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Esopus Creek 38 mi
Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Rondout Reservoir 50 mi
Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0 
Schoharie Creek, Schoharie County 58 mi
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Saratoga Lake 61 mi
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil, CC BY-SA 4.0
New York lakes and reservoirs
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Copake Lake Fishing
A 432-acre New York lake in Columbia County.
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Columbia County
Copake Lake, summed up
State hydrography maps Copake Lake at close to 432 acres within Columbia County. DEC names Private in the owner column. Copake Lake is the closest Census place, under a mile from the lake. The DEC region covering it is Capital Region and Northern Catskills.
DEC records smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish yellow perch, black crappie and common carp in it. DEC marks its launch as trailer improved. Winter rule on file: ice fishing permitted.
432acres
0launches
5species on file
1counties
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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Fish that live in Copake Lake
Tap a chip to open the New York page for that fish caught at Copake Lake.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Access
Boat launch sites for Copake Lake
Without a mapped launch on Copake Lake, use one from the list that follows.
Trailer-friendly launches near Copake Lake
- Public Launch on Taghkanic CreekTaghkanic Creek, 5 miles southwest
- Lake Taghkanic State ParkLake Taghkanic, 7 miles southwest
- Taconic State Park;Rudd Pond, 12 miles southeast
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Limits
DEC creel limits for Copake 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 Copake Lake except where a special regulation names the water.
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.
Compare
Nearby lakes measured against Copake Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copake Lake | 432 | 0 | 5 | ||
| Lake Taghkanic | 7 miles southwest | 203 | 1 | 5 | |
| Rudd Pond | 12 miles south | 64 | 1 | 4 | |
| Stissing Pond | 13 miles south | 75 | 0 | 4 | |
| Greens Lake | 18 miles northwest | 41 | 0 | 7 | yes |
| Queechy Lake | 20 miles northeast | 141 | 1 | 7 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Nearby
Short hops from Copake Lake
Still water to try after Copake Lake
- Lake Taghkanic7 miles southwest
- Rudd Pond12 miles south
- Stissing Pond13 miles south
- Greens Lake18 miles northwest
- Queechy Lake20 miles northeast
Stores that outfit Copake Lake trips
- Athens State Boat Launchmarina, Greene, 14 miles
- Hop-O-Nose Marinamarina, Greene, 15 miles
- Saugerties Marinamarina, Saugerties, 18 miles
- Saugerties Outfitterssporting goods store, Saugerties, 20 miles
- Dicks Sporting Goods Inc.sporting goods store, Kingston, 23 miles
- Coeymans Landing Marinamarina, Albany, 25 miles
Guide businesses listing Copake Lake
- Quality Adventures Inc.fishing guide, Hudson
Villages and towns to stay in near Copake Lake
- Philmont8 miles
- Hudson12 miles
- Athens14 miles
The county guides for Copake Lake
- Columbia Countycounty seat Hudson
Piscifun
Piscifun reels matched to Copake Lake
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Photographs
The water near Copake Lake through a lens
Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil, CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers
Quick replies on Copake Lake
Up which corner of New York would I drive for Copake Lake?
Look in Columbia County, DEC Capital Region and Northern Catskills, under a mile from Copake Lake.
Across how many acres does Copake Lake stretch?
State maps give about 432 acres.
How many launch sites touch Copake Lake?
None is mapped on it; the nearby list above has the closest.
What is on the fish list for Copake Lake?
smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, sunfish yellow perch, black crappie and common carp, by DEC records.
How many bass does DEC let me keep at Copake Lake?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30.
What does a DEC license cost for Copake Lake?
Anglers 16 and older need a DEC freshwater fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $50.00 for nonresidents, $5.00 for residents 70 and older, with 1-day and 7-day options.
What has DEC released into Copake Lake?
The DEC files show no releases since 2023.
Where do anglers at Copake Lake get worms?
Athens State Boat Launch, 14 miles away, is closest.
Is Copake Lake open to tip-ups?
DEC lists it as: Ice Fishing Permitted.
Choose a free weekend for Copake Lake
New York license prices and seasons are one click away.