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Franklin County Ice Fishing

The table below lists the lakes and ponds in Franklin 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.

    Franklin County Waters With Ice Fishing
    Water Town Ownership Species
    Baker Pond Brighton Public NP, Pks
    Black Pond Harrietstown Public NP, YP, Pks
    Brandy/Mosquito Pond Santa Clara Public YP?
    Buck Pond Franklin Public NP, YP
    Buck Pond Duane Private NP, YP
    Church Pond Brighton Public NP, YP, Pks
    Church Pond Santa Clara Private YP, Pks
    Clear Pond Brighton Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    Clear Pond Waverly Private NP
    Copperas Pond Santa Clara Public NP, YP
    Deer Pond Waverly Private NP, YP
    Deer River Flow Duane Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    East Pine Pond Santa Clara/ Tupper Lake Public BC, Pks, YP
    First Pond Harrietstown Public YP, NP
    Fish Creek Ponds Santa Clara Public NP, YP, Pks
    Floodwood Pond Santa Clara Public NP, YP, Pks
    Follensby Clear Pond Santa Clara Public NP, YP, Pks, S
    Franklin Falls Flow Franklin Public/Private NP, YP, WAE, RB, Pks
    Gourdshell Ponds Duane Public NP, YP
    Hay Meadow Pond Tupper Lake Private NP, YP, Pks
    Horseshoe Pond Duane Private NP, YP, Pks
    Indian Lake Bellmont Private NP, YP, Pks
    Jones Pond Brighton Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    Kiwassa Lake Harrietstown Public/Private NP, YP, WAE
    Lake Clear Harrietstown Public/Private BT, NP, YP, S, LLS
    Lake Clear Outlet (Mill Pond) Harrietstown Public/Private NP, YP
    Lake Colby Franklin Public BT, RT, LLS, YP, Pks
    Lake Duane Duane Private NP, YP, Pks
    Lake Flower Harrietstown Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    Lake Frances Malone Private NP, YP, Pks
    Lake Titus Malone Private YP
    Lead Pond Tupper Lake Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    Little Colby Pond Franklin Public/Private YP, Pks
    Little Rainbow Lake Santa Clara Public YP
    Little Square Pond Santa Clara Public NP, YP, Pks, S
    Little Weller Pond Santa Clara Public NP, YP
    Little Willis Pond Tupper Lake Private YP, Pks
    Little Wolf Pond Tupper Lake Public/Private WAE, NP, YP, Pks
    Loon Lake Franklin Private NP, YP, Pks
    Lower Chateaugay Lake Chateaugay Public YP, Pks, NP
    Lower County Line Pond Harrietstown Public NP, Pks
    Lower St. Regis Lake Brighton Private NP, YP
    Lower Saranac Lake Harrietstown Public NP, YP, S, WAE, RB
    McCauley Pond Harrietstown Public NP, YP, Pks
    McCollum Pond Brighton Public NP, YP, Pks
    Meacham Lake Duane Public Spk, NP, YP, Pks, LLS, S
    Middle County Line Pond Harrietstown Public Pks
    Middle Pond Santa Clara Public NP, YP, Pks
    Middle Saranac Lake Franklin Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    Morette Pond Santa Clara Public Pks
    Mountain View Lake Bellmont Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    Mud Pond Brighton Private YP, Pks
    Mud Pond Harrietstown Public NP, YP, Pks
    Oregon Pond Franklin Public/Private YP
    Oseetah Lake Harrietstown Public/Private NP, YP
    Osgood Pond Franklin Public/Private NP, YP
    Pickerel Pond Harrietstown Public NP, YP
    Piercefield Flow Piercefield Private WAE, NP, YP, Pks
    Rainbow Lake/ Rainbow Narrows Brighton Public/Private NP, YP, Pks, WAE
    Raquette Pond Tupper Lake Public WAE, NP, YP, Pks
    Rock Pond Tupper Lake Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    Roll Bank Pond Harrietstown Public NP, YP
    Rollins Pond Santa Clara Public/Private NP, Pks, S
    Santa Clara Flow Santa Clara Public/Private NP, YP, Pks
    Second Pond Harrietstown Public YP, NP
    Simon Pond Tupper Lake Public/Private NP, YP, WAE, Pks, LT, LLS
    Spitfire Lake Brighton Private YP, Pks, NP
    Square Pond Santa Clara Public NP, YP, Pks
    Stony Creek Ponds Harrietstown Public/Private WAE, NP, YP, Pks
    Tamarack Pond Harrietstown Public NP, YP, Pks
    Tiff Pond Harrietstown Private NP
    Tupper Lake Tupper Lake Public LT, NP, WAE, WF, YP, Pks, S
    Union Falls Flow Franklin Public/Private WAE, NP, YP
    Upper Saranac Lake Harrietstown/ Santa Clara Public/Private S, NP, YP
    Upper St. Regis Lake Harrietstown/ Brighton Public/Private NP,YP, Pks, S
    Weller Pond Santa Clara Public NP, YP, Pks
    Woodbury Pond Tupper Lake Private NP, YP, Pks

    All Franklin County waters: 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 Franklin County waters.

    Fish Species Key

    • BC - Black crappie
    • BT - Brown trout
    • LLS - Landlocked salmon
    • LMB - Largemouth bass
    • LT - Lake trout
    • NP - Northern pike
    • Pks - Pumpkinseed
    • RB - Rock bass
    • RT - Rainbow trout
    • S - Smelt
    • SMB - Smallmouth bass
    • Spk - Splake
    • WAE - Walleye
    • WF - Lake whitefish
    • YP - Yellow perch
    Ice Fishing Special Regulations for Franklin County
    Water Species Season Length Limit Method
    Lake Clear,
    Meacham Lake
    LLS All year 15" 3 Ice fishing permitted
    Trout* All year Any 5
    Tupper Lake LT All year 21" 3 Ice fishing permitted
    Lake Colby Trout All year Any 5 Ice fishing permitted
    LLS All year 15" 3
    LMB,SMB 3rd Sat in June-Nov 30 Any 5
    Upper Saranac Lake LT Apr 1-Oct 15 23" 3 Ice fishing Permitted
    Tip-ups prohibited
    Trout Apr 1-Oct 15 Any 5
    Follensby Clear Pond LLS Apr 1-Oct 15 15" 3 Tip-ups prohibited
    Franklin Falls Flow,
    Lower Saranac Lake,
    Rainbow Lake
    WAE 1st Sat in May-Mar 15 18" 3 Ice fishing permitted
    Square Pond,
    Rollins Pond
    LLS Apr 1-Oct 15 15" 3 Ice fishing permitted
    LT Apr 1-Oct 15 21" 3

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

    Additional Ice Fishing Special Regulations for Franklin County

    For Lower County Line Pond, Middle County Line Pond and Pickerel Pond, ice fishing is permitted but use or possession of baitfish is prohibited.