Coho Salmon in New York
DEC limits, the record and water for Coho salmon.
- see DEC ruleslimit
- 33 lb 7 ozrecord
Pick for coho salmonPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of the species, not a New York water: NOAA, Public domain
New York Coho salmon in brief
DEC files Coho salmon under freshwater fish, and the 2026 rule tables touch it in 5 rule tables. Where statewide applies, anglers keep see dec rules during see great lakes and tributaries special regulations.
A 33 lb 7 oz fish from Lake Ontario (1998) heads the state record table. Look for it on 15 of the water pages below. 135,000 went out from DEC hatcheries in 2025 (3 rows).
DEC’s beginner guide gives the usual size as 18-28 in./ grow to 33 in. Both coho and chinook salmon are native to the Pacific Ocean. Coho, also called silver salmon, were introduced into the Great Lakes in the 1960s.
Size note and fact from the DEC I FISH NY beginner guide (I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing, Chapter 1 Fishes of New York (DEC, 2016)).
For the coho salmon herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Every DEC rule row for New York Coho salmon
| Rule table | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide inland waters | Statewide | see DEC rules | See Great Lakes and Tributaries Special Regulations |
| Lake Erie | Lake Erie | 3 in any combination; minimum 12" | All year |
| Upper Niagara River | Upper Niagara River and tributaries | 3 in any combination | All year |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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 Coho salmon
| Entry | Weight | Angler | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon, Coho | 33 lb 7 oz | Stephen Sheets Jr. | Lake Ontario | Oswego | August 13, 1998 |
DEC state record fish table, DEC Current NY State Record Fish table, as of December 10, 2025; retrieved October 24, 2026.
Hatchery Coho salmon by water
| Year | Fish stocked |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 115,225 |
| 2024 | 158,224 |
| 2025 | 135,000 |
data.ny.gov Fish Stocking Lists (Actual), 2023 to 2025, and the planned spring 2026 trout list; retrieved October 24, 2026.
Tracking down Coho salmon in New York
River pages for Coho salmon
- Black RiverHerkimer County
- Genesee RiverLivingston County
- Oswego RiverOswego County
- Salmon River, Lewis CountyLewis County
- South Sandy Creek near Ellisburg, Jefferson CountyJefferson County
- Marsh CreekOrleans County
- South Sandy Creek near Lorraine, Jefferson CountyJefferson County
- Grindstone CreekOswego County
- Eighteen Mile Creek, Niagara CountyNiagara County
- Irondequoit CreekMonroe County
- Johnson CreekNiagara County
- Oak Orchard CreekOrleans County
- Sandy Creek, Jefferson CountyJefferson County
- Sandy Creek, Monroe CountyMonroe County
- Stoney CreekJefferson County
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Rivers lists, DEC trout reaches, stocking lists and state records; largest waters first.
Fish grouped with Coho salmon 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 Coho Salmon
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: PointsofNoReturn, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: PointsofNoReturn, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Things to know before targeting Coho salmon statewide
What can a New York angler take home in Coho salmon?
see DEC rules under statewide, season see great lakes and tributaries special regulations; other tables set their own figures.
Does DEC keep a record for Coho salmon?
33 lb 7 oz from Lake Ontario, caught by Stephen Sheets Jr. (August 13, 1998).
Which New York waters hold Coho salmon?
15 water pages here list it, starting with Black River, Genesee River and Oswego River.
Are Coho salmon stocked in New York?
Yes; the lists carry 9 rows, most fish going to Beaverdam Brook.
Which category do Coho salmon fall under?
Freshwater on the DEC list.
During which months can New Yorkers keep Coho salmon?
See Great Lakes and Tributaries Special Regulations under statewide.
Do out-of-state visitors need a license for Coho salmon?
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 Coho salmon 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 Coho salmon
Pick a lake or stream above and read its rules first.