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Lake Trout
Photo: Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain 
Black Crappie
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain 
Pumpkinseed
Photo: Tommy Andriollo, CC BY 4.0 
American Eel
Photo: hug_78, CC BY 2.0
New York lakes and reservoirs
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Forked Lake Fishing
A 894-acre New York lake in Hamilton County.
Pick for smallmouth bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of Raquette Lake: Marc Wanner, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hamilton County
Say hello to Forked Lake
On the NHD layer, Forked Lake spreads across about 894 acres in Hamilton County. DEC lists the owner as DEC. The nearest village or town on the Census list is Long Lake, around 8 miles off. It is a Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain water in DEC terms.
Its DEC roster includes smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. 1 mapped launch put boats on it. The DEC launch type reads trailer unimproved. DEC lists its ice status as ice fishing permitted.
894acres
1launches
2species on file
1counties
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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Species to target at Forked Lake
DEC lists, records and stocking rows place these fish in Forked Lake.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Access
Getting on the water at Forked Lake
- Public Launch on Forked Lakeboat launch; managed by DEC
Nearby ramps if Forked Lake is busy
- Public Launch on Raquette River near Long LakeRaquette River, 3 miles east
- Golden Beach Campground & Day Use AreaRaquette Lake, 6 miles south
- Public Launch on South PondSouth Pond, 6 miles east
- Lake Eaton Campground & Day Use AreaLake Eaton, 8 miles northeast
- Public Launch on Lake DurantLake Durant, 8 miles southeast
- Brown Tract Pond Campground & Day Use AreaBrown Tract Pond, 9 miles southwest
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Limits
Sizes and bag limits at Forked 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 |
The rows above repeat the statewide DEC table that applies at Forked Lake.
Rules written only for Forked Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 2; minimum 21" | All year | Hamilton 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.
Compare
How Forked Lake compares locally
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forked Lake | 894 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Raquette Lake | 5 miles southwest | 5,376 | 1 | 5 | yes |
| South Pond, Hamilton County | 6 miles east | 432 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Blue Mountain Lake | 6 miles southeast | 1,259 | 0 | 2 | yes |
| Rock Pond, Hamilton County | 7 miles northwest | 283 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Lake Eaton, Hamilton County | 7 miles northeast | 574 | 1 | 5 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Nearby
The Forked Lake neighborhood
Neighboring lakes of Forked Lake
- Raquette Lake5 miles southwest
- South Pond, Hamilton County6 miles east
- Blue Mountain Lake6 miles southeast
- Rock Pond, Hamilton County7 miles northwest
- Lake Eaton, Hamilton County7 miles northeast
Bait and tackle stops for Forked Lake
- Burke's Marinamarina, Raquette Lake, 7 miles
- Long Lake State Boat Launchmarina, Hamilton, 9 miles
- Fourth Lake Boat Launchmarina, Hamilton, 15 miles
- Tupper Lake Boat Launchmarina, Franklin, 21 miles
- Raquette River Outfitterssporting goods store, Franklin, 21 miles
- Cloud-Splitter Outfitterssporting goods store, Newcomb, 22 miles
Captains and guides near Forked Lake
- Adirondack Mountain Outfittersfishing guide, Adirondack, Indian Lake
- Algonquin Guides, Ltd.fishing guide, Wells
Overnight options close to Forked Lake
- Tupper Lake23 miles
- Saranac Lake36 miles
- Lake Placid39 miles
Forked Lake and the counties it spans
- Hamilton Countycounty seat Lake Pleasant
Piscifun
Piscifun gear worth stowing for Forked Lake
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Fish ID
Photographs of the species found at Forked Lake
Photo: Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
_(53084649608).jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Tommy Andriollo, CC BY 4.0
Photo: hug_78, CC BY 2.0
Answers
Trip questions for Forked Lake
How do I locate Forked Lake on a New York map?
The state map puts it in Hamilton County, DEC Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain, about 8 miles from Long Lake.
How large is Forked Lake on New York maps?
About 894 acres on the NHD outline.
Where is the public launch at Forked Lake?
Yes: 1 mapped launch, including Public Launch on Forked Lake.
Which fish turn up in DEC files for Forked Lake?
Fish to hope for: smallmouth bass and largemouth bass.
What goes home in the cooler from Forked Lake?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30. The DEC region page adds rules for it.
Is a New York license required at Forked 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.
Which hatchery fish go into Forked Lake?
No stocking is on file for recent years.
Which shop on the list is nearest Forked Lake?
Burke's Marina, about 7 miles off.
May I fish through the ice at Forked Lake?
The DEC entry reads Ice Fishing Permitted.
Save a date for Forked Lake
Fees, seasons and every DEC table are on the license page.