Rainbow Trout in New York
New York rules and lakes for rainbow trout.
- 5limit
- 31 lb 3 ozrecord
Pick for rainbow troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the species, not a New York water: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
Empire State rainbow trout: the short version
New York counts rainbow trout among its freshwater species; the DEC limit tables mention it across 10 rule tables. The statewide entry allows 5; dates run apr 1 – oct 15.
DEC records a 31 lb 3 oz catch from Lake Ontario, set in 2004, as the mark to beat. The DEC lake and stream lists put it on 226 pages here. DEC lists 531 stockings in 2025, adding up to 1,323,772 fish.
DEC’s beginner guide gives the usual size as 8-12 in./ grow to 27 in. Rainbow trout that live in large lakes and spawn in streams are called steelhead. They look more silvery and grow much larger than rainbow trout that live in small streams or lakes. Steelhead can grow to 35 inches. 8-15 in. (streams), Coldwater Insects, October- All watersheds Brown Trout 16-30 in. (large streams and clams, November in lakes and rivers)/ rivers, coldwater mussels, streams with clean, grow to 38 in. lakes crayfish and gravel bottoms, small fish where nests (redds) are dug Fish fact: Originally from Europe, brown trout are one of the most difficult trout species to catch.
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 rainbow trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Seasons, sizes and bag limits for rainbow trout in New York
| 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.
rainbow trout and the New York state record book
| Entry | Weight | Angler | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Rainbow | 31 lb 3 oz | Robert Wilson | Lake Ontario | Niagara | August 14, 2004 |
DEC state record fish table, DEC Current NY State Record Fish table, as of December 10, 2025; retrieved October 24, 2026.
The waters getting the most stocked rainbow trout
| Year | Fish stocked |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,260,868 |
| 2024 | 1,273,121 |
| 2025 | 1,323,772 |
data.ny.gov Fish Stocking Lists (Actual), 2023 to 2025, and the planned spring 2026 trout list; retrieved October 24, 2026.
Lakes and streams on the rainbow trout list
Lakes listing rainbow trout
- Seneca Lake43,394 acres
- Cayuga Lake42,910 acres
- Great Sacandaga Lake24,910 acres
- Keuka Lake11,667 acres
- Canandaigua Lake10,528 acres
- Skaneateles Lake8,777 acres
- Owasco Lake6,752 acres
- Salmon River Reservoir2,900 acres
- Hinckley Reservoir2,708 acres
- Upper Chateaugay Lake2,550 acres
- Hemlock Lake2,074 acres
- Lake Placid1,970 acres
- Chazy Lake1,845 acres
- Sacandaga Lake1,608 acres
- Brant Lake1,522 acres
- Lake Pleasant1,476 acres
- Muscoot Reservoir1,163 acres
- Seventh Lake951 acres
- Paradox Lake935 acres
- Canadice Lake722 acres
- Titicus Reservoir709 acres
- Canada Lake688 acres
- Rushford Lake588 acres
- Lake Eaton, Hamilton County574 acres
Streams listing rainbow trout
- Hudson RiverSaratoga County
- Susquehanna RiverOtsego County
- Black RiverHerkimer County
- Delaware RiverDelaware County
- Genesee RiverLivingston County
- West Branch Delaware RiverSchoharie County
- Oswego RiverOswego County
- Schroon RiverEssex County
- Saint Regis RiverFranklin County
- Buffalo RiverErie County
- East Branch Delaware RiverDelaware County
- Hoosic RiverWashington County
- Salmon River, Lewis CountyLewis County
- Sugar Creek, Yates CountyYates County
- Casterline PondCortland County
- Cattaraugus CreekWyoming County
- Indian River, Hamilton CountyHamilton County
- Mill Brook ReservoirChenango County
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Rivers lists, DEC trout reaches, stocking lists and state records; largest waters first.
Same DEC category as rainbow trout
- Largemouth Bassfreshwater
- Smallmouth Bassfreshwater
- Rock Bassfreshwater
- White Bassfreshwater
- Walleyefreshwater
- Saugerfreshwater
- Northern Pikefreshwater
- Chain Pickerelfreshwater
- Muskellungefreshwater
- Tiger Muskellungefreshwater
- Yellow Perchfreshwater
- Black Crappiefreshwater
New York shorelines a short drive from Rainbow Trout
Photo: DanTD, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Gogerr, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: See1,Do1,Teach1, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rainbow trout in New York, asked and answered
Can I keep rainbow trout in New York?
5 under statewide, season apr 1 – oct 15; other tables set their own figures.
How big is the New York record rainbow trout?
31 lb 3 oz from Lake Ontario, caught by Robert Wilson (August 14, 2004).
Where do rainbow trout live in New York?
226 water pages here list it, starting with Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake and Great Sacandaga Lake.
How many rainbow trout does DEC stock?
Yes; the lists carry 1,812 rows, most fish going to Beaverdam Brook.
Where do rainbow trout sit on the DEC species list?
Freshwater on the DEC list.
Does New York close a season on rainbow trout?
Apr 1 – Oct 15 under statewide.
Is there a stamp for rainbow 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.
Where can I read more about rainbow trout?
From the 2026 DEC regulation pages and the state record table, read October 24, 2026 and checked again October 25, 2026.
Choose water for rainbow trout
The pages above carry launches and DEC rules.