Brown Trout in New York
DEC limits, the record and water for brown trout.
- 5limit
- 33 lb 2 ozrecord
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New York brown trout in brief
DEC files brown trout under freshwater fish, and the 2026 rule tables touch it in 10 rule tables. Where statewide applies, anglers keep 5 during apr 1 – oct 15.
A 33 lb 2 oz fish from Lake Ontario (1997) heads the state record table. Look for it on 392 of the water pages below. 1,572,934 went out from DEC hatcheries in 2025 (1,495 rows).
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| Rule table | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide inland waters | Statewide | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Statewide inland waters | Statewide | 5, no more than 2 longer than 12" | All year |
| Statewide inland waters | Statewide | 5, no more than 2 longer than 12" | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Statewide inland waters | Statewide | No harvest; Catch and release only | Oct 16 – Mar 31 |
| Lake Erie | Lake Erie | 3 in any combination; minimum 12" | All year |
| Lake Erie | Lake Erie | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Lake Erie tributaries | Chautauqua Creek (South Gale St. bridge upstream 1.3 mi to upper Westfield water intake dam) | No harvest | Catch and release |
| Lake Erie tributaries | Eighteenmile Creek, Erie County (main branch, excluding South Branch, within Eighteenmile Creek County Park) | No harvest | Catch and release |
| Upper Niagara River | Upper Niagara River and tributaries | 3 in any combination | All year |
| Upper Niagara River | Upper Niagara River and tributaries | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Lower Niagara River | Lower Niagara River and tributaries | 3 in any combination; no more than 1 Atlantic salmon, 2 rainbow trout (steelhead) or 2 lake trout; minimum 15", except Rainbow Trout 21" | All year |
| Lower Niagara River | Lower Niagara River and tributaries | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River | Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River | 3 in combination; no more than 2 rainbow trout (steelhead) in the lake; no more than 1 rainbow trout (steelhead) and 1 brown trout in tributaries; minimum 15"; rainbow tr | All year |
| Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River | Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Delaware River | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | 1 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Delaware River | Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River | No harvest; Catch and release only | Oct 16 – Mar 31 |
| Lake Champlain | Lake Champlain and tributaries to the first impassable barrier | 3; minimum 12" | All year |
| Finger Lakes | All Finger Lakes | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Finger Lakes | Canadice, Canandaigua, Conesus, Hemlock, Keuka and Seneca lakes | 5 combined; minimum 15" | All year |
| Finger Lakes | Cayuga Lake | 5 combined; minimum 15" (Atlantic salmon 18") | All year |
| Finger Lakes | Honeoye Lake | 5 combined; minimum 15" | All year |
| Finger Lakes | Otisco Lake | 5; minimum 12" | All year |
| Finger Lakes | Owasco Lake | 5 combined; minimum 15" | All year |
| Finger Lakes | Skaneateles Lake | 5 combined; minimum 15" | All year |
| Finger Lakes tributaries | Canadice, Canandaigua, Hemlock, Keuka and Seneca lake tributaries (to the first impassable barrier) | 3 combined; minimum 15" | Apr 1 – Dec 31 |
| Finger Lakes tributaries | Owasco, Otisco and Skaneateles lake tributaries (to the first impassable barrier, except Spafford Creek) | 3 combined; minimum 15" (brown trout 9") | Apr 1 – Dec 31 |
| Finger Lakes tributaries | Cayuga Lake tributaries (to the first barrier impassable by fish, except Fall Creek) | 3 combined; minimum 15" (Atlantic salmon 18") | Apr 1 – Dec 31 |
| Finger Lakes tributaries | Fall Creek (Cayuga Lake), downstream edge of the railroad bridge below Rt. 13 to Ithaca Falls | 3 combined; minimum 15" (Atlantic salmon 18") | Apr 1 – Dec 31 |
| Finger Lakes tributaries | Spafford Creek (Otisco Lake) | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
2026 DEC freshwater fishing regulations web pages (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation), read October 24, 2026; figures checked twice on October 25, 2026.
Record weights for New York brown trout
| Entry | Weight | Angler | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Brown | 33 lb 2 oz | Tony Brown | Lake Ontario | Oswego | June 10, 1997 |
DEC state record fish table, DEC Current NY State Record Fish table, as of December 10, 2025; retrieved October 24, 2026.
Hatchery brown trout by water
| Year | Fish stocked |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,501,522 |
| 2024 | 1,576,591 |
| 2025 | 1,572,934 |
data.ny.gov Fish Stocking Lists (Actual), 2023 to 2025, and the planned spring 2026 trout list; retrieved October 24, 2026.
Tracking down brown trout in New York
Lake pages for brown trout
- Lake Champlain277,117 acres
- Seneca Lake43,394 acres
- Cayuga Lake42,910 acres
- Keuka Lake11,667 acres
- Canandaigua Lake10,528 acres
- Owasco Lake6,752 acres
- Pepacton Reservoir5,727 acres
- Cannonsville Reservoir4,718 acres
- Indian Lake4,304 acres
- Otsego Lake4,171 acres
- Salmon River Reservoir2,900 acres
- Upper Chateaugay Lake2,550 acres
- Otisco Lake2,266 acres
- Rondout Reservoir2,120 acres
- Hemlock Lake2,074 acres
- Canadarago Lake1,936 acres
- Sacandaga Lake1,608 acres
- Neversink Reservoir1,540 acres
- Brant Lake1,522 acres
- Lake Pleasant1,476 acres
- Lake Bonaparte1,416 acres
- Kensico Reservoir1,336 acres
- Meacham Lake1,203 acres
- Muscoot Reservoir1,163 acres
River pages for brown trout
- Mohawk RiverOneida County
- Hudson RiverSaratoga County
- Susquehanna RiverOtsego County
- Black RiverHerkimer County
- Chenango RiverMadison County
- Delaware RiverDelaware County
- Genesee RiverLivingston County
- Raquette RiverHamilton County
- Oswegatchie RiverHerkimer County
- West Branch Delaware RiverSchoharie County
- Oswego RiverOswego County
- Tioughnioga RiverCortland County
- Canisteo RiverAllegany County
- Grass RiverSt. Lawrence County
- Schroon RiverEssex County
- Unadilla RiverHerkimer County
- Cohocton RiverSteuben County
- Indian River, Lewis CountyLewis County
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Rivers lists, DEC trout reaches, stocking lists and state records; largest waters first.
Fish grouped with brown trout in New York
- Largemouth Bassfreshwater
- Smallmouth Bassfreshwater
- Rock Bassfreshwater
- White Bassfreshwater
- Walleyefreshwater
- Saugerfreshwater
- Northern Pikefreshwater
- Chain Pickerelfreshwater
- Muskellungefreshwater
- Tiger Muskellungefreshwater
- Yellow Perchfreshwater
- Black Crappiefreshwater
Camera views of lakes and streams around Brown Trout
Photo: Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net ), CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Things to know before targeting Brown trout statewide
What can a New York angler take home in brown trout?
5 under statewide, season apr 1 – oct 15; other tables set their own figures.
Does DEC keep a record for brown trout?
33 lb 2 oz from Lake Ontario, caught by Tony Brown (June 10, 1997).
Which New York waters hold brown trout?
392 water pages here list it, starting with Lake Champlain, Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake.
Are brown trout stocked in New York?
Yes; the lists carry 5,291 rows, most fish going to Lake Ontario.
Which category do brown trout fall under?
Freshwater on the DEC list.
During which months can New Yorkers keep brown trout?
Apr 1 – Oct 15 under statewide.
Do out-of-state visitors need a license for brown trout?
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.
How fresh is the brown trout information?
From the 2026 DEC regulation pages and the state record table, read October 24, 2026 and checked again October 25, 2026.
Go after New York brown trout
Pick a lake or stream above and read its rules first.