Lake Pleasant Fishing
A 1,476-acre New York lake in Hamilton County.
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Say hello to Lake Pleasant
On the NHD layer, Lake Pleasant spreads across about 1,476 acres in Hamilton County. DEC lists the owner as Municipal. The nearest village or town on the Census list is Speculator, around 7 miles off. It is a Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain water in DEC terms.
Its DEC roster includes brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel and walleye. The DEC launch type reads hand launch. DEC lists its ice status as ice fishing permitted. Hatchery releases appear in 15 years of DEC lists starting 2011.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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DEC lists, records and stocking rows place these fish in Lake Pleasant.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Getting on the water at Lake Pleasant
No boat access for Lake Pleasant is on file with DEC; nearby options are below.
Nearby ramps if Lake Pleasant is busy
- Moffitt Beach Campground & Day Use AreaSacandaga Lake, 2 miles northwest
- Jessup River Wild Forest Launch on Gilman LakeGilman Lake, 4 miles east
- Jessup River Wild Forest Launch on Mason Lake near Speculator (south)Mason Lake, 8 miles north
- Poplar Point LaunchPiseco Lake, 8 miles southwest
- Jessup River Wild Forest Launch on Mason Lake near Speculator (east)Mason Lake, 9 miles north
- Jessup River Wild Forest Launch on Mason Lake near Speculator (north)Mason Lake, 9 miles north
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Sizes and bag limits at Lake Pleasant
| 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 Lake Pleasant.
Rules written only for Lake Pleasant
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 3; minimum 18" | May 1 – Mar 15 | 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.
Stocking tallies for Lake Pleasant
The DEC lists carry 4 stocking entries for Lake Pleasant between 2023 and 2026, led by brown trout.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Brown Trout | planned spring 2026 | 1 | 1,440 | 8 inches |
| 2025 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 1,430 | 8.8 in |
| 2024 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 1,460 | 8.9 in |
| 2023 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 1,360 | 9.5 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.
State record fish caught at Lake Pleasant
| Species | Weight | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitefish, Lake | 10 lb. 8 oz. | Randolph Smith | 1995 |
DEC current state record fish table, retrieved October 24, 2026. All New York records.
How Lake Pleasant compares locally
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Pleasant | 1,476 | 0 | 7 | yes | |
| Sacandaga Lake | 2 miles west | 1,608 | 1 | 8 | yes |
| Gilman Lake | 4 miles east | 46 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Oxbow Lake | 6 miles southwest | 312 | 0 | 5 | |
| Mason Lake | 8 miles north | 104 | 3 | 1 | |
| Piseco Lake | 9 miles southwest | 2,850 | 4 | 3 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
The Lake Pleasant neighborhood
Neighboring lakes of Lake Pleasant
- Sacandaga Lake2 miles west
- Gilman Lake4 miles east
- Oxbow Lake6 miles southwest
- Mason Lake8 miles north
- Piseco Lake9 miles southwest
Bait and tackle stops for Lake Pleasant
- Sacandaga River State Boat Launchmarina, Fulton, 20 miles
- Great Sacandaga Lake Boat Launchmarina, Saratoga, 22 miles
- Northampton Boatlaunchmarina, Fulton, 23 miles
- Edinburg Marina and Powersportsmarina, Hadley, 23 miles
Captains and guides near Lake Pleasant
- Adirondack Mountain Outfittersfishing guide, Adirondack, Indian Lake
- Algonquin Guides, Ltd.fishing guide, Wells
Overnight options close to Lake Pleasant
- Gloversville30 miles
- Broadalbin31 miles
- Warrensburg31 miles
Lake Pleasant and the counties it spans
- Hamilton Countycounty seat Lake Pleasant
Piscifun gear worth stowing for Lake Pleasant
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Photographs of the species found at Lake Pleasant
Photo: Zitsman Carl, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: hug_78, CC BY 2.0
Trip questions for Lake Pleasant
How do I locate Lake Pleasant on a New York map?
The state map puts it in Hamilton County, DEC Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain, about 7 miles from Speculator.
How large is Lake Pleasant on New York maps?
About 1,476 acres on the NHD outline.
Where is the public launch at Lake Pleasant?
DEC shows no launch here; use one nearby.
Which fish turn up in DEC files for Lake Pleasant?
Fish to hope for: brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, walleye and lake whitefish.
What goes home in the cooler from Lake Pleasant?
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 Lake Pleasant?
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.
Which hatchery fish go into Lake Pleasant?
Yes, 4 releases, most recently 2026.
Which shop on the list is nearest Lake Pleasant?
Sacandaga River State Boat Launch, about 20 miles off.
Does Lake Pleasant appear in the DEC record table?
Whitefish, Lake, 10 lb. 8 oz., by Randolph Smith in 1995.
May I fish through the ice at Lake Pleasant?
The DEC entry reads Ice Fishing Permitted.
Save a date for Lake Pleasant
Fees, seasons and every DEC table are on the license page.