Lake Clear Fishing
A 1,108-acre New York lake in Franklin County.
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Lake Clear in brief
NYS Hydrography outlines give Lake Clear about 1,108 acres of open water in Franklin County. Ownership on the DEC lake list reads DEC. Stock up in Paul Smiths, roughly 5 miles away. DEC groups it under Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain.
DEC names atlantic salmon, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, northern pike and brown trout among its fish. DEC calls the launch trailer unimproved. Ice status: ice fishing permitted.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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Each chip for Lake Clear traces back to the DEC lake list, a state record or a DEC stocking entry.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
DEC launches at Lake Clear
Boat access to Lake Clear is not mapped, so see the nearby launches.
DEC and local launches near Lake Clear
- Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Launch on Little Clear PondLittle Clear Pond, 2 miles west
- Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Launch on Little Green PondLittle Green Pond, 2 miles west
- Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Launch on Hoel PondHoel Pond, 5 miles west
- Public Launch on Polywog PondPolywog Pond, 5 miles west
- Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Launch on Follensby Clear Pond NorthFollensby Clear Pond North, 5 miles southwest
- Public Launch on Osgood PondOsgood Pond, 6 miles north
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Carrying fish home from Lake Clear
| 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 |
Unless a special listing below says otherwise, Lake Clear follows the statewide freshwater rules.
Lake Clear exceptions to statewide limits
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice fishing | see DEC rules | open all year | Franklin 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.
Hatchery fish released at Lake Clear
Lake Clear shows up 9 times in DEC stocking files from 2023 to 2026, mostly landlocked salmon.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Brown Trout | planned spring 2026 | 1 | 1,800 | 8 inches |
| 2025 | Brown Trout | stocked | 2 | 3,800 | 8 in, 8.11 in |
| 2025 | Landlocked Salmon | stocked | 1 | 1,240 | 6.45 in |
| 2024 | Landlocked Salmon | stocked | 2 | 10,800 | 1.5 in, 7 in |
| 2024 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 1,820 | 9 in |
| 2023 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 1,700 | 9 in |
| 2023 | Landlocked Salmon | stocked | 1 | 1,070 | 6.5 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.
Lake Clear versus the lakes close by
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Clear | 1,108 | 0 | 6 | yes | |
| Little Clear Pond | 2 miles west | 373 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Little Green Pond | 2 miles west | 74 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Little Long Pond | 3 miles northwest | 79 | 0 | 2 | yes |
| Saint Regis Pond | 3 miles west | 388 | 0 | 1 | yes |
| Rat Pond | 3 miles west | 34 | 0 | 1 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Places bordering Lake Clear
Lakes to combine with a Lake Clear trip
- Little Clear Pond2 miles west
- Little Green Pond2 miles west
- Little Long Pond3 miles northwest
- Saint Regis Pond3 miles west
- Rat Pond3 miles west
Where to grab bait before Lake Clear
- Saranac Lake Boat Launchmarina, Franklin, 4 miles
- Lower Saranac Lake Boat Launchmarina, Franklin, 5 miles
- Lake Flower Boat Launchmarina, Essex, 7 miles
- Fogarty's Lake Flower Marinamarina, Essex, 7 miles
- Mountain Mist Boat Dockmarina, Essex, 7 miles
- Swiss Marine Incmarina, Saranac Lake, 8 miles
DEC-licensed guides for Lake Clear
- Battle Fish Charters LLCcharter, Saranac Lake
Places to sleep within reach of Lake Clear
- Saranac Lake7 miles
- Tupper Lake14 miles
- Lake Placid14 miles
County guides sharing Lake Clear
- Franklin Countycounty seat Malone
Reels and pliers from Piscifun for Lake Clear trips
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Camera views of lakes and streams around Lake Clear
Photo: Traumallama, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: John Sweeney, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: TheTurducken, CC BY 2.0
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Lake Clear in a handful of answers
Under which DEC region does Lake Clear fall?
Franklin County, DEC Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain, about 5 miles from Paul Smiths.
How large does Lake Clear measure?
Roughly 1,108 acres.
Is a public launch mapped beside Lake Clear?
DEC keeps no launch record for this water.
Which species appear on the DEC list for Lake Clear?
The DEC roster names atlantic salmon, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, northern pike and brown trout.
Which daily limits apply at Lake Clear?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30. DEC also lists county rules naming it, shown above.
May an out-of-towner wet a line at Lake Clear?
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.
Is Lake Clear on the DEC stocking lists?
Yes: 9 entries from 2023 to 2026, mostly brown trout.
Is there a bait store near Lake Clear?
Saranac Lake Boat Launch is roughly 4 miles away.
Can I ice fish Lake Clear?
Ice status on file: Ice Fishing Permitted.
Pencil in a day on Lake Clear
Read the limits above, then choose a launch.