Red Lake Fishing
A 372-acre New York lake in Jefferson County.
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Red Lake, summed up
State hydrography maps Red Lake at close to 372 acres within Jefferson County. DEC names DEC in the owner column. Redwood is the closest Census place, about 4 miles from the lake. The DEC region covering it is Western Adirondacks and Eastern Lake Ontario.
DEC records smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, black crappie and northern pike in it. Launching happens at 1 mapped launch. DEC marks its launch as trailer unimproved. Winter rule on file: ice fishing permitted. DEC has stocked it in 15 years from 2011 on.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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Tap a chip to open the New York page for that fish caught at Red Lake.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Boat launch sites for Red Lake
- Indian River Wildlife Management Area on Red Lakeunpaved trailer launch, 20 car-and-trailer spaces; managed by DEC
Trailer-friendly launches near Red Lake
- Public Launch on Moon LakeMoon Lake, under a mile south
- Indian River Wildlife Management AreaIndian River, 1 mile west
- Public Launch on Sixberry LakeSixberry Lake, 2 miles west
- Public Launch on Millsite LakeMillsite Lake, 3 miles northwest
- Public Launch on Lake of the WoodsLake of the Woods, 3 miles north
- Public Launch on Butterfield LakeButterfield Lake, 4 miles northwest
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
DEC creel limits for Red 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 |
DEC statewide seasons hold on Red Lake except where a special regulation names the water.
Water-specific rules at Red Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunfish | 15; minimum 8" | All year | Jefferson 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.
Stocked fish going into Red Lake
3 DEC stocking rows for Red Lake, 2023 to 2025, are dominated by walleye.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 1,056,000 | 0.3 in |
| 2024 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 1,056,000 | 0.3 in |
| 2023 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 1,056,000 | 0.3 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.
Nearby lakes measured against Red Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lake | 372 | 1 | 8 | yes | |
| Moon Lake | 1 mile south | 261 | 1 | 7 | |
| Sixberry Lake | 2 miles west | 127 | 1 | 8 | yes |
| Millsite Lake | 2 miles northwest | 487 | 1 | 6 | yes |
| Lake of the Woods | 3 miles north | 180 | 1 | 7 | yes |
| Butterfield Lake | 4 miles northwest | 1,031 | 1 | 4 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Short hops from Red Lake
Still water to try after Red Lake
- Moon Lake1 mile south
- Sixberry Lake2 miles west
- Millsite Lake2 miles northwest
- Lake of the Woods3 miles north
- Butterfield Lake4 miles northwest
Stores that outfit Red Lake trips
- Millsite Lake Fishing Accessmarina, Jefferson, 3 miles
- Lake Of The Woods Waterway Accessmarina, Jefferson, 3 miles
- Butterfield Lake Waterway Accessmarina, Jefferson, 4 miles
- Carnegie Bay Marinamarina, Jefferson, 10 miles
- Swan Bay Marinamarina, Jefferson, 12 miles
- Thousand Island Bait Storebait and tackle shop, Alexandria Bay, 12 miles
Guide businesses listing Red Lake
- Adirondack Wilderness Experienfishing guide, Adirondack, Alexandria Bay
- Grindstone Isl. Hunting Guidefishing guide, Clayton
- Lots A Limits Charters/Guide Scharter, Henderson Harbor
- Storino Outdoors/Empire State Deer Recoveryfishing guide, Watertown
Villages and towns to stay in near Red Lake
- Philadelphia8 miles
- Gouverneur14 miles
- Fort Drum16 miles
The county guides for Red Lake
- Jefferson Countycounty seat Watertown
Piscifun reels matched to Red Lake
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The water near Red Lake through a lens
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: TheTurducken, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Marc Wanner, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick replies on Red Lake
Up which corner of New York would I drive for Red Lake?
Look in Jefferson County, DEC Western Adirondacks and Eastern Lake Ontario, about 4 miles from Redwood.
Across how many acres does Red Lake stretch?
State maps give about 372 acres.
How many launch sites touch Red Lake?
1 mapped launch; Indian River Wildlife Management Area on Red Lake is one of them.
What is on the fish list for Red Lake?
smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, black crappie, northern pike and chain pickerel, by DEC records.
How many bass does DEC let me keep at Red Lake?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30. Check the special regulation rows above too.
What does a DEC license cost for Red 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.
What has DEC released into Red Lake?
Stocked 3 times between 2023 and 2025.
Where do anglers at Red Lake get worms?
Millsite Lake Fishing Access, 3 miles away, is closest.
Is Red Lake open to tip-ups?
DEC lists it as: Ice Fishing Permitted.
Choose a free weekend for Red Lake
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