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Otsego Lake 51 mi
Photo: 420Traveler, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Lake Pleasant 5.5 mi
Photo: Dclemens1971, CC BY 4.0 
Great Sacandaga Lake 24 mi
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Indian Lake 18 mi
Photo: Russell Lovrin, CC BY 3.0
New York lakes and reservoirs
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Oxbow Lake Fishing
A 312-acre New York lake in Hamilton County.
Pick for smallmouth bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of Sacandaga Lake: Benjamin Turon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hamilton County
Oxbow Lake in brief
NYS Hydrography outlines give Oxbow Lake about 312 acres of open water in Hamilton County. Ownership on the DEC lake list reads Private. Stock up in Wells, roughly 10 miles away. DEC groups it under Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain.
DEC names smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and chain pickerel among its fish. DEC calls the launch trailer unimproved. Ice status: ice fishing permitted.
312acres
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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Gamefish and panfish of Oxbow Lake
Each chip for Oxbow Lake 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.
Access
DEC launches at Oxbow Lake
Boat access to Oxbow Lake is not mapped, so see the nearby launches.
DEC and local launches near Oxbow Lake
- Poplar Point LaunchPiseco Lake, 3 miles west
- Little Sand Point CampgroundPiseco Lake, 4 miles southwest
- Public Launch on Piseco Lake OutletPiseco Lake Outlet, 5 miles southwest
- Moffitt Beach Campground & Day Use AreaSacandaga Lake, 5 miles northeast
- Point Comfort Campground & Day Use AreaPiseco Lake, 6 miles southwest
- Jessup River Wild Forest Launch on Gilman LakeGilman Lake, 9 miles east
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Limits
Carrying fish home from Oxbow 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 |
Unless a special listing below says otherwise, Oxbow Lake follows the statewide freshwater rules.
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
Oxbow Lake versus the lakes close by
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxbow Lake | 312 | 0 | 5 | ||
| Piseco Lake | 4 miles southwest | 2,850 | 4 | 3 | yes |
| Sacandaga Lake | 4 miles northeast | 1,608 | 1 | 8 | yes |
| Lake Pleasant | 6 miles northeast | 1,476 | 0 | 6 | yes |
| Gilman Lake | 9 miles east | 46 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Mason Lake | 11 miles north | 104 | 3 | 1 |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Nearby
Places bordering Oxbow Lake
Lakes to combine with a Oxbow Lake trip
- Piseco Lake4 miles southwest
- Sacandaga Lake4 miles northeast
- Lake Pleasant6 miles northeast
- Gilman Lake9 miles east
- Mason Lake11 miles north
Where to grab bait before Oxbow Lake
- Sacandaga River State Boat Launchmarina, Fulton, 21 miles
- Northampton Boatlaunchmarina, Fulton, 23 miles
- Great Sacandaga Lake Boat Launchmarina, Saratoga, 24 miles
- Edinburg Marina and Powersportsmarina, Hadley, 25 miles
DEC-licensed guides for Oxbow Lake
- Adirondack Mountain Outfittersfishing guide, Adirondack, Indian Lake
- Algonquin Guides, Ltd.fishing guide, Wells
Places to sleep within reach of Oxbow Lake
- Dolgeville27 miles
- Gloversville28 miles
- Broadalbin30 miles
County guides sharing Oxbow Lake
- Hamilton Countycounty seat Lake Pleasant
Piscifun
Reels and pliers from Piscifun for Oxbow Lake trips
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photographs
Camera views of lakes and streams around Oxbow Lake
Photo: 420Traveler, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dclemens1971, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Russell Lovrin, CC BY 3.0
Answers
Oxbow Lake in a handful of answers
Under which DEC region does Oxbow Lake fall?
Hamilton County, DEC Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain, about 10 miles from Wells.
How large does Oxbow Lake measure?
Roughly 312 acres.
Is a public launch mapped beside Oxbow Lake?
DEC keeps no launch record for this water.
Which species appear on the DEC list for Oxbow Lake?
The DEC roster names smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and chain pickerel.
Which daily limits apply at Oxbow Lake?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30.
May an out-of-towner wet a line at Oxbow 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.
Is Oxbow Lake on the DEC stocking lists?
It is not on the 2023 to 2026 DEC stocking lists.
Is there a bait store near Oxbow Lake?
Sacandaga River State Boat Launch is roughly 21 miles away.
Can I ice fish Oxbow Lake?
Ice status on file: Ice Fishing Permitted.
Pencil in a day on Oxbow Lake
Read the limits above, then choose a launch.