Black Lake Fishing
A 7,856-acre New York lake in St. Lawrence County.
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Black Lake, summed up
State hydrography maps Black Lake at close to 7,856 acres within St. Lawrence County. DEC names OPRHP (State Parks) – Private in the owner column. Hammond is the closest Census place, about 6 miles from the lake. The DEC region covering it is Western Adirondacks and Eastern Lake Ontario.
DEC records smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, black crappie and northern pike in it. Launching happens at 1 mapped launch. DEC marks its launch as trailer improved. Winter rule on file: ice fishing permitted.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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Tap a chip to open the New York page for that fish caught at Black Lake.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Boat launch sites for Black Lake
- Public Launch on Black Lakehard surface ramp, parking: 55 spaces (dec park field); managed by OPRHP
Trailer-friendly launches near Black Lake
- Public Launch on Fish CreekFish Creek, 2 miles south
- Fish Creek Wildlife Management AreaFish Creek, 4 miles east
- Eel Weir State ParkOswegatchie River, 10 miles northeast
- Public Launch on Indian River near OxbowIndian River, 11 miles south
- Public Launch on Oswegatchie River near HeuveltonOswegatchie River, 12 miles northeast
- Public Launch on Yellow LakeYellow Lake, 12 miles south
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
DEC creel limits for Black Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
DEC statewide seasons hold on Black Lake except where a special regulation names the water.
Water-specific rules at Black Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | 5; minimum 15" | Jun 15 – Nov 30 | St. Lawrence County |
| Walleye | 3; minimum 18" | May 1 – Mar 15 | St. Lawrence County |
2026 DEC freshwater fishing regulations (statewide table effective April 1, 2026); county special regulations from the DEC region pages; retrieved October 24, 2026, figures checked against the DEC pages October 25, 2026.
Stocked fish going into Black Lake
8 DEC stocking rows for Black Lake, 2023 to 2025, are dominated by walleye.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 27,000,000 | 0.3 in |
| 2025 | Lake Sturgeon | stocked | 1 | 1,500 | 0.4 in |
| 2025 | Brook Trout | stocked | 1 | 600 | 4.6 in |
| 2024 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 27,000,000 | 0.3 in |
| 2024 | Brook Trout | stocked | 1 | 600 | 4.5 in |
| 2023 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 27,000,000 | 0.1 in |
| 2023 | Lake Sturgeon | stocked | 1 | 1,000 | 5.9 in |
| 2023 | Brook Trout | stocked | 1 | 600 | 4 in |
DEC Fish Stocking Lists (Actual), 2023 to 2025, and DEC Current Season Spring Trout Stocking, 2026 (data.ny.gov), retrieved October 24, 2026. New York stocking.
Nearby lakes measured against Black Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Lake | 7,856 | 1 | 11 | yes | |
| Pleasant Lake, St. Lawrence County | 9 miles south | 236 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Grass Lake | 13 miles southwest | 341 | 1 | 6 | yes |
| Lake of the Woods | 15 miles southwest | 180 | 1 | 7 | yes |
| Butterfield Lake | 16 miles southwest | 1,031 | 1 | 4 | yes |
| Payne Lake, Jefferson County | 16 miles south | 168 | 1 | 7 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Short hops from Black Lake
Still water to try after Black Lake
- Pleasant Lake, St. Lawrence County9 miles south
- Grass Lake13 miles southwest
- Lake of the Woods15 miles southwest
- Butterfield Lake16 miles southwest
- Payne Lake, Jefferson County16 miles south
Stores that outfit Black Lake trips
- Chapman's Sport Shopsporting goods store, Hammond, 3 miles
- Hozmerica Llc Dba Hosmers Marinamarina, Ogdensburg, 14 miles
- Lake Of The Woods Waterway Accessmarina, Jefferson, 15 miles
- Millsite Lake Fishing Accessmarina, Jefferson, 18 miles
- Butterfield Lake Waterway Accessmarina, Jefferson, 18 miles
- Carnegie Bay Marinamarina, Jefferson, 19 miles
Villages and towns to stay in near Black Lake
- Gouverneur14 miles
- Ogdensburg15 miles
- Canton22 miles
The county guides for Black Lake
- St. Lawrence Countycounty seat Canton
Piscifun reels matched to Black Lake
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The water near Black Lake through a lens
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: TheTurducken, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: John Sweeney, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick replies on Black Lake
Up which corner of New York would I drive for Black Lake?
Look in St. Lawrence County, DEC Western Adirondacks and Eastern Lake Ontario, about 6 miles from Hammond.
Across how many acres does Black Lake stretch?
State maps give about 7,856 acres.
How many launch sites touch Black Lake?
1 mapped launch; Public Launch on Black Lake is one of them.
What is on the fish list for Black Lake?
smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, black crappie, northern pike and walleye, by DEC records.
How many bass does DEC let me keep at Black Lake?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30. Check the special regulation rows above too.
What does a DEC license cost for Black Lake?
Trout and salmon need no stamp in New York; the DEC freshwater license ($25.00 resident, $50.00 nonresident, $5.00 for residents 70 and older) covers them.
What has DEC released into Black Lake?
Stocked 8 times between 2023 and 2025.
Where do anglers at Black Lake get worms?
Chapman's Sport Shop, 3 miles away, is closest.
Is Black Lake open to tip-ups?
DEC lists it as: Ice Fishing Permitted.
Choose a free weekend for Black Lake
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