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Clinton County Ice Fishing

The table below lists the lakes and ponds in Clinton County that are open to ice fishing. Please note that some waters are privately owned and it is the angler's responsibility to obtain the necessary permissions before fishing these waters.

Ice Fishing Seasons:

  • November 15 - April 30 - for those species in the General Angling Regulations for which there is no closed season or no minimum length.
  • November 15 - March 15 - for northern pike, pickerel, tiger muskellunge and walleye.

  • Two (2) hand lines and five (5) tip-ups may be used, except if noted in the Special Regulations section. All tip-ups must be marked with the name and address of the operator; the operator must be present when lines (either tip-ups or hand lines) are in the water. Ice shanties must be marked on the outside with the owner's name and address in letters at least three inches high. Shanties must be removed from all waters by March 15.

    Note: Special regulations apply to waters with links.

    Clinton County Waters With Ice Fishing
    Water Town Ownership Species
    Lake Alice Chazy Public Pks
    Chateaugay Lake, Upper Dannemora Public/Private LT, RT, LLS, S, YP, NP
    Chazy Lake Dannemora Public/Private LT, RT, LLS, YP, S, Pks, NP
    Duncan Pond Beekmantown Private No data
    Fern Lake Black Brook Private NP, RB, Pks, BC, WAE
    Lake Champlain See Lake Champlain link at top of page
    Lily Pond Ausable Unknown No data
    Silver Lake Black Brook Public/Private NP, YP, RB
    Slush Pond, Little Black Brook Private No data
    Union Falls Flow Black Brook Public/Private WAE, NP, YP
    Woodruff Pond Plattsburgh Unknown No data

    All Clinton County waters except Cumberland Bay on Lake Champlain: yellow perch and sunfish - all year; any size; any number.

    The use, or possession for use, of alewife and blueback herring as baitfish is prohibited in all Clinton County waters.

    Fish Species Key

    • BC - Black crappie
    • LLS - Landlocked salmon
    • LT - Lake trout
    • NP - Northern pike
    • Pks - Pumpkinseed
    • RB - Rock bass
    • RT - Rainbow trout
    • S - Smelt
    • WAE - Walleye
    • YP - Yellow perch
    Ice Fishing Special Regulations for Clinton County
    Water Species Season Length Limit Method
    Upper Chateaugay Lake LT All year 21" 3 Ice fishing permitted
    LLS All year 15" 3
    Trout* All year Any 5
    Chazy Lake LT All year 21" 3 Ice fishing permitted
    LLS All year 15" 3
    Trout All year Any 5
    Fern Lake WAE 1st Sat in May- Mar 15 18" 3 Ice fishing permitted

    *Trout = brook, brown and rainbow; and hybrids of these species; and splake