Adirondack/Lake Champlain Fishing and Hunting Hotline

Welcome to the NYS DEC Region 5 Fishing and Hunting Hotline. This is the July 2nd edition. Region 5 covers northeastern New York State including much of the Adirondack Region and Lake Champlain.

NOTE: Due to staffing and other resource issues, DEC Region 5 Fisheries unit will no longer provide weekly reports on fishing activity. We will continue to provide and update general information on fishing seasons, water conditions and other important information. There are numerous web sites that provide regular reports on fishing activity. Use the terms "fishing forum" or "fishing information" with the name of waterbody in any internet search engine to locate web sites with fishing activity information.

Fish

Invasive Aquatic Species

Spiny water flea is present in Great Sacandaga Lake in Fulton County. The aquatic nuisance algae didymo (aka rock snot) is present in the Batten Kill in Washington County. Alewives and water chestnut are present in Lake Champlain. Eurasian Milfoil is present in Lake George in Warren County and many other waters throughout the region. What do they all have in common? They are invasive aquatic species. These, and other invasive aquatic species, can have significant impacts on the ecosystem of waters, the fish communities, and human recreation.

The other thing that all aquatic invasive species have in common is that people are most common cause of their spread and people can prevent their spread. The spread of all invasive aquatic species can be prevented by following these steps:

INSPECT your fishing and boating equipment and remove all mud, plants and other organisms that might be clinging to it.

DRY your fishing and boating equipment before using it on another body of water.

DISINFECT your fishing and boating equipment if it cannot be dried before its use in another body of water.

More information can be found on the web pages

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS)

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus is a serious pathogen of fresh and saltwater fish that is causing an emerging disease in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. It does not pose any threat to human health. VHS can cause hemorrhaging of fish tissue, including internal organs, and can cause the death of infected fish. Once a fish is infected with VHS, there is no known cure. Not all infected fish develop the disease, but they can carry and spread the disease to other fish. VHS has been blamed for fish kills in Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair (MI), Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and Conesus Lake (Western NY). The World Organization of Animal Health has categorized VHS as a transmissible disease with the potential for profound socio-economic consequences.

More information on VHS can be found at

Health Advisories on Fish

The NYSDOH issues advisories on eating sportfish and game because some of these foods contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health. See the DEC web page on Fish Health Advisories for more information and links to the Department of Health information.

Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control

In 2008, the Department and its partners (the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) completed sea lamprey control treatments on the Saranac River delta, Mount Hope Brook, Great Chazy River, Mill Brook, Winooski River, Missisquoi and Mill Brook Delta. See the Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control web pages for more information.

Fishing Licenses

See Sporting Licenses for information on fishing licenses.

Free Fishing Days

DEC Region 5 will be holding a free fishing day on Saturday, July 18, at the South Bay Fishing Pier on Lake Champlain in the Town of Whitehall, Washington County. See Free Fishing Days for more information on this and other free fishing events across the state, including contact numbers.

Fishing Regulations

Prior to heading out, anglers should be sure to check the 2008-2009 Freshwater Fishing Regulations for the water they plan on fishing. Numerous exceptions to the statewide regulations exist in each DEC region. Changes to the previous year's regulations are highlighted in blue throughout the guide.

Water Conditions

Water temperatures are beginning to warm with temperatures averaging in the 60's on the surface. Water levels are high in some places due to localized rain storms over the past week. Always wear a person flotation device and warm non-cotton clothing when in a boat, wading, or on steep banks.

Fishing Seasons

Trout

Statewide trout season (brook, brown, and rainbow, also lake trout, splake, and landlocked Atlantic salmon) is open.
See the DEC press release on the opening of trout season for more information, scroll down to the section titled
"Adirondacks/Northeastern NY (DEC Region 5)"
There are many special regulations which apply to trout angling, be sure to check the Region 5 special regulations section of the fishing regulations guide.
New State Brook Trout record - 5 pound 4.5 ounce recently caught in Raquette Lake, Hamilton County.

Muskellunge

Muskellunge season is open

Bass

Regular black bass season is open on both Lake Champlain and all other Region 5 waters

Walleye

Walleye season is open

Pike & Pickerel

Northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskie seasons are open

For detailed fishing information contact the local bait shops. Hunting guides, fishing guides and the reclaimed ponds list can be obtained by calling the office during regular business hours at (518) 623-1240 for the Warrensburg Office or (518) 897-1333 for the Ray Brook office.

Stocked Waters

Clinton County

Ace Club Pond - Brook Trout
Altona School Pond - Brook Trout
Altona School Pond - Rainbow Trout
Arnold Brook Brown - Brown Trout
Chazy Lake Rainbow - Rainbow Trout
Crystal Creek - Brown Trout
Davis Lake - Brown Trout
Dry Mill Brook - Brown Trout
Great Chazy River - Brown Trout
Little Ausable River - Brown Trout
Little Chazy River - Brown Trout
North Branch Great Chazy -Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
North Branch Saranac River - Brown Trout & Brook Trout
Peru Fish & Game Club Pond - Brook Trout
Salmon River - Brown Trout
Saranac River - Atlantic Salmon, Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
Taylor Pond - Atlantic Salmon & Lake Trout
True Brook - Brown Trout
Upper Chateaugay Lake - Atlantic Salmon, Lake Trout & Rainbow Trout

Essex County

Ausable River - Atlantic Salmon
Black River - Brook Trout
Boquet River - Atlantic Salmon, Brook Trout & Brown Trout
Branch (The) - Brook Trout
Chubb River - Brown Trout
Coldspring Pond - Brown Trout
Connery Pond - Brown Trout & Splake
Courtney Pond - Brown Trout
Deer Pond - Lake Trout & Brown Trout
East Br. Ausable River - Rainbow Trout & Brown Trout
Fish & Game Club Pond - Rainbow Trout
Giant Washbowl - Brook Trout
Henderson Lake - Lake Trout
Horseshoe Pond - Rainbow Trout
Lake Champlain - Landlocked Atlantic Salmon
Lake Placid Outlet - Brown Trout
Long Pond - Brown Trout
Military Pond - Brown Trout
Moose Pond - Rainbow Trout
North Branch Boquet River - Atlantic Salmon & Brown Trout
Owen Pond - Brown Trout
Ray Brook - Brook Trout
Round Pond - Brook Trout
Phelps Brook - Brown Trout
Putnam Creek - Brown Trout
Schroon Lake - Atlantic Salmon & Lake Trout
Schroon River - Brown Trout
South Meadow Brook - Brook Trout
Spruce Mill Brook - Brown Trout
Stephens Pond - Brown Trout
Twenty-ninth Pond - Brown Trout
Ward Pond - Brown Trout
West Br. Ausable River - Brown Trout
Willsboro Club Pond - Brook Trout, Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
West Br. Ausable River - Brook Trout & Brown Trout

Franklin County

Alder Brook - Brown Trout
Ampersand Brook - Brook Trout
Big Pine Pond - Lake Trout
Black Pond - Rainbow Trout
Bog River - Brook Trout
Boy Scout Clear Pond - Rainbow Trout & Splake
Chateaugay River - Brook Trout & Rainbow Trout
Debar Pond - Splake
Deer River - Brown Trout
Develin Brook - Brook Trout
Drain Pond - Rainbow Trout
Green Pond - Splake
Hatch Brook - Brown Trout
Lake Colby - Rainbow Trout
Lawrence Brook - Brown Trout
Little Long Pond - Rainbow Trout & Splake
Little Salmon River - Brown Trout
Little Trout River - Brown Trout
Malone Village Pond - Brook Trout & Brown Trout
Meacham Lake - Splake
Mountain Pond - Brook Trout
Palmer Pond - Brook Trout
Plum Brook - Brown Trout
Rat Pond - Brown Trout
Rollins Pond - Atlantic Salmon & Lake Trout
Salmon River - Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
Saranac River - Brook Trout, Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
Square Pond - Atlantic Salmon
Stony Brook - Brown Trout
St. Regis Pond - Splake
St. Regis River - Brown Trout
Sumner Brook - Brook Trout
Trout River - Brown Trout
Two Bridge Brook - Brook Trout & Brown Trout
West Pine Pond - Rainbow Trout
Whey Pond - Brook Trout & Rainbow Trout

Fulton County

Ayers Creek - Brown Trout
Canada Lake - Brown Trout
Caroga Creek - Brown Trout
Cayadutta Creek - Brown Trout
Crum Creek - Brown Trout
East Canada Creek - Brown Trout
East Caroga Lake - Rainbow Trout
Hale Creek - Brown Trout
Hans Creek - Brown Trout
Kecks Center Creek - Brown Trout
Kennyetto Creek - Brown Trout
Mayfield Creek - Brook Trout
Meco Creek - Brown Trout
Middle Sprite Creek - Brown Trout
Northville Pond - Rainbow Trout
Timmerman Creek - Brown Trout
Wolford's Pond - Brown Trout
Zimmerman Creek - Brown Trout

Hamilton County

Cedar River - Rainbow Trout & Brown Trout
Eighth Lake - Rainbow Trout
Gilman Lake - Rainbow Trout
Indian River - Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
Lake Pleasant - Brown Trout
Mill Creek - Brown Trout
Sacandaga Lake - Brown Trout
Sacandaga River - Brown Trout
Seventh Lake - Rainbow Trout
Sixth Lake - Rainbow Trout

Saratoga County

Alplaus Kill - Rainbow Trout
Bog Meadow Brook - BrownTrout
Cole Brook - Brown Trout
Corinth Reservoir Ponds - Brook Trout
Daly Creek - Brown Trout
Dwaas Kill - Brook Trout
Geyser Brook - Brown Trout
Glowegee Creek - Brown Trout
Great Sacandaga Lake - Rainbow Trout
Kayaderosseras Creek - Brown Trout
La Rue Creek - Brown Trout
Paul Creek - Brown Trout
Sand Creek - Brown Trout
Saratoga Lake - Walleye
Snook Kill - Brown Trout
Upper Corinth Reservoir - Brook Trout

Warren County

Brant Lake - Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
Brown's Pond - Brook Trout
Crandall Park Pond - Rainbow Trout
Edgecomb Pond - Rainbow Trout
English Brook - Brook Trout
Glen Creek - Brown Trout
Glen Lake - Rainbow Trout
Gurney Lane Pond - Brook Trout
Hague Brook - Brook Trout
Hudson River - Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
Lake George - Atlantic Salmon
Lake Luzerne - Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
Mill Creek - Brown Trout
North Creek - Brook Trout
North Creek Recreation Pond - Rainbow Trout
Northwest Bay Brook - Brook Trout
Patterson Brook - Brook Trout
Roaring Branch - Brook Trout
Schroon River - Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout and Landlocked Atlantic Salmon
Spuytenduivel Creek - Brook Trout
Stony Creek - Brook Trout
Thirteenth Lake - Brown Trout
Trout Brook - Rainbow Trout
Trout Lake - Rainbow Trout
Viele Pond - Brook Trout & Rainbow Trout
West Brook - Brook Trout

Washington County

Battenkill - Brown Trout
Halfway Creek - Brown Trout
Indian River - Brown Trout
Mettawee River - Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout
Poultney River - Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout

Wildlife

Hunting Seasons

Big Game hunting season has wrapped up in Region 5, but small game, furbearers and some waterfowl seasons are still open. Dates listed here apply to DEC Region 5 or parts of it, check the guide for detailed information on hunting seasons.

Big Game

The 2008 Deer and Bear Harvest numbers are available on the DEC website. See the 2008 Deer Harvest press release, the 2008 Bear Harvest press release and the detailed Deer and Bear Harvest Reports for 2007 and 2008.

Small Game

All seasons are closed, only unprotected species can be hunted at this time.

Waterfowl

The tentative New York State 2009-10 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons have been announced. Although the dates won't be final until late summer when federal regulations are official, DECs expects the tentative season dates will conform with federal requirements for the coming year. Hunters should confirm the final season dates and bag limits before going afield, the final season dates will be posted on the DEC website.

Tentative dates for the September Canada goose seasons are as follows:

Northeastern and Southeastern Zones: Sept. 1 - 25
Lake Champlain Zone: Sept. 8 - 25

Tentative dates for the Youth Waterfowl hunting weekends (Saturday-Sunday) are as follows:

Northeastern and Southeastern Zones: Sept. 19-20
Lake Champlain Zone: Sept. 26 - 27

Tentative dates for the regular duck hunting seasons are as follows:

Northeastern Zone: Oct. 3 - 11 and Oct. 23 - Dec. 12
Southeastern Zone: Oct. 10 - 18 and Nov. 7 - Dec. 27

More information can be found in the press release.

Furbearers

All seasons are closed.

Sporting Licenses

Sporting licenses for hunting and trapping for the 2008-09 license year are now being sold. You may notice the new brownish color of the licenses this year. DEC has begun alternating the color of its sporting licenses and will change it every year from now on. This is designed to ensure that hunters, anglers and trappers carry the correct license prior to going afield. More information on Sporting Licenses.

Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator Exams

Individuals interested in becoming a nuisance wildlife control operator must pass an exam before becoming licensed. Applications and study material are available by contacting the Special Licenses Unit at (518) 402-8985. Exams are set up by appointment in Region 5 and can be made by contacting the Region 5 Wildlife Office at (518) 623-1240.

Wildlife Rehabilitator Exam

A written examination, offered only once a year, for New Yorkers interested in becoming a licensed volunteer wildlife rehabilitator, will be given on Friday, April 24th from 10 a.m. to noon at DEC Regional offices across the state. The deadline for registering to take the exam is Friday, April 3. There is no charge for either the exam or the license issued by DEC. More information on the Wildlife Rehabilitator License and the Wildlife Rehabilitator Exam

Falconry Exam

An examination for individuals seeking an apprentice license to practice the sport of falconry has been scheduled for Friday, April 24, at 10 a.m. at DEC regional offices across the state. The deadline for applying to take the exam is April 3. More information on the Falconry License and the Falconry Exam