Soft Maple Reservoir Fishing
A 338-acre New York reservoir in Lewis County.
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Soft Maple Reservoir in brief
NYS Hydrography outlines give Soft Maple Reservoir about 338 acres of open water in Lewis County. Ownership on the DEC lake list reads Private. Stock up in Croghan, roughly 9 miles away. DEC groups it under Western Adirondacks and Eastern Lake Ontario.
DEC names smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge and chain pickerel among its fish. DEC calls the launch hand launch. 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 Soft Maple Reservoir 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 Soft Maple Reservoir
Boat access to Soft Maple Reservoir is not mapped, so see the nearby launches.
DEC and local launches near Soft Maple Reservoir
- Public Launch on Long Pond near CroghanLong Pond, 4 miles north
- Public Launch on Oswegatchie River, West BranchOswegatchie River, West Branch, 4 miles north
- Public Launch on Clear Pond near CroghanClear Pond, 4 miles north
- Independence River Wild Forest LaunchFrancis Lake, 5 miles southeast
- Public Launch on Rock Pond/Trout LakeRock Pond/Trout Lake, 5 miles north
- Public Launch on Moshier ReservoirMoshier Reservoir, 8 miles east
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Carrying fish home from Soft Maple Reservoir
| 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, Soft Maple Reservoir follows the statewide freshwater rules.
Soft Maple Reservoir exceptions to statewide limits
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice fishing | see DEC rules | open all year | Lewis 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 Soft Maple Reservoir
Soft Maple Reservoir shows up 1 times in DEC stocking files from 2023 to 2023, mostly tiger muskellunge.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Tiger Muskellunge | stocked | 1 | 1,600 | 9 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.
Soft Maple Reservoir versus the lakes close by
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft Maple Reservoir | 338 | 0 | 5 | yes | |
| Clear Pond, Lewis County | 4 miles north | 9 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Long Pond, Lewis County | 5 miles north | 149 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Francis Lake | 5 miles southeast | 142 | 1 | 3 | |
| Rock Pond, Lewis County | 5 miles north | 19 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Moshier Reservoir | 7 miles east | 308 | 1 | 4 |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Places bordering Soft Maple Reservoir
Lakes to combine with a Soft Maple Reservoir trip
- Clear Pond, Lewis County4 miles north
- Long Pond, Lewis County5 miles north
- Francis Lake5 miles southeast
- Rock Pond, Lewis County5 miles north
- Moshier Reservoir7 miles east
Where to grab bait before Soft Maple Reservoir
- Fourth Lake Boat Launchmarina, Hamilton, 24 miles
Places to sleep within reach of Soft Maple Reservoir
- Lowville17 miles
- Carthage20 miles
- West Carthage21 miles
County guides sharing Soft Maple Reservoir
- Lewis Countycounty seat Lowville
Reels and pliers from Piscifun for Soft Maple Reservoir trips
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Camera views of lakes and streams around Soft Maple Reservoir
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Marc Wanner, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: TheTurducken, CC BY 2.0
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Soft Maple Reservoir in a handful of answers
Under which DEC region does Soft Maple Reservoir fall?
Lewis County, DEC Western Adirondacks and Eastern Lake Ontario, about 9 miles from Croghan.
How large does Soft Maple Reservoir measure?
Roughly 338 acres.
Is a public launch mapped beside Soft Maple Reservoir?
DEC keeps no launch record for this water.
Which species appear on the DEC list for Soft Maple Reservoir?
The DEC roster names smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge and chain pickerel.
Which daily limits apply at Soft Maple Reservoir?
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 Soft Maple Reservoir?
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 Soft Maple Reservoir on the DEC stocking lists?
Yes: 1 entries from 2023 to 2023, mostly tiger muskellunge.
Is there a bait store near Soft Maple Reservoir?
Fourth Lake Boat Launch is roughly 24 miles away.
Can I ice fish Soft Maple Reservoir?
Ice status on file: Ice Fishing Permitted.
Pencil in a day on Soft Maple Reservoir
Read the limits above, then choose a launch.