Upper Saranac Lake Fishing
A 4,870-acre New York lake in Franklin County.
Pick for lake troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: John Sweeney, CC BY-SA 3.0
Upper Saranac Lake, summed up
State hydrography maps Upper Saranac Lake at close to 4,870 acres within Franklin County. DEC names DEC in the owner column. Tupper Lake is the closest Census place, about 8 miles from the lake. The DEC region covering it is Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain.
DEC records lake trout, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and northern pike in it. DEC marks its launch as trailer improved. Winter rule on file: ice fishing permitted. DEC has stocked it in 14 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 Upper Saranac Lake.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Boat launch sites for Upper Saranac Lake
Without a mapped launch on Upper Saranac Lake, use one from the list that follows.
DEC fishing sites at Upper Saranac Lake
- Indian Carry, Saranac Lakes Wild ForestFishing Platform, pier, bank fishing
Trailer-friendly launches near Upper Saranac Lake
- Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Launch on Follensby Clear Pond NorthFollensby Clear Pond North, 2 miles north
- Fish Creek Pond Campground & Day Use AreaFish Creek Pond, 2 miles northwest
- Public Launch on Polywog PondPolywog Pond, 4 miles north
- Rollins Pond CampgroundRollins Pond, 4 miles west
- Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Launch on Hoel PondHoel Pond, 4 miles north
- Public Launch on Saranac Lake (Middle)Saranac Lake (Middle), 4 miles southeast
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
DEC creel limits for Upper Saranac 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 Upper Saranac Lake except where a special regulation names the water.
Water-specific rules at Upper Saranac Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 3; minimum 23" | Apr 1 – Oct 15 | Franklin 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 Upper Saranac Lake
2 DEC stocking rows for Upper Saranac Lake, 2024 to 2025, are dominated by lake trout.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lake Trout | stocked | 1 | 10,890 | 6 in |
| 2024 | Lake Trout | stocked | 1 | 9,140 | 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.
Nearby lakes measured against Upper Saranac Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Saranac Lake | 4,870 | 0 | 5 | yes | |
| Follensby Clear Pond | 3 miles northwest | 495 | 1 | 5 | yes |
| Horseshoe Pond | 3 miles northwest | 88 | 0 | 2 | yes |
| Polliwog Pond | 3 miles northwest | 214 | 1 | 1 | yes |
| Deer Pond near Tupper Lake, Franklin County, 116 acres | 3 miles west | 116 | 0 | 1 | yes |
| Green Pond, Franklin County | 3 miles north | 65 | 0 | 1 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Short hops from Upper Saranac Lake
Still water to try after Upper Saranac Lake
- Follensby Clear Pond3 miles northwest
- Horseshoe Pond3 miles northwest
- Polliwog Pond3 miles northwest
- Deer Pond near Tupper Lake, Franklin County, 116 acres3 miles west
- Green Pond, Franklin County3 miles north
Stores that outfit Upper Saranac Lake trips
- Saranac Lake Boat Launchmarina, Franklin, 4 miles
- Raquette River Boat Launch aka The Crushermarina, Franklin, 5 miles
- Lower Saranac Lake Boat Launchmarina, Franklin, 9 miles
- Raquette River Outfitterssporting goods store, Franklin, 10 miles
- Lake Flower Boat Launchmarina, Essex, 10 miles
- Mountain Mist Boat Dockmarina, Essex, 10 miles
Guide businesses listing Upper Saranac Lake
- Battle Fish Charters LLCcharter, Saranac Lake
Villages and towns to stay in near Upper Saranac Lake
- Tupper Lake8 miles
- Saranac Lake10 miles
- Lake Placid17 miles
The county guides for Upper Saranac Lake
- Franklin Countycounty seat Malone
Piscifun reels matched to Upper Saranac Lake
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The water near Upper Saranac Lake through a lens
Photo: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Traumallama, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: TheTurducken, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Idawriter, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick replies on Upper Saranac Lake
Up which corner of New York would I drive for Upper Saranac Lake?
Look in Franklin County, DEC Eastern Adirondacks and Lake Champlain, about 8 miles from Tupper Lake.
Across how many acres does Upper Saranac Lake stretch?
State maps give about 4,870 acres.
How many launch sites touch Upper Saranac Lake?
None is mapped on it; the nearby list above has the closest.
What is on the fish list for Upper Saranac Lake?
lake trout, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and northern pike, by DEC records.
How many bass does DEC let me keep at Upper Saranac 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 Upper Saranac 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.
What has DEC released into Upper Saranac Lake?
Stocked 2 times between 2024 and 2025.
Where do anglers at Upper Saranac Lake get worms?
Saranac Lake Boat Launch, 4 miles away, is closest.
Is Upper Saranac Lake open to tip-ups?
DEC lists it as: Ice Fishing Permitted.
Choose a free weekend for Upper Saranac Lake
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