Fishing in Rensselaer County, New York
Seat: Troy. DEC Region 4, Capital Region and Northern Catskills.
- 6lake pages
- 17launches
- 6trout streams
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Rensselaer County lakes, streams and launches in brief
Rensselaer County answers to DEC Region 4 (Capital Region and Northern Catskills) on fish and wildlife, with county government in Troy. In the 2020 count the county had 161,130 residents; Census maps give it 652 land and 12.9 water square miles. Part of the shore belongs to Tidal Hudson River; see those pages.
6 lake and reservoir pages fall inside the county, 2,288 acres together, the largest being Tomhannock Reservoir. Walleye appear on the DEC lists of 1 county lake here. Boaters can choose from 17 launch sites, 3 with a hard ramp and 10 hand launches for canoes and kayaks. 6 streams carry DEC trout reaches here (69.7 miles): 2 wild and 4 stocked. The county has 10 walk-in and pier access points (0 piers).
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; NYS Hydrography lakes, DEC launches, fishing sites and trout reaches, retrieved October 2026.
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DEC launch and fishing site points, NYS Hydrography lake points; stream pins mark the DEC record points. Checked October 2026.
Rensselaer County lakes and reservoirs, biggest first
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomhannock Reservoir | 1,709 | 0 | ice fishing allowed | smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish |
| Burden Lake | 370 | 0 | ice fishing allowed | smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish |
| Long Pond, Rensselaer County | 119 | 2 | ice fishing allowed, stocked | brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass |
| Shaver Pond | 43 | 1 | ice fishing allowed, stocked | brown trout, rainbow trout, brown bullhead |
| Second Pond, Rensselaer County | 30 | 2 | ice fishing allowed, stocked | brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass |
| Mill Pond, Rensselaer County | 18 | 1 | ice fishing allowed | smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish |
NYS Hydrography (NHD) lake outlines and acres, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists; retrieved October 2026.
More ponds in Rensselaer County
In Rensselaer County, 11 more named waters appear only here, with acres and nearest place.
| Water | Acres | Ice fishing | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau Lake | 175 | Nassau Lake | |
| Tackawasick Lake | 127 | East Nassau | |
| Glass Lake | 124 | Averill Park | |
| Crooked Lake, Rensselaer County | 113 | Averill Park | |
| Snyders Lake | 113 | Wynantskill | |
| Dunham Reservoir | 99 | Poestenkill | |
| Electric Lake | 72 | Schaghticoke | |
| Crystal Lake, Rensselaer County | 67 | Averill Park | |
| Wager Pond | 62 | Poestenkill | |
| Troy Reservoir | 52 | Troy | |
| Black River Pond | 36 | East Nassau |
NYS Hydrography lakes and DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, retrieved October 2026.
Stream guides for Rensselaer County
- Hudson Riverriver, Stocked 12.8 mi; Stocked-Extended 3.3 mi; 17,740 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (623.2 acres), 31 launchs
- Hoosic Riverriver, Public Fishing Rights (237.8 acres), 2 launchs
- Kinderhook Creekstream, Stocked-Extended 19.9 mi; 20,200 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (993.6 acres)
- Little Hoosic Riverriver, Wild-Quality 19.9 mi; Public Fishing Rights (255.7 acres)
- Poesten Killstream, Stocked 5.6 mi; 2,190 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (46.1 acres)
- Walloomsac Riverriver, Stocked 5.6 mi; 4,910 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (20.1 acres)
- East Creekstream, Wild-Quality 2.6 mi; Public Fishing Rights (59.7 acres)
- Wyomanock Creekstream, Public Fishing Rights (17.4 acres)
- Wynants Killstream, Public Fishing Rights (5.6 acres)
- Prosser Hollow Brookstream, Public Fishing Rights
- Quacken Killstream, Public Fishing Rights (18.2 acres)
Trout reaches running through Rensselaer County
The Rensselaer County trout list counts 6 streams; DEC stocks 4, manages 2 as wild water and owns fishing easements on 12.
From April 1 to October 15 trout may be kept on inland streams; the rest of the year is artificial-lure catch and release.
- Dill CreekPublic Fishing Rights (24.5 acres), near Hoosick Falls
How fast the rivers of Rensselaer County run
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Hoosic River Near Eagle Bridge Ny | 581 cfs, 3.42 ft gage height | Nov 10 11:30 pm |
| Valatie Kill Near Nassau Ny | 121 cfs, 3.08 ft gage height | Nov 7 11:30 pm Not updated since Nov 7, 2026. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 12:32 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
DEC trout stream reaches (dil_water_activities), DEC Public Fishing Rights, DEC stocking lists; reach miles are DEC figures. Retrieved October 2026.
Getting a boat wet in Rensselaer County
- Cherry Plain State ParkBlack River Pond, hand launch, parking: 10 spaces (dec park field)
- Grafton Lakes State Park on Dunham Reservoir near Poestenkill (north)Dunham Reservoir, hand launch
- Grafton Lakes State Park on Dunham Reservoir near Poestenkill (south)Dunham Reservoir, unpaved trailer launch, parking: 5 spaces (dec park field)
- Grafton Lakes State Park on Long Pond near Hoosick FallsLong Pond, unpaved trailer launch, parking: 10 spaces (dec park field)
- Grafton Lakes State Park on Long Pond near PoestenkillLong Pond, hand launch, parking: 25 spaces (dec park field)
- Grafton Lakes State Park on Mill PondMill Pond, hand launch, parking: 10 spaces (dec park field)
- Grafton Lakes State Park on Second Pond near PoestenkillSecond Pond, hand launch
- Grafton Lakes State Park on Shaver PondShaver Pond, hand launch, parking: 5 spaces (dec park field)
- Hudson River access, Rensselaer County (north)Hudson River, hard surface ramp, 18 parking spaces
- Hudson River access, Rensselaer County (south)Hudson River, hard surface ramp, 95 parking spaces
- Hudson River/Schodack Creek access, Rensselaer CountyHudson River/Schodack Creek, hand launch, 5 parking spaces
- Lock 4 State Canal ParkHudson River, hand launch, parking: 10 spaces (dec park field)
- Public Launch on Hoosic River near CambridgeHoosic River, hand launch, parking: 15 car and 0 car-trailer spaces
- Public Launch on Hoosic River near Hoosick FallsHoosic River, hand launch, parking: 15 spaces (dec park field)
- Public Launch on Hudson River near Waterford (north)Hudson River, unpaved trailer launch
- Public Launch on Hudson River near Waterford (south)Hudson River, hard surface ramp, parking: 10 spaces (dec park field)
- Grafton Lakes State Park on Second Pond near PoestenkillSecond Pond, unpaved trailer launch, parking: 5 spaces (dec park field)
Places to fish from land, Rensselaer County (10)
- Hoosic River fishing access parking 1angler parking area (public fishing rights), Hoosic River
- Kinderhook Creek fishing access parking 1angler parking area (public fishing rights), Kinderhook Creek
- Kinderhook Creek fishing access parking 2angler parking area (public fishing rights), Kinderhook Creek
- Kinderhook Creek fishing access parking 5angler parking area (public fishing rights), Kinderhook Creek
- Kinderhook Creek fishing access parking, Kinderhook Creek 1angler parking area (public fishing rights), Kinderhook Creek
- Kinderhook Creek fishing access parking, Kinderhook Creek 2angler parking area (public fishing rights), Kinderhook Creek
- Little Hoosic River fishing access parking 1angler parking area (public fishing rights), Little Hoosic River
- Prosser Hollow Brook fishing access parkingangler parking area, Prosser Hollow Brook
- Quacken Kill fishing access parking 1angler parking area (public fishing rights), Quacken Kill
- Wynants Kill fishing access parking 1angler parking area, Wynants Kill
DEC boat launches and fishing sites (dil_water_activities), DEC Boat Launch Sites and marine access layers, NYS Parks launches; retrieved October 2026.
Shoreline fishing from Rensselaer County
- Tidal Hudson River3 launches and 0 shore sites in the county
Separate DEC rules cover each of these waters; see their pages.
DEC launch and access layers by county; coast and Great Lakes pages, retrieved October 2026.
Rensselaer County stocking totals and record fish
The 2025 DEC list puts 63,120 stocked fish in Rensselaer County, spread over 10 waters, led by brown trout.
What DEC put into Rensselaer County waters in 2025
| Species | Fish stocked |
|---|---|
| Brown Trout | 32,940 |
| Rainbow Trout | 21,140 |
| Walleye | 9,040 |
Trout DEC planned for Rensselaer County this spring
| When | Water | Species | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April – May 2026 | Town Park Pond | Rainbow Trout | 520 | 8 inches |
| April – first week 2026 | Kinderhook Creek | Brown Trout | 260 | 12 -15 inches |
| April – first week 2026 | Kinderhook Creek | Brown Trout | 2,160 | 9 – 10 inches |
| April – first week 2026 | Kinderhook Creek | Brown Trout | 60 | 12 -15 inches |
| April – first week 2026 | Kinderhook Creek | Brown Trout | 470 | 9 – 10 inches |
| April – second week 2026 | Poesten Kill | Brown Trout | 1,950 | 9 – 10 inches |
| April – second week 2026 | Poesten Kill | Brown Trout | 240 | 12 -15 inches |
| April – third week 2026 | Kinderhook Creek | Brown Trout | 260 | 12 -15 inches |
| April – third week 2026 | Kinderhook Creek | Brown Trout | 2,160 | 9 – 10 inches |
| April – third week 2026 | Kinderhook Creek | Brown Trout | 60 | 12 -15 inches |
| April – third week 2026 | Kinderhook Creek | Brown Trout | 470 | 9 – 10 inches |
| June 2026 | Arnold Lake | Brown Trout | 360 | 8 inches |
| June 2026 | Arnold Lake | Rainbow Trout | 420 | 8 inches |
| June 2026 | Long Pond | Brown Trout | 1,800 | 8 inches |
Records landed in Rensselaer County
| Species | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carp, Common | 50 lb. 6 oz. | Tomhannock Reservoir | 1995 |
DEC Fish Stocking Lists (Actual) and Current Season Spring Trout Stocking (data.ny.gov), DEC state record fish table as of December 10, 2025; retrieved October 2026.
The nearest shops for Rensselaer County
- Conroy's Baitbait and tackle shop, Albany, 2 miles
- Diamond Reef Marinamarina, Saratoga, 6 miles
- Albany Marine Servicesmarina, Albany, 6 miles
- Bangla Bazar Halal Grocerysporting goods store, Albany, 7 miles
- C. Springer Welding & Marinamarina, Albany, 8 miles
Waters of Rensselaer County with their own regulations
Statewide limits cover Rensselaer County by default, and the special rules under them override for named waters.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout in inland trout streams (Apr 1 to Oct 15) | 5, no more than 2 longer than 12" | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Trout in inland trout streams (Oct 16 to Mar 31) | No harvest; Catch and release only | Oct 16 – Mar 31 |
| Brown and rainbow trout, splake in lakes and ponds | 5, no more than 2 longer than 12" | All year |
| Brook trout in lakes and ponds | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Lake trout | 3; minimum 21" | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30) | 5; minimum 12" | Jun 15 – Nov 30 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Dec 1 to Jun 14) | No harvest; Catch and release only | Dec 1 – Jun 14 |
| Muskellunge | 1; minimum 40" | Jun 1 – Nov 30 |
| Tiger muskellunge | 1; minimum 30" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Northern pike | 5; minimum 18" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Chain pickerel | 5; minimum 15" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Walleye | 5; minimum 15" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Black and white crappie | 25; minimum 10" | All year |
| Yellow perch | 50 | All year |
| Sunfish | 25 | All year |
| American eel | 25; minimum 9" | All year |
County special regulations, Rensselaer County (1)
| Water | Rule |
|---|---|
| Tomhannock Reservoir | Ice fishing, Jan 1 – Mar 15 |
DEC 2026 Freshwater Fishing Regulations (web pages): statewide seasons, sizes and limits and the Region 4 special regulations page (https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/regulations/region-4-special-fishing), checked against DEC on October 25, 2026; rules are summarized, check DEC before keeping fish.
Local help for fishing Rensselaer County
DEC sporting license agents, Rensselaer County (18)
- Town of Berlin17563 State Route 22 PO Box 307, Berlin
- Town of Schodack265 Schuurman Rd, Castleton
- Town of Grafton2379 New York 2, Grafton
- Town of Hoosick80 Church Street, Hoosick Falls
- Town of Schaghticoke290 Northline Drive, Melrose
- Town of Nassau29 Church Street, Nassau
- Town of Petersburgh65 Main Street, Petersburgh
- Town of Poestenkill38 Davis Drive, Poestenkill
- City of Rensselaer62 -Washington St, Rensselaer
- Town of East Greenbush225 Columbia Turnpike, Rensselaer
- Wal-mart Stores Inc. 001330279 Troy Road, Rensselaer
- Town of Sand Lake8428 Miller Hill Road, Sand Lake
Guides whose license names Rensselaer County
- T Masonfishing guide, Cropseyville
OpenStreetMap shop features, DEC Active Sporting License Issuing Agents and DEC Guides Currently Licensed (data.ny.gov, county field), retrieved October 2026.
Short hops from Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County villages and cities
- Troypop. 51,401
- Rensselaerpop. 9,210
- East Greenbushpop. 6,266
- Hampton Manorpop. 5,423
- Wynantskillpop. 4,050
- Hoosick Fallspop. 3,216
- West Sand Lakepop. 2,616
- Castleton-on-Hudsonpop. 1,477
- Nassaupop. 1,103
Adjacent to Rensselaer County
- Albany County25 miles west
- Schenectady County28 miles west
- Saratoga County32 miles northwest
- Columbia County32 miles south
Piscifun reels matched to Rensselaer County
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The fish of Rensselaer County, pictured one by one
Photo: Engbretson, Eric, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: hug_78, CC BY 2.0
Answers on the lakes and streams of Rensselaer County
Is there a public boat ramp in Rensselaer County?
17 launch sites, of which 3 are hard-surface ramps, appear above.
What reservoir or lake leads Rensselaer County by size?
Tomhannock Reservoir, at 1,709 acres in the state hydrography layer.
How much trout water does Rensselaer County have?
6 streams carry DEC trout reaches, 69.7 miles in all; 4 are stocked and 2 wild.
What are the dates for trout harvest in Rensselaer County?
Harvest runs April 1 to October 15; winter is catch and release on artificials.
Which Rensselaer County stores stock minnows, worms or lures?
The county has 18 license agents and the shops listed above nearby.
Can a visitor book a DEC-licensed guide in Rensselaer County?
There are 1 guide business on the DEC guide list.
What DEC region is Rensselaer County in?
DEC files it under Region 4, Capital Region and Northern Catskills.
Where are the county offices of Rensselaer County?
Troy is the seat.
What does a visitor pay to fish Rensselaer County?
Expect $25.00 (resident), $50.00 (nonresident) or $5.00 (resident aged 70 and up) for twelve months of freshwater fishing. Short trips can use a 1-day pass ($5.00 resident, $10.00 nonresident) or a 7-day pass ($12.00 or $28.00). For the bays and the Sound, sign up for the free marine registry; no license is sold for salt water.
What county rules does DEC print for Rensselaer County?
DEC prints 1 special rule entry for the county, beginning with Tomhannock Reservoir; they are in the regulations table above.
Start with a Rensselaer County lake
Every access point opens with directions.