These regulations apply to New York waters of Lake Erie, the Upper and Lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and designated sections of the tributaries to these waters. Tributary sections subject to these regulations are generally defined as the bridge closest to the mouth upstream to the first barrier impassable to fish. Tributaries with different boundaries and exemptions are listed separately below. Note that there are also seasonal tackle restrictions and restrictions on night fishing in the tributaries. Statewide angling regulations apply for species not listed.

Regulations for All Great Lakes & Tributaries

Regulations for all Great Lakes waters, including Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Upper and Lower Niagara River, St. Lawrence River and tributaries to these waters.

At all times:

• Snatching and attempting to snatch is prohibited. See definition of snatching on Definitions.
• All foul-hooked fish must be immediately released without unnecessary injury.
• Use or possession of gaff hooks is prohibited except when ice fishing.
• Any action to frighten fish and move them from concealment, including herding, driving, kicking or stoning, is prohibited.
• The use of eggs for chumming is prohibited (see General Regulations).

Special Regulations for Lake Erie Tributaries

Lake Erie tributaries with seasonal closures

Fishing is prohibited from Jan. 1 through March 31 on Spooner Creek and its tributaries, and North Branch Clear Creek and tributaries from Taylor Hollow Road upstream to the outflow of Clear Lake.

Lake Erie tributary seasonal fishing regulations

Fishing hours

• Fishing only permitted one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (fishing at night is prohibited).

Hook, leader and weight regulations

• The distance between a hook’s shaft and point cannot exceed one-half inch.
• Hooks attached to any lure must be free-swinging, except on an artificial fly (see definition on Definitions).
• Use of hooks with added weight is prohibited, except for artificial flies (Definitions) and jigs weighing no more than one-eighth ounce are permitted.
• The distance between the hook, artificial fly or lure and any weight attached to the line or leader, whether fixed or sliding, shall not exceed four feet.

Lake Erie and Tributaries Angling* Regulations
Species	Open Season	Minimum Length	Daily Limit
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout (including Steelhead), Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon	All year	12″	3 in any combination
Lake Trout	All year	12″	1
Northern Pike	1st Sat In May through March 15	22″	5
Walleye	1st Sat In May through March 15	15″	6
Muskellunge, Tiger Muskellunge	3rd Sat in June through Nov 30	54″	1
Yellow Perch, Sunfish	All year	Any size	50 of each
Black Bass	December 1 through the Fri preceding the 3rd Sat in June	20″	1
	3rd Sat in June through Nov 30	12″	5
Lake Sturgeon	Closed	Possession Prohibited
* Regulations apply from Lake Erie upstream to Springville Dam for Cattaraugus Creek.

Lake Erie Year-Round Catch-And-Release Regulations for Chautauqua and Eighteenmile Creeks
Catch and release only for trout and salmon in creek sections described below Only artificial flies or artificial lures can be used in catch-and-release sections Seasonal regulations regarding hooks, leaders, and weights apply (see below)
Water	County	Section
Chautauqua Creek	Chautauqua	From bridge on South Gale Street upstream 1.3 miles to the upper Village of Westfield water intake dam
Eighteenmile Creek	Erie	Main branch of creek (excluding South Branch) contained within Eighteenmile Creek County Park

Portions of Lake Erie Tributaries Subject to Seasonal (September 1 through March 31) Regulations
The following tributary sections are subject to seasonal fishing regulations described below during the period September 1 through March 31:
Water	County	Section
Cattaraugus Creek	Erie and Cattaraugus	From the Aldrich Street Extension Bridge in Gowanda upstream to Springville Dam
Buffalo River and its tributaries	Erie	From the I-90 (NYS Thruway) bridge upstream to first barrier impassable by fish
All others	Erie, Chautauqua	From bridge closest to the mouth upstream to the first barrier impassable by fish

 

Upper Niagara River and Tributaries Angling Regulations
Species	Open Season	Minimum Length	Daily Limit
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout (Including Steelhead), Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon	All year	Any size	3 in any combination
Lake Trout	All year	12″	1
Northern Pike	1st Sat In May through March 15	22″	5
Walleye	1st Sat In May through March 15	15″	6
Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge	3rd Sat in June through Nov 30	54″	1
Yellow Perch, Sunfish	All year	Any size	50 of each
Black Bass (north of the Peace Bridge)	Statewide Angling Regulations Apply
Lake Sturgeon	Closed	Possession Prohibited
Statewide gear restrictions apply in Upper Niagara River and tributaries.

Lower Niagara River and Tributaries Angling Regulations
Species	Open Season	Minimum Length	Daily Limit
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout (including Steelhead), Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon	All year	15″, except 21″ for Rainbow Trout	3 (Trout & Salmon) in any combination, not to include more than 1 Atlantic Salmon or 2 Lake Trout
Lake Trout	Jan 1 through Sept 30	None, except only 1 Lake Trout may be between 25″ and 30″
Atlantic Salmon	All year	25″
Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge	3rd Sat in June through Dec 15	54″	1
Northern Pike	1st Sat in May through March 15	22″	5
Black Bass	Statewide Angling Regulations Apply
Walleye	1st Sat in May through Dec 31	18″	3
	Jan 1 through March 15	18″	1
Yellow Perch, Sunfish	All year	Any size	50 of each
Lake Sturgeon, American Eel	Closed	Possession Prohibited
Statewide gear restrictions apply in Lower Niagara River and tributaries.

 

Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, and Their Tributaries* Angling Regulations**
Species	Open Season	Minimum Length	Daily Limit
Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout (including Steelhead), Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon	All year	15″, except 21″ for Rainbow Trout or Steelhead	3 in combination, not to include more than 1 Rainbow Trout (or Steelhead) in the tributaries
	Except 9″ for Brown Trout in Irondequoit Creek (entire), Lindsey Creek and Skinner Creek (Oswego and Jefferson counties), and the Black River (Jefferson County)
Lake Trout	Jan 1 through Sept 30	None (except no more than 1 shall be between 25″ and 30″)	2
Atlantic Salmon	All year	25″	1
Northern Pike (Lake Ontario)	1st Sat in May through March 15	22″	5
Northern Pike (St. Lawrence River and tributaries downstream of Tibbets Point)	1st Sat in May through March 15	22″	3
Black Bass (Lake Ontario & tributaries except in Jefferson County)	Statewide Angling Regulations Apply
Black Bass (Lake Ontario and tributaries in Jefferson County & St. Lawrence River and tributaries)	3rd Sat in June through Nov 30	12″	5 Fishing for black bass (including catch & release) is prohibited outside of the open season.
Walleye	1st Sat in May through March 15	18″	3
Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge	3rd Sat in June through Dec 15	54″	1
Lake Sturgeon, American Eel	Closed	Possession Prohibited
Yellow Perch, Sunfish	All year	Any size	50 of each Except Yellow Perch and Sunfish may be taken in any number in Jefferson County
* These regulations do not apply to St. Lawrence River tributaries in Clinton and Franklin counties. See Statewide Angling Regulations and Clinton and Franklin county special regulations for these tributaries. ** See St. Lawrence County for seasonal closures on the Oswegatchie and Grasse rivers.