New York reference
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New York Border Water Fishing Rules
New York rules on Lake Champlain, the Delaware River, Greenwood Lake and Indian Lake, with the license reciprocity DEC prints for each border water.
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License reciprocity
Where a New York license counts across the state line
| Water | Neighbor | New York license valid on the other side |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Ontario | Ontario | No |
| Lake Erie | Ontario, Pennsylvania | No |
| St. Lawrence River | Ontario, Quebec | No |
| Niagara River | Ontario | No |
| Lake Champlain | Quebec | No |
| Lake Champlain | Vermont | Yes, except The Inland Sea (including The Gut), Mallett's Bay, Missisquoi Bay and all rivers |
| Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | Pennsylvania (along the boundary) | Yes |
| Greenwood Lake | New Jersey | Yes |
| Indian Lake | Connecticut | Yes |
DEC border waters regulations page (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation), read October 24, 2026; figures checked twice on October 25, 2026.
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain limits in New York
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 3; minimum 12" | All year |
| Lake Trout | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 3; minimum 15" | All year |
| Landlocked Salmon | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 2; minimum 15" | All year |
| Black Bass | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 5; minimum 12" | Second Saturday in June – Nov 30 |
| Black Bass | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | No harvest; Catch and release only | Dec 1 – Friday preceding second Saturday in June |
| Walleye | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 3; minimum 18" | First Saturday in May – Mar 15 |
| Muskellunge | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 1; minimum 40" | Last Saturday in May – Nov 30 |
| Northern Pike | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 5; minimum 20" | All year |
| Crappie | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 25; minimum 8" | open all year |
| Pickerel | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 10 | open all year |
| Yellow Perch | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | No daily limit | open all year |
| Sunfish | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | No daily limit | open all year |
| Sauger | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | No harvest | Closed |
| All species | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | see DEC rules | All year |
| Ice fishing | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | see DEC rules | Nov 15 – Apr 30 |
| All species | Ausable River (marked boundary 800 ft west of the first State Route 9 bridge upstream to Rainbow Falls) | see DEC rules | All year |
| All species | Ausable River (D&H Railroad bridge upstream to Rainbow Falls) | see DEC rules | Jun 15 – Dec 31 |
| All species | Ausable Boat Basin (mouth of Ausable Chasm, between posted boundaries) | No harvest | Closed |
| All species | Boquet River (mouth upstream to Wadhams Falls) | see DEC rules | Jun 15 – Dec 31 |
| All species | Boquet River (Route 22 bridge in Willsboro downstream about 1,500 ft to the marked boundary at the base of the cascades) | No harvest | Closed |
| All species | Great Chazy River (Rte. 9B at Coopersville upstream to Perry Mills Dam) | No harvest | Closed Mar 16 – Friday preceding first Saturday in May |
| All species | Mill Brook, Port Henry (mouth to the falls west of Route 22) | No harvest | Closed Oct 1 – Dec 31 |
| All species | North Branch Boquet River and tributaries (mouth to first upstream barrier) | see DEC rules | Jun 15 – Sep 30 |
| All species | North Branch Boquet River and tributaries (mouth to first upstream barrier) | No harvest | Closed Oct 1 – Dec 31 |
| All species | Saranac River (Catherine Street bridge upstream to Imperial Mill Dam) | see DEC rules | All year |
| All species | Saranac River (Catherine Street bridge upstream to Imperial Mill Dam) | see DEC rules | Jun 15 – Dec 31 |
Delaware River
Delaware River and West Branch limits for New York anglers
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | 1 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Trout | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | No harvest; Catch and release only | Oct 16 – Mar 31 |
| Black Bass | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | 5; minimum 12" | First Saturday after June 11 – Friday preceding first Saturday after April 11 |
| Black Bass | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | No harvest; Catch and release only | First Saturday after April 11 – Friday preceding first Saturday after June 11 |
| Walleye | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | 3; minimum 18" | First Saturday in May – Mar 14 |
| Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | 1; minimum 40" | All year |
| Pickerel | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | 5; minimum 12" | open all year |
| Striped Bass | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | 1; minimum 28" to 31" (slot) | open all year |
| River Herring (Alewife and Blueback Herring) | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | No harvest | Closed |
Greenwood and Indian lakes
Greenwood Lake and Indian Lake border limits
Greenwood Lake
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Greenwood Lake | 5; minimum 12" | Third Saturday in June – Nov 30 |
| Black Bass | Greenwood Lake | No harvest; Catch and release only | Dec 1 – Friday preceding third Saturday in June |
| Pickerel | Greenwood Lake | 5; minimum 15" | All year |
| Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge | Greenwood Lake | 1; minimum 44" | All year |
| Walleye | Greenwood Lake | 3; minimum 18" | May 1 – last day of February |
| Channel Catfish | Greenwood Lake | 5; minimum 12" | All year |
| Crappie | Greenwood Lake | 10; minimum 8" | All year |
Indian Lake
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Indian Lake (New York-Connecticut border) | 6; minimum 12" | Third Saturday in April (6 a.m.) – Nov 30 |
| Pickerel | Indian Lake (New York-Connecticut border) | 6; minimum 15" | Third Saturday in April (6 a.m.) – Mar 31 |
| All species | Indian Lake (New York-Connecticut border) | No harvest | Closed Apr 1 – 6 a.m. third Saturday in April |
Photographs
Shores, kills and lakes by New York Border Water Fishing Rules, pictured
Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Antepenultimate, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: bobistraveling, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers
New York Border Water Fishing Rules: questions anglers ask
Does a New York license work on the Vermont side of Lake Champlain?
Yes, except The Inland Sea (including The Gut), Mallett's Bay, Missisquoi Bay and all rivers.
What is the walleye limit on Lake Champlain?
3; minimum 18"; season first saturday in may – mar 15.
When does bass harvest open on Lake Champlain?
Second Saturday in June – Nov 30, 5; minimum 12".
How many trout may I keep on the Delaware River?
1 from apr 1 – oct 15.
Is there a striped bass slot on the Delaware?
Yes: 1; minimum 28" to 31" (slot).
Can I fish Greenwood Lake with a New York license?
Yes, by boat or on the ice; DEC lists the New Jersey side as covered on those terms.
Does a New York license cover Lake Ontario in Canada?
No; DEC lists the Ontario side as not covered.
Which state rules apply on a border water?
The rules printed for that water, shown above; where DEC lists none, the statewide table applies on the New York side.
Other rule pages
More New York regulation pages beside Border Water Fishing Rules
- New York Great Lakes Fishing RulesLake Erie, the Niagara, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence and their tributaries
- New York Finger Lakes Fishing Ruleseach Finger Lake and the tributary seasons
- Tidal Hudson River Fishing Rulesstriped bass, shad, herring and blue crab below Troy
- New York Saltwater Fishing Limitsthe Marine and Coastal District sizes, seasons and bag limits
- New York Special Regulations by Countythe DEC county lists for all nine regions
- New York license and regulationsfees and statewide limits