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).
| 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.