice fishing permitted
Deer Pond (Town of Santa Clara) Trout April 1-Oct 15 Any size 5
Franklin Falls Flow, Lower Saranac Lake, Rainbow Lake Walleye 1st Sat. in May-March 15 18" 3 Ice fishing permitted
Little Clear Pond, Little Green Pond, and their tributaries Fishing prohibited
Follensby Clear Pond Landlocked Salmon April 1-Oct 15 15" 3 Tip-ups prohibited
Mountain Pond (Town of Brighton) Trout April 1-Nov 30 Catch and Release only Artificial lures only
Square Pond, Rollins Pond Landlocked salmon April 1-Oct 15 15" 3 Ice fishing permitted
Square Pond, Rollins Pond Lake trout April 1-Oct 15 21" 3 Ice fishing permitted
Saranac River from Pine Street bridge upstream to Lake Flower Dam in Village of Saranac Lake Trout All year Any size 5 plus 5 brook trout under 8"
Saranac River from Hough Brook at Union Falls Flow upstream to Franklin Falls Flow Dam Fishing prohibited March 1-May 15 to protect spawning walleye
Whey Pond Trout April 1-Oct 15 12" 3 in combination Artificial lures only
Upper Saranac Lake Trout April 1-Oct 15 Any size 5 Ice Fishing permitted; Tip-ups prohibited
Upper Saranac Lake Lake trout April 1-Oct 15 23" 3 Ice Fishing permitted; Tip-ups prohibited
Tupper Lake Lake trout All year 21" 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: St. Regis Canoe Area, High Peaks Wilderness (except Raquette River and Saranac River) and the following waters:

  • Town of Bellmont-Drain Pond
  • Town of Brighton-Barnum Pond, Black Pond (on Visitors Interpretive Center Property), Long Pond (north of Black Pond), Loon Pond, Lost Pond (0.4 mi. southwest of Mountain Pond), Mountain Pond, Slush Pond, Star Mountain Ponds (2), Upper Spectacle Pond
  • Town of Duane-Buck Pond, Clear Pond, Debar Pond, Skiff Pond, Winebago Pond
  • Town of Franklin-Hope Pond, Little Hope Pond, No Hope Pond (300 feet north of Hope Pond)
  • Town of Harrietstown-Bear Pond, Meadow Pond (1/2 mile northwest of Lake Clear), Panther Pond, Porkchop Pond (0.6 mi. east of Upper Saranac Lake), St. Germain Pond (1/2 mile north of Lake Clear)
  • Town of Malone-Malone Village Ice Pond
  • Town of Tupper Lake-Rag Pond (200 feet north of West Pine Pond), West Pine Pond
  • Town of Santa Clara-Bad News Pond (1000 feet northwest of Polliwog Pond), Black Pond (between Square Pond and Whey Pond), Duck or Echo Pond, Duell Pond (1/4 mile south of Little Green Pond), East Copperas Pond, Federation Pond (1/4 mile southeast of East Pine Pond), Frog Pond (650 feet north of Polliwog Pond), Grass Pond (1 1/4 mile northeast of Benz Pond), Little Black Pond (between Black and Square ponds), Green Pond (north of Follensby Clear Pond), Horseshoe Pond, Little Polliwog Pond, Madewaska Pond, Polliwog Pond, Rat Pond, Sunday Pond (southeast of Rat Pond), Sunrise Pond (east of Follensby Clear Pond), Track Pond (3/4 mile northeast of Floodwood Pond), Twelfth Tee or Gordon Pond (400 feet north of Green Pond), Whey Pond
  • Town of Waverly-Benz Pond, Little Clear Pond, Long Pond.