Upper Chateaugay Lake Fishing
A 2,550-acre New York lake in Clinton County and Franklin County.
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Say hello to Upper Chateaugay Lake
On the NHD layer, Upper Chateaugay Lake spreads across about 2,550 acres in Clinton County and Franklin County. DEC lists the owner as DEC. The nearest village or town on the Census list is Lyon Mountain, around 5 miles off. It is a Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain water in DEC terms.
Its DEC roster includes rainbow trout, lake trout, atlantic salmon, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. 1 mapped launch put boats on it. The DEC launch type reads trailer improved. DEC lists its ice status as ice fishing permitted. Hatchery releases appear in 13 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 Upper Chateaugay Lake.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Getting on the water at Upper Chateaugay Lake
- Public Launch on Upper Chateaugay Lakehard surface ramp, 25 car-and-trailer spaces, toilets; managed by DEC
Nearby ramps if Upper Chateaugay Lake is busy
- Public Launch on Lost ChannelLost Channel, 12 miles south
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Sizes and bag limits at Upper Chateaugay 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 |
The rows above repeat the statewide DEC table that applies at Upper Chateaugay Lake.
Rules written only for Upper Chateaugay Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 3; minimum 21" | All year | Clinton 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 Upper Chateaugay Lake
The DEC lists carry 4 stocking entries for Upper Chateaugay Lake between 2024 and 2025, led by brook trout.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Brook Trout | stocked | 1 | 30,860 | 6.2 in |
| 2025 | Lake Trout | stocked | 1 | 5,180 | 7 in |
| 2025 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 2,020 | 8.5 in |
| 2024 | Lake Trout | stocked | 1 | 4,350 | 7 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.
How Upper Chateaugay Lake compares locally
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Chateaugay Lake | 2,550 | 1 | 9 | yes | |
| Lower Chateaugay Lake | 6 miles northwest | 548 | 0 | 4 | |
| Chazy Lake | 7 miles east | 1,845 | 0 | 6 | yes |
| Drain Pond | 8 miles west | 9 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Mountain View Lake | 8 miles west | 236 | 0 | 4 | |
| Mud Pond, Clinton County | 12 miles south | 112 | 0 | 0 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
The Upper Chateaugay Lake neighborhood
Neighboring lakes of Upper Chateaugay Lake
- Lower Chateaugay Lake6 miles northwest
- Chazy Lake7 miles east
- Drain Pond8 miles west
- Mountain View Lake8 miles west
- Mud Pond, Clinton County12 miles south
Bait and tackle stops for Upper Chateaugay Lake
- Upper Chateaugay Lake Boat Launchmarina, Clinton, 3 miles
- C&s Bait & Tackle Plusbait and tackle shop, Saranac, 12 miles
Captains and guides near Upper Chateaugay Lake
- West Shore Charterscharter, Peru
- Battle Fish Charters LLCcharter, Saranac Lake
Overnight options close to Upper Chateaugay Lake
- Dannemora12 miles
- Malone18 miles
- Plattsburgh25 miles
Upper Chateaugay Lake and the counties it spans
- Clinton Countycounty seat Plattsburgh
- Franklin Countycounty seat Malone
Piscifun gear worth stowing for Upper Chateaugay Lake
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Photographs of the species found at Upper Chateaugay Lake
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Tommy Andriollo, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Eric Engbretson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Trip questions for Upper Chateaugay Lake
How do I locate Upper Chateaugay Lake on a New York map?
The state map puts it in Clinton County and Franklin County, DEC Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain, about 5 miles from Lyon Mountain.
How large is Upper Chateaugay Lake on New York maps?
About 2,550 acres on the NHD outline.
Where is the public launch at Upper Chateaugay Lake?
Yes: 1 mapped launch, including Public Launch on Upper Chateaugay Lake.
Which fish turn up in DEC files for Upper Chateaugay Lake?
Fish to hope for: rainbow trout, lake trout, atlantic salmon, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and northern pike.
What goes home in the cooler from Upper Chateaugay Lake?
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 Upper Chateaugay 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.
Which hatchery fish go into Upper Chateaugay Lake?
Yes, 4 releases, most recently 2025.
Which shop on the list is nearest Upper Chateaugay Lake?
Upper Chateaugay Lake Boat Launch, about 3 miles off.
May I fish through the ice at Upper Chateaugay Lake?
The DEC entry reads Ice Fishing Permitted.
Save a date for Upper Chateaugay Lake
Fees, seasons and every DEC table are on the license page.