Baitfish Regulations

On This Page:

• Waterbody Definition for Baitfish Purposes
• Purchased Baitfish
  Green List/Legal Species || Certified Baitfish || Uncertified Baitfish
• Personally Harvested Baitfish
  Collection, Use, and Transportation || Gear for Taking || Prohibited Species || Natural Bait
• Use of Dead Fish as Bait
• Restrictions on Use and Possession of Marine Baitfish
• Overland Transportation Corridors
  Transporting within a Corridor || Designated Corridors (Details and Maps)
• Waters Where Use of Baitfish is Prohibited

Waterbody Definition for Baitfish Purposes

For purposes of baitfish regulations, waterbody shall mean:

Any lake, river, pond, stream, or any other distinct mass of water existing in the State of New York, whether publicly or privately owned, including the banks and shores thereof. A waterbody shall also include all tributaries upstream to the first barrier impassable to fish, including the banks and shores thereof. For the purposes of this definition, locks and dams shall be considered impassable barriers.

In addition, each of the following combined waterbodies, including all tributaries up to the first impassable barrier, shall be considered the same waterbody except that border waters shall only include the portion inside New York:

1. Lake Ontario in combination with the Lower Niagara River and the St. Lawrence River
2. Lake Erie in combination with the Upper Niagara River, Black Rock Canal, and waters of the Erie Barge Canal from the Upper Niagara River to Lock E35 in Lockport
3. Onondaga Lake and the Three Rivers complex including the Seneca River downstream of the Erie Barge Canal Lock E24 and dam in Baldwinsville, the Oneida River downstream of the Caughdenoy Dam and Erie Barge Canal at Lock E23, and the Oswego River upstream of Lock 1 and the dam in Phoenix
4. Oneida Lake and Erie Barge Canal downstream to Lock E23 and upstream to Lock E22, and the Oneida River downstream to Caughdenoy Dam
5. Mohawk River from Barge Canal in Rome upstream to Delta Dam
6. Erie Barge Canal from Lock E22 east to Lock E6
7. Lake Champlain, including the Champlain Canal north of Lock 12
8. Hudson River from the Federal Dam at Troy to Bakers Falls in the City of Hudson Falls, and the Champlain Canal up to but not above Lock 7 in Fort Edward, and the Erie Barge Canal up to but not above Lock E6 in Waterford
9. Hudson River downstream from the Federal Dam at Troy to the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan Island
10. Susquehanna River downstream of dam in Oakland, Pennsylvania, and the Chenango River;
11. Saranac Chain of Lakes from Lake Flower upstream to Barlett Carry Dam

Purchased Baitfish

Green List Baitfish

The following are the only species that can be purchased and used in waterbodies where it is legal to use fish as bait - see prohibited waters and waterbody definition

• Golden shiner
• Emerald shiner
• Common shiner
• Spottail shiner
• Fathead minnow
• Bluntnose minnow
• Eastern silvery minnow
• Northern hogsucker
• White sucker
• Banded killifish
• Creek chub
• Fallfish
• Logperch
• Stonecat
• Blacknose dace
• Longnose dace
• Northern redbelly dace
• Margined madtom
• Brindled madtom
• Tadpole madtom

The following species may be purchased as baitfish and only used in the listed waters and their tributaries to the first impassable barrier.

Alewife

• Canadice Lake
• Canandaigua Lake
• Cannonsville Reservoir
• Cayuga Lake
• Cayuta Lake
• Conesus Lake
• Hemlock Lake
• Keuka Lake
• Lake Ontario
• Lake Erie
• Lamoka Lake
• Otisco Lake
• Owasco Lake
• Pepacton Reservoir
• Seneca Lake
• Waneta Lake
• Hudson River (downstream from Lock C4 and its associated dam in Stillwater to the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan Island)
• Mohawk River
• Niagara River
• St. Lawrence River
• All waters in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties

American Eel

• Delaware River and tributaries to the first barrier impassable by fish (9-inch minimum size limit)
• Hudson River downstream from the Federal Dam at Troy to the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan Island (between 9 and 14 inches)

Blueback Herring and Atlantic Menhaden

• Hudson River (downstream from Lock C4 and its associated dam in Stillwater to the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan Island)
• Mohawk River and tributaries to the first barrier impassable by fish

Mummichog

• Hudson River and tidal portion of Hudson River tributaries downstream of the Federal Dam at Troy
• All waters in Nassau and Suffolk counties

Rainbow Smelt

• Canadice Lake
• Canandaigua Lake
• Cayuga Lake
• Cayuta Lake
• Conesus Lake
• Fulton Chain Lakes (First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth)
• Hemlock Lake
• Honeoye Lake
• Keuka Lake
• Lake Champlain
• Lamoka Lake
• Lake Ontario
• Lake Erie
• Owasco Lake
• Seneca Lake
• Star Lake (St. Lawrence County)
• Waneta Lake
• St. Lawrence River
• Niagara River

Certified Baitfish

• Certified baitfish are those that have been tested and found to be free of specified diseases.
• Certified baitfish purchased from a bait dealer can be transported overland in a motorized vehicle and used in any waterbody where it is legal to do so.
• For baitfish to be considered certified, the seller must provide a receipt that contains the following listed information.
  • the seller's name,
  • date of sale,
  • the species of fish, and
  • the number of each species sold.
• The buyer must retain the receipt while in possession of the baitfish. Baitfish without a receipt or with a receipt that is older than 10 days shall be considered uncertified bait.

Uncertified Baitfish

• Uncertified baitfish are those that have not been tested to verify that they are free of specified diseases.
• Uncertified baitfish purchased from a bait dealer can only be used on the same body of water that they were collected in.
• Uncertified baitfish cannot be transported overland by a motorized vehicle (e.g., car) except within a designated overland transportation corridor.
• The seller of uncertified baitfish outside of an overland transportation corridor is required to provide the same receipt information as for certified baitfish (see above) and also include the name of the waterbody in which the uncertified bait fish can be used and a warning to the purchaser that the baitfish may not be transported overland by motorized vehicle.

Personally Harvested Baitfish

Collection, Use, and Transportation

• Any person who has a fishing license or is entitled to fish without a license may collect minnows (except carp, goldfish, or endangered or threatened species), killifish, mudminnows, darters, sticklebacks, stonecats, smelt, alewives, and suckers for personal use in hook-and-line fishing only (sale prohibited) by angling and with the gear types listed in the Gear for Taking Baitfish table. All other species must be immediately returned to the water.
• Special regulations associated with personally harvesting alewife and blueback herring in the Hudson River can be found in the Tidal Hudson River Special Regulations.
• Baitfish or other legally taken fish species intended to be used as bait may only be used in the same waterbody from which they were caught for bait in hook-and-line fishing. These fish may only be used in a waterbody where it is legal to use fish as bait.
• Transportation of personally harvested baitfish overland by a motorized vehicle is prohibited except within a designated overland transportation corridor.
• Smelt, suckers, alewives, and blueback herring taken for human consumption only may be transported at any time.
• Smelt may be taken only by angling in the Hudson River downstream of the Troy Dam and in Lake Champlain, Upper and Lower Saranac Lakes, Lake Clear (Franklin County), Chazy Lake, and their tributaries to the first impassable barrier.
• Possession or use of minnow traps and nets is prohibited on units of state land/waters where the use or possession of baitfish is prohibited.

Gear for Taking Baitfish

Gear for Taking Baitfish

Gear	Time	Waters
Seine or scap net: maximum size 36 square feet	Sunrise to sunset	All non-trout waters
Minnow trap: maximum length 20", maximum entrance diameter 1", must be marked with owner's name and address	Anytime	Waters open to baitfish use
Seine: maximum size 36 square feet	Anytime	Lakes Erie & Ontario excluding their inlets, outlets, bays Niagara River Hudson River below Troy Dam
Cast net maximum 10 feet in diameter	Anytime	Hudson River below Troy Dam
In addition, alewives are the only fish that may be taken as follows:
Gill nets: maximum length 25 feet, maximum area 200 square feet, maximum size 1" bar	Anytime	Canadice, Canandaigua, Cayuga, Hemlock, Keuka, Owasco, Otisco, and Seneca lakes.
Stunning may be used to collect stonecats. Stunning means tapping a stone with an implement or other stone.

Natural Baits

See Natural Baits Regulations for information about taking and using species such as salamanders and snakes, frogs, aquatic insects, rusty crayfish and fish eggs as bait.

Species Prohibited for Use as Bait

Carp, goldfish, lamprey larvae, round goby, European rudd as well as species listed as endangered or threatened in New York State may not be used for bait.

Use of Dead Fish as Bait

Any dead fish, or parts thereof excluding eggs, that are legal to possess and are not prohibited for use as bait, that have been packaged for commercial sale and have been preserved by methods other than by freezing only (e.g., salted minnows) can be used in any waterbody where it is legal to use fish as bait and do not require a receipt.

Each package of dead bait fish must be individually labeled, identifying the:

• name of the packager/processor,
• name of the species,
• quantity of fish contained, and
• means of preservation.

Restrictions on Use and Possession of Marine Baitfish

Baitfish collected in the Marine and Coastal District (see Definitions) may be transported overland only for use in the Marine and Coastal District in the following counties: Queens, Kings, Richmond, New York, Bronx, Suffolk, Nassau, Rockland, and Westchester.

Overland Transportation Corridors

Three defined overland transportation corridors were designated for the purposes of allowing the transport and use of uncertified baitfish by anglers in specific areas of the state. Uncertified baitfish are only allowed to be used on the same body of water where they were collected within these corridors. The three overland transportation corridors are intended to primarily serve anglers fishing the following major waterbodies:

• Lake Erie-Upper Niagara River
• Lower Niagara River-Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River
• Tidal Hudson River

Transporting Within an Overland Transportation Corridor

• Purchased Uncertified Baitfish
  Uncertified baitfish purchased from a bait dealer may be transported within a designated overland transportation corridor provided a receipt, issued by the seller and retained by the purchaser while in possession of the baitfish, contains the following:
  • seller's name,
  • date of sale,
  • species of fish,
  • number of each species sold,
  • waterbody the baitfish must be used in,
  • overland transportation corridor the baitfish must be transported within, and
  • a warning that the baitfish may only be transported within that overland transportation corridor.
• Personally Collected Baitfish
  Personally collected baitfish taken from a waterbody within an overland transportation corridor may be transported within that corridor. These baitfish may only be used within the same waterbody where they were collected.

Designated Overland Transportation Corridors

View a larger map of the Upper Niagara River/
Lake Erie Overland Transportation Corridor (PDF)

Upper Niagara River/Lake Erie

The geographical area associated with the New York portion of Lake Erie and the Upper Niagara River west of and including a line starting at I-90 at the Pennsylvania border, then continuing east to its intersection with I-290, then continuing north along I-290 to its intersection with State Rte. 62, then continuing west to its intersection with I-190, then north to its intersection with the Lower Niagara River.

Baitfish collected from the New York portion of the Upper Niagara River/Lake Erie waterbody may be transported within this corridor.

View a larger map of the Hudson River
Overland Transportation Corridor (PDF)

Hudson River

The geographical area associated with the Hudson River south of the Federal Dam at Troy starting at the eastern shore of the Hudson River at the Federal Dam in Troy, continuing east on W. Glenn Ave. in Troy to its intersection with State Rte. 4, then continuing south on State Rte. 4 to its intersection with State Rtes. 9 & 20, then continuing easterly to its intersection with State Rte. 9, then continuing east on State Rte. 82, to its intersection with the Taconic State Parkway, then continuing south on the Taconic State Parkway to its intersection with the Sprain Brook Parkway, then continuing south on the Sprain Brook Parkway to its intersection with I-287, then continuing west on I-287 across the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge to I-87 North, then continuing north on I-87 to where State Rte. 9W crosses I-87 in Greene County, then continuing north on State Rte. 9W to where State Rte. 9W crosses I-87 in Albany County, then continuing north on I-87 to its intersection with State Rte. 7, then continuing east on State Rte. 7 to its intersection with I-787, then continuing north on I-787 to its intersection with Tibbets Ave., then continuing east on Tibbets Ave. to its intersection with Delaware Ave., then proceeding in a straight line to the west edge of the Troy Dam.

Baitfish collected from the New York portion of the Tidal Hudson River waterbody may be transported within this corridor.

View a larger map of the Lower Niagara River/Lake Ontario/
St. Lawrence River Overland Transportation Corridor (PDF)

Lower Niagara River/Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River

The geographical area associated with New York portion of the Lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River starting at the intersection of I-190 and the Lower Niagara River, then continuing eastward to its intersection with State Rte. 104, then continuing eastward to its intersection with State Rte. 3, then continuing east on State Rte. 3 to its intersection with State Rte. 104, then continuing eastward on State Rte. 104 to its intersection with State Rte. 11, then continuing north on State Rte. 11 to its intersection with State Rte. 56, then continuing north along State Rte. 56 to its intersection with State Rte. 37, then continuing east along State Rte. 37 to its intersection with Racquette Point Rd., then continuing north on Racquette Point Rd. to its intersection with Ransom Rd., and then continuing west on Ransom Rd. and terminating at the St. Lawrence River.

Baitfish collected from the New York portion of the Lower Niagara River/Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River waterbody may be transported within this corridor.

Waters Where Use of Baitfish is Prohibited

Select a DEC Region to view the list of waters where baitfish is prohibited:

• DEC Region 3 (certain waters within Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster counties)
• DEC Region 4 (certain waters within Delaware County)
• DEC Region 5 (certain waters within Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Warren, and Washington counties)
• DEC Region 6 (certain waters within Herkimer, Lewis, Oneida, and St. Lawrence counties)

Region 3

County	Water
Orange	Sterling Lake
Sullivan	Crystal Lake Hodge Pond Mongaup Pond Mongaup Creek (from confluence with Willowmoc upstream to Mongaup Pond)
Ulster	Alder Lake Echo Lake

Region 4

County	Water
Delaware	Huggins Lake Trout Pond (Cables Lake)

Region 5

County	Water
Clinton	Town of Black Brook Cranberry Pond Mud Pond (2 miles southwest of Riverview) Town of Dannemora Mud Pond (town of Dannemora)
Essex	Town of Crown Point Bloody Pond Town of Jay Clements Pond Town of Minerva Barnes Pond Big Sherman Pond Black Pond Center Pond Clear Pond Deer Pond Hewitt Pond Huntley Pond Little Rankin Pond Little Sherman Pond Nate Pond Rankin Pond Stony Pond Twentyninth Pond Town of Moriah Goose Puddle Trout Pond Town of Newcomb Beaver Pond (south of Lake Andrew) Chub Pond Mud Pond (north of Clear Pond) Newcomb Lake (including Upper and Lower Duck Hole) Unnamed Pond (north of LeClaire Brook) Town of North Elba Big Cherrypatch Pond Cameras Pond McKenzie Pond Tom Peck Pond Town of North Hudson Bass Lake Bloody Pond Boreas Pond Challis Pond Courtney Pond Deer Pond Howard Pond Moose Mountain Pond Triangle Pond Labier Flow Lower Twin Pond Upper Twin Pond Town of St. Armand Moose Pond Town of Schroon Cotters Pond Town of Willington Morgan Pond (Copper Kill) As well as waters within the following areas: Essex Chain Lakes Primitive Area Giant Mountain Wilderness Henderson Lakes Primitive Area High Peaks Wilderness Hoffman Notch Wilderness Hudson Gorge Wilderness Area (except Hudson River) McKenzie Mountain Wilderness (except West Branch of Ausable River) Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Pine Lake Primitive Area Sentinel Range Wilderness (except East Branch of Ausable River)
Franklin	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 mile 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 Winnebago Pond Town of Franklin Chub Pond Fishhole Pond Hope Pond Little Hope Pond No Hope Pond (300 feet north of Hope Pond) Mountain Pond (1.6 miles west of Lake Kushaqua) Town of Harrietstown Bear Pond Meadow Pond (0.5 miles northwest of Lake Clear) Panther Pond Porkchop Pond (0.6 miles east of Upper Saranac Lake) St. Germain Pond (0.5 miles north of Lake Clear) Town of Malone Malone Village Ice Pond Town of Santa Clara Bad News Pond (1,000 feet northwest of Polliwog Pond) Black Pond (between Square Pond and Whey Pond) Duck or Echo Pond Duell Pond (0.25 mile south of Little Green Pond) East Copperas Pond Federation Pond (0.25 mile southeast of East Pine Pond) Frog Pond (650 feet north of Polliwog Pond) Little Black Pond (between Black and Square Ponds) Green Pond (north of Follensby Clear Pond) Horseshoe Pond Little Polliwog Pond Polliwog Pond Rat Pond Sunday Pond (southeast of Rat Pond) Sunrise Pond (east of Follensby Clear Pond) Track Pond (0.75 miles northeast of Floodwood Pond) Twelfth Tee or Gordon Pond (400 feet north of Green Pond) Whey Pond Town of Tupper Lake Rag Pond (200 feet north of West Pine Pond) Town of Waverly Balsam Pond (2 miles west of Duck Pond) Little Clear Pond Long Pond and unnamed pond connected to Long Pond As well as waters within the following areas: High Peaks Wildnerness (except Raquette River and Saranac River) Madawaska Flow-Quebec Brook Primitive Area St. Regis Canoe Area
Fulton	Town of Bleeker Holmes Lake County Line Lake Little Homes Lake Duck Lake Mud Lake Town of Caroga Broomstick Lake Fish Hatchery Pond Indian Lake Otter Lake Prairie Lake Steward Lake Town of Stratford Conglin Lakes Fourth Lake Goose Egg Lake House Pond Knapps Long Lake Long Pond Third Lake
Hamilton	Town of Arietta Christian Lake G Lake Iron Lake Jockeybush Lake Lower Sargent Pond Middle Sargent Pond Morley Lake Redlouse Lake Town of Hope Bennett Lake Middle Lake Murphy Lake Town of Indian Lake Barker Pond Bullhead Pond Little Grassy Pond Lower Helms Pond Middle Helms Pond OK Slip Pond Pine Pond (west of Blue Mt. Lake) Tirrell Pond Unknown Pond Unnamed Pond (0.75 miles east of Barker Pond) Upper Helms Pond Town of Inlet Bug Lake Eagles Nest Lake Icehouse Pond Lost Ponds (3) Mitchell Ponds (2) Trout Pond Unnamed Pond (Broken Thwart) Unnamed Pond (a.k.a.: High Rock Pond) (1 mile east of Eight Lake) Town of Lake Pleasant Panther Pond Town of Long Lake Bog Pond High Pond Loon Pond Mays Pond Mosquito Pond Owls Head Pond Raquette Lake Reservoir Sagamore Lake Town of Morehouse Black Creek Lake Bochen Lake DeBraine Lake Fuellard Lake Indian Lake Long Lake Trout Lake Squaw Lake Unnamed Pond (0.25 mile southwest of Squaw Lake) West Creek Lake As well as waters within the following areas: Blue Ridge Wilderness Buell Brook Primitive Area Essex Chain Lakes Primitive Area Five Ponds Wilderness High Peaks Wilderness (except Raquette River) Hudson Gorge Wilderness Area (except Hudson River) Little Moose Wilderness Pigeon Lake Wilderness Pine Lake Primitive Area Round Lake Wilderness Area Siamese Ponds Wilderness Silver Lake Wilderness (except Sacandaga River) Little Moose Wilderness West Canada Lakes Wilderness West Canada Mountain Primitive Area William C. Whitney Wilderness
Warren	Town of Bolton Brown Pond Town of Chester Clear Pond Palmer Pond Town of Haque Buttermilk Pond Jabe Pond Little Jabe Pond Racket Ponds Spectacle Ponds (2) Town of Horicon Duck Pond Long Pond Round Pond Town of Johnsburg Crane Mountain Pond Eagle Pond Kibby Pond Thirteenth Lake Unnamed Pond (2 miles east of Kibby Pond) Town of Stony Creek New Lake Wilcox Lake Town of Thurman Little Joe Pond Lixard Pond Shiras Pond Unnamed Pond (1 mile northwest of Lixard Pond) Town of Warrensburg Gay Pond Viele Pond As well as waters within the following areas: Pharoah Lake Wilderness Siamese Ponds Wilderness
Washington	Town of Dresden Black Mountain Ponds (2) Bumps Pond Fishbrook Pond Greenland Pond Lapland Pond Town of Fort Ann Inman Pond Town of Whitehall Clear Pond Sawmill Pond Spruce Pond

Region 6

County	Water
Herkimer	Town of Webb Bear Lake Bubb Lake Brewer Lake Buck Lake (0.5 mile north of Hog Pond) Buck Pond (1 mile west of Thirsty Pond) Clear Pond Moss Lake Nicks Lake Big Otter Lake Quiver Pond Razorback Pond Sis Lake Tied Lake Twitchell Lake West Pond (0.6 mile southwest of Big Moose Lake) Wheeler Pond Woods Lake As well as waters within the following areas: Five Ponds Wilderness Ha-De-Ron-Dah Wilderness Pepperbox Wilderness Pigeon Lake Wilderness West Canada Lake Wilderness
Lewis	Town of Croghan Clear Pond Rock Pond Trout Pond Town of Diana Green Pond Seely Pond Silver Dawn Lake Little Silver Dawn Lake Town of Greig Pitcher Pond Town of Watson Cleveland Lake Evies Pond Long Lake Payne Pond Seepage Pond As well as waters within the following areas: Ha-De-Ron-Dah Wilderness
Oneida	Town of Forestport Brandy Lake Round Pond
St. Lawrence	Town of Clare Allen Pond Town of Colton Burntbridge Pond Church Pond Clear or Hedgehog Pond Curtis Pond Dog Pond Townline Pond Town of Fine Long Lake Nicks Pond Round Lake Steeter Lake Town of Parishville Clear Pond Long Pond Lilypad Pond Town of Piercefield Black Pond Boottree Pond Bridgebrook Pond Deer Pond Horseshoe Pond Long Pond Lows Lake (Bog River upstream of the dam above Hitchens Pond) Massawepie Lake Pine Pond Round Pond Townline Pond As well as waters within the following areas: Five Ponds Wilderness Raquette-Jordan Boreal Primitive Area Round Lake Wilderness