North Lake Fishing
A 432-acre New York lake in Herkimer County.
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Introducing North Lake
Roughly 432 acres of lake make up North Lake, which sits in Herkimer County. On DEC paperwork the owner is DEC. Otter Lake lies about 10 miles from the mapped lake point. DEC manages it from its Western Adirondacks and Eastern Lake Ontario region.
Anglers come for brook trout, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge and splake, by the DEC listing. Trailers and cartoppers go in at 1 mapped launch. Its launch is listed by DEC as trailer unimproved. On ice: ice fishing permitted.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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The species shown for North Lake come from DEC paperwork, linked where a New York species page exists.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Slipping a boat in at North Lake
- Black River Wild Forest Launchhard surface ramp, parking: 5 spaces (dec park field); managed by Canal Corp.
Other places to launch around North Lake
- Public Launch on South LakeSouth Lake, 2 miles southeast
- Nicks Lake Campground & Day Use AreaNicks Lake, 10 miles north
- Public Launch on Otter LakeOtter Lake, 11 miles west
- Public Launch on Moose RiverMoose River, 11 miles northwest
- Alger Island Campground & Fourth Lake Day Use AreaFourth Lake, 14 miles north
- Public Launch on Quiver PondQuiver Pond, 14 miles north
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Fish you can take home from North 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 |
For North Lake, the statewide freshwater table is the starting point; county listings can tighten it.
Special regulations at North Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice fishing | see DEC rules | open all year | Herkimer 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.
DEC stocking at North Lake
Stocking files name North Lake in 3 rows across 2023 to 2024, chiefly splake.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Splake | stocked | 1 | 3,020 | 8.6 in |
| 2023 | Splake | stocked | 1 | 2,790 | 8.3 in |
| 2023 | Tiger Muskellunge | stocked | 1 | 2,200 | 8.6 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.
North Lake next to neighboring lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Lake | 432 | 1 | 5 | yes | |
| South Lake, Herkimer County | 2 miles southeast | 496 | 1 | 1 | yes |
| Fourth Lake, Herkimer County | 3 miles northwest | 63 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Third Lake, Herkimer County | 3 miles northwest | 48 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Nicks Lake | 10 miles north | 209 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Brandy Lake | 12 miles west | 17 | 0 | 0 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Next to North Lake on the map
Ponds and reservoirs around North Lake
- South Lake, Herkimer County2 miles southeast
- Fourth Lake, Herkimer County3 miles northwest
- Third Lake, Herkimer County3 miles northwest
- Nicks Lake10 miles north
- Brandy Lake12 miles west
Lures, line and live bait near North Lake
- Fourth Lake Boat Launchmarina, Hamilton, 16 miles
- Burke's Marinamarina, Raquette Lake, 24 miles
Hiring someone who knows North Lake
- Adirondack River Outfitters, Ifishing guide, Adirondack, Old Forge
- C.P.'s Guiding Servicefishing guide, Richfield Springs
- Fort Noble, Inc.fishing guide, Cold Brook
- White Dog Trail Co.fishing guide, Ilion
Communities that serve North Lake visitors
- Boonville21 miles
- Dolgeville31 miles
- Lake Delta32 miles
Which county pages include North Lake
- Herkimer Countycounty seat Herkimer
Packing Piscifun gear for North Lake
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A field guide in photos for North Lake
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Midwest Region, Public domain
Photo: Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: hug_78, CC BY 2.0
Things people check before fishing North Lake
Where in New York does North Lake lie?
Its outline falls in Herkimer County, DEC Western Adirondacks and Eastern Lake Ontario, about 10 miles from Otter Lake.
On state hydrography, how many acres is North Lake?
Around 432 acres of water.
Can a trailered boat get onto North Lake here?
There are 1 mapped launch; Black River Wild Forest Launch is listed first.
Which gamefish swim in North Lake?
DEC lists brook trout, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge and splake.
Has DEC written any water-specific rule for North Lake?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30. It has extra DEC county rules, printed above.
Which DEC license is right for North 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.
In what year did DEC last release fish into North Lake?
It appears 3 times, last in 2024.
Who sells minnows near North Lake?
Drive about 16 miles to Fourth Lake Boat Launch.
What is the ice fishing rule at North Lake?
Its DEC ice entry: Ice Fishing Permitted.
Spend a morning casting at North Lake
Check DEC sizes before a fish goes in the cooler.