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Finger Lakes and Tributaries Fishing Regulations
| Water | Species | Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| All Finger Lakes | Northern Pike | May 1-Mar 15, Minimum Length-22", Daily Limit-5 |
| Walleye | May 1-Mar 15, Minimum Length-18", Daily Limit-3 (see Skaneateles Lake for exception) | |
| Brook Trout | Apr 1-Oct 15, Daily Limit-5 with no more than 2 longer than 12" | |
| Canadice Lake Canandaigua Lake Conesus Lake Hemlock Lake Keuka Lake Seneca Lake | Black Bass | June 15-Mar 15, Minimum Length-12", Daily Limit-5 |
| Mar 16-June 14, Catch and Release only, Artificial lures only | ||
| Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | All year, Minimum Length-15", Daily Limit-5 in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or 3 Atlantic Salmon | |
| Cayuga Lake | Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | All year, Minimum Length-15" except 18" for Atlantic Salmon, Daily Limit-5 in combination, Catch shall include no more than 3 Brown Trout, 3 Rainbow Trout, or 3 Atlantic Salmon |
| Honeoye Lake | Black Bass | June 15-Mar 15, Minimum Length-12", Daily Limit-5 |
| Mar 16-June 14, Catch and Release only, Artificial lures only | ||
| Sunfish | All year, Minimum Length-8", Daily Limit-15 | |
| Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | All year, Minimum Length-15", Daily Limit-5 in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout or 3 Atlantic Salmon | |
| Alewife | Possession prohibited | |
| Otisco Lake | Tiger Muskellunge | May 1-Mar 15, Minimum Length-36", Daily Limit-1 |
| Sunfish | All year, Minimum Length-8", Daily Limit-15 | |
| Trout | All year, Minimum Length-12", Daily Limit-5 | |
| Owasco Lake | Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | All year, Minimum Length-15", Daily Limit-5 in combination, Catch shall include no more than 3 Brown Trout, 3 Rainbow Trout, or 3 Atlantic Salmon |
| Skaneateles Lake | Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | All year, Minimum Length-15", Daily Limit-5 in combination, Catch shall include no more than 3 of any species |
| Walleye | All Year, Minimum Length-12", Daily Limit-Any number | |
| Alewife | Possession prohibited | |
| All tributaries to the following waters and upstream to the first impassable barrier: Canadice Lake Canandaigua Lake Hemlock Lake Keuka Lake Seneca Lake | Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | April 1-Dec 31, Minimum Length-15", Daily Limit-3 in combination, Catch shall include no more than 1 Rainbow Trout |
| All tributaries to the following waters and upstream to the first impassable barrier, except Spafford Creek: Owasco Lake Otisco Lake Skaneateles Lake | Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | April 1-Dec 31, Minimum Length-15", except 9" for Brown Trout, Daily Limit-3 in combination |
| All tributaries to Cayuga Lake upstream to the first barrier impassable by fish, except Fall Creek | Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | April 1-Dec 31, Minimum Length-15", except 18" for Atlantic Salmon, Daily Limit-3 in combination |
| Fall Creek (Cayuga Lake) from the downstream edge of the railroad bridge below Rt. 13 to Ithaca Falls | Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Atlantic Salmon | April 1-Dec 31, Minimum Length-15", except 18" for Atlantic Salmon, Daily Limit-3 in combination |
| Jan 1-Mar 31, Catch and Release only, Artificial lures only | ||
| Angling prohibited between sunset and sunrise from Oct 1-May 15 | ||
| Spafford Creek (Otisco Lake) | Trout | April 1-Oct 15, Daily Limit-5-with no more than 2 longer than 12" |
| Tributaries to all Finger Lakes (except Conesus Lake and Honeoye Lake) upstream to the first barrier impassable by fish | All other species | Open season, daily limit and minimum length regulations that are in effect for the Finger Lakes |
Additional Tributary Regulations
- Any action to frighten fish and move them from concealment, including herding, driving, kicking, and stoning is prohibited.
- Angling is prohibited from January 1-March 31,except for those stream sections listed below and Fall Creek downstream of Ithaca Falls.
- Angling is prohibited between sunset and sunrise from April 1-May 15 and October 1-December 31, except for those stream sections listed below.
- Angling is prohibited all year in Cayuga Inlet for a distance of 500 feet up and downstream of the dam located within the flood control channel and Coy Glenn Creek from Cayuga Inlet up to and including the second check dam in Tompkins County.
- Use of more than one line with a single hook point is prohibited, except for those stream sections listed below.
- Possession of hooks with a gap greater than ½" is prohibited, except for those stream sections listed below.
- Possession of landing nets larger than 50 inches around the frame or with handles longer than 20 inches is prohibited, except for those stream sections listed below.
Stream Sections for Which Additional Tributary Regulations B through G Do NOT Apply:
Trout season is closed January 1-March 31 in the follow waters:
- Barge Canal from Seneca Lake upstream to the northernmost Rte. 14 bridge in Montour Falls, Schuyler County
- Cayuga Inlet and flood control channel from Cayuga Lake upstream to posted "NO FISHING" boundary below the fishway in Tompkins County
- Fall Creek from Cayuga Lake to the downstream edge of the railroad bridge below Rte. 13 in Ithaca, Tompkins County
- Guyanoga Creek from Keuka Lake upstream to Rte. 54A bridge, Yates County
- Old Seneca Inlet in the southeast corner of Seneca Lake upstream of State Rte. 414
- Owasco Inlet from Owasco Lake upstream 0.7 miles to marked boundary at old railroad bed in Cayuga County
- Sucker Brook from Canandaigua Lake upstream in Ontario County
- West River from Canandaigua Lake upstream in Ontario County
- Yawgers Creek from Cayuga Lake upstream to the abandoned Lehigh Valley railroad bridge in Cayuga County