Fishing in Tompkins County, New York
Seat: Ithaca. DEC Region 7, Central New York.
- 1lake page
- 5launches
- 5trout streams
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The angling basics of Tompkins County
The county seat of Tompkins County is Ithaca, and its lakes and streams fall to DEC Region 7, Central New York. The 2020 Census counted 105,740 people across 475 square miles of land, and another 16.9 square miles are water.
Still water with its own page: 1 lake covering 42,910 acres, led by Cayuga Lake. Lake trout show up at 1 county lake. There are 5 launch sites here; 4 take trailers on a hard ramp and 1 are carry-in only. Trout water runs to 28.1 miles on 5 streams, 5 stocked by DEC and 0 with wild reaches. Bank and pier fishing: 5 sites on the DEC lists, 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.
Still water of Tompkins County with pages
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayuga Lake | 42,910 | 8 | ice fishing allowed, stocked | brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout |
Anglers based in Ithaca drive out of Tompkins County to these lakes, the closest with pages.
| Lake | From Ithaca | Acres | Launches | Notes | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayuta Lake | 13 miles southwest | 383 | 1 | ice fishing allowed, stocked | smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish |
| Seneca Lake | 19 miles northwest | 43,394 | 8 | stocked | brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout |
| Lake Como | 19 miles northeast | 64 | 0 | ice fishing allowed, stocked | smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish |
| Skaneateles Lake | 25 miles north | 8,777 | 1 | ice fishing allowed, stocked | rainbow trout, lake trout, ll salmon |
| Owasco Lake | 27 miles north | 6,752 | 1 | ice fishing allowed, stocked | brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout |
| Whitney Point Lake | 27 miles east | 1,150 | 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.
Smaller still water of Tompkins County
A further 1 lake and ponds in Tompkins County are on the state map but not yet on a page.
| Water | Acres | Ice fishing | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dryden Lake | 120 | Dryden |
NYS Hydrography lakes and DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, retrieved October 2026.
Every river page in Tompkins County
- Fall Creekstream, Stocked 12.8 mi; 4,010 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (490.6 acres)
- West Branch Owego Creekstream, Stocked 7.4 mi; 2,200 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (183.2 acres)
- East Branch Owego Creek, Cortland Countystream, Stocked 4.5 mi; 1,190 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (340.6 acres)
- Enfield Creekstream, Stocked 2.1 mi; 580 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (113.6 acres)
- Virgil Creekstream, Stocked 1.3 mi; 440 trout stocked; Public Fishing Rights (16.1 acres)
- Beaver Creek, Cortland Countystream, Public Fishing Rights (4.8 acres)
- Hemlock Creekstream, Public Fishing Rights (68.4 acres)
- McCorn Creekstream, Public Fishing Rights (17.3 acres)
- Salmon Creekstream, Public Fishing Rights (48.1 acres)
Trout sections of Tompkins County
5 stocked, 0 wild and 10 Public Fishing Rights streams make up the 5 trout streams of Tompkins County.
DEC keeps inland trout streams open to harvest April 1 to October 15 and to catch and release on lures the other months.
- Unnamed WaterPublic Fishing Rights (21 acres), near Odessa
River gauge stations of Tompkins County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Creek Near Ithaca Ny | 47 cfs, 0.79 ft gage height | Nov 11 1:45 am |
| Sixmile Creek At Bethel Grove Ny | 12 cfs, 1.07 ft gage height | Nov 11 2:00 am |
| Cayuga Inlet At Ithaca Ny | 18 cfs, 4.33 ft gage height | Nov 11 1:30 am |
| Salmon Creek Near Ludlowville Ny | 16 cfs, 0.66 ft gage height | Nov 11 2:00 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 2:33 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.
Ramps sited in Tompkins County
- Allan H. Treman State Marine ParkCayuga Lake, hard surface ramp, parking: 140 spaces (dec park field)
- Myers ParkCayuga Lake, hard surface ramp, parking: 40 spaces (dec park field)
- Public Launch on Dryden LakeDryden Lake, hard surface ramp, 10 car-and-trailer spaces
- Salt Point LaunchCayuga Lake, hand launch, parking: 10 spaces (dec park field)
- Taughannock Falls State ParkCayuga Lake, hard surface ramp, parking: 16 spaces (dec park field)
Tompkins County fishing sites without a ramp (5)
- Fall Creek fishing access parking, Fall Creek 1angler parking area (public fishing rights), Fall Creek
- Fall Creek fishing access parking, Fall Creek 2angler parking area (public fishing rights), Fall Creek
- Salmon Creek fishing access parking 1angler parking area, Salmon Creek
- Salmon Creek fishing access parking 2angler parking area (public fishing rights), Salmon Creek
- Salmon Creek fishing access parking 3angler parking area (public fishing rights), Salmon Creek
DEC boat launches and fishing sites (dil_water_activities), DEC Boat Launch Sites and marine access layers, NYS Parks launches; retrieved October 2026.
Stocked fish and records in Tompkins County
Tompkins County received 172,720 stocked fish in 2025, lake trout first among them, on 8 waters.
DEC stocking in Tompkins County, 2025
| Species | Fish stocked |
|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 70,000 |
| Rainbow Trout | 55,025 |
| Brown Trout | 24,255 |
| Landlocked Salmon | 23,410 |
| Brook Trout | 30 |
Tompkins County waters on the 2026 trout list
| When | Water | Species | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | Cayuga Lake | Brown Trout | 18,020 | 8 inches |
| April – fourth week 2026 | Virgil Creek | Brown Trout | 50 | 12 -15 inches |
| April – fourth week 2026 | Virgil Creek | Brown Trout | 390 | 9 – 10 inches |
| April – second week 2026 | Fall Creek | Brown Trout | 2,290 | 9 – 10 inches |
| April – second week 2026 | Fall Creek | Brown Trout | 280 | 12 -15 inches |
| April – third week 2026 | Enfield Creek | Brown Trout | 50 | 12 -15 inches |
| April – third week 2026 | Enfield Creek | Brown Trout | 440 | 9 – 10 inches |
| April – third week 2026 | Enfield Creek, T4 | Brown Trout | 80 | 9 – 10 inches |
| April – third week 2026 | Enfield Creek, T4 | Brown Trout | 10 | 12 -15 inches |
| Spring 2026 | Cayuga Inlet | Rainbow Trout | 12,500 | 8 inches |
| Spring 2026 | Enfield Creek | Rainbow Trout | 12,500 | 8 inches |
| Spring 2026 | Salmon Creek | Rainbow Trout | 10,000 | 8 inches |
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.
DEC exceptions listed for Tompkins County
Below are the inland limits used across Tompkins County, then the waters DEC treats differently.
| 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 |
Listed DEC rules for Tompkins County (1)
| Water | Rule |
|---|---|
| All lakes and ponds except the waters listed | Brook Trout, Apr 1 – Oct 15, limit 5, no more than 2 longer than 12" |
DEC 2026 Freshwater Fishing Regulations (web pages): statewide seasons, sizes and limits and the Region 7 special regulations page (https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/regulations/region-7-special-fishing), checked against DEC on October 25, 2026; rules are summarized, check DEC before keeping fish.
Stores and guides around Tompkins County
Tompkins County shops that serve fishermen
Licenses sold in Tompkins County at (10)
- Town of Dryden93 East Main Street, Dryden
- Town of Groton101 Conger Boulevard, Groton
- Moores Outboard Center3052 Dubois Rd, Ithaca
- Town of Danby1830 Danby Road, Ithaca
- Town of Enfield168 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca
- Wal-mart Stores Inc. 002797135 Fairgrounds Memorial Pkwy, Ithaca
- Town of Lansing29 Auburn Road, Lansing
- Town of Newfield166 Main Street, Newfield
- Town of Caroline2668 Slaterville Road, Slaterville Springs
- Town of Ulysses10 Elm Street, Trumansburg
Tompkins County fishing guide businesses
- Fingerlakes Angling Zone Guide Servicefishing guide, Ithaca
- Outdoor Opportunitiesfishing guide, Dryden
OpenStreetMap shop features, DEC Active Sporting License Issuing Agents and DEC Guides Currently Licensed (data.ny.gov, county field), retrieved October 2026.
The Tompkins County neighborhood
Where to sleep in Tompkins County
- Ithacapop. 32,108
- South Hillpop. 7,245
- Cayuga Heightspop. 4,114
- Lansingpop. 3,648
- East Ithacapop. 3,175
- Northeast Ithacapop. 2,701
- Grotonpop. 2,145
- Drydenpop. 1,887
- Trumansburgpop. 1,714
Ringing Tompkins County on the map
- Tioga County21 miles southeast
- Cortland County22 miles northeast
- Schuyler County24 miles west
- Chemung County25 miles southwest
Piscifun gear worth stowing for Tompkins County
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Camera views of lakes and streams around Tompkins County
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tompkins County for anglers, in brief
Which launches serve Tompkins County boaters?
The access section lists 5 launch sites, 4 hard ramps among them.
Where should a newcomer to Tompkins County start on still water?
Cayuga Lake, at 42,910 acres in the state hydrography layer.
Are Tompkins County creeks managed for trout?
Yes: 5 trout streams and 28.1 reach miles, 5 stocked, 0 wild.
When can I keep trout from Tompkins County streams?
Keep trout April 1 through October 15; October 16 to March 31 is release only, artificial lures.
Which Tompkins County shops sell tackle?
The list shows 1, such as Allan H. Treman State Marine Park.
Which guides list Tompkins County?
Count 2 guide businesses with DEC licenses here.
Which regional rules page applies to Tompkins County?
Region 7 of the DEC, Central New York.
Which community is the seat of Tompkins County?
Ithaca.
Is a day license sold for Tompkins County?
Twelve months of DEC freshwater privileges run $25.00 for residents and $50.00 for out-of-staters, with a $5.00 rate at 70. Visitors staying briefly can pick a $10.00 one-day or $28.00 seven-day nonresident license instead.
Are there special regulations in Tompkins County?
DEC prints 1 special rule entry for the county, beginning with All lakes and ponds except the waters listed; they are in the regulations table above.
Book a Tompkins County fishing day
Lake and launch pages carry directions and DEC limits.