Regulations for Eastern Lake Ontario, the Salmon River
and Other Regional Lake Ontario Tributaries

The following regulations are for Eastern Lake Ontario, the Salmon River and other regional Lake Ontario tributaries. This information is believed to be accurate, but please review the list of official regulations with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. For further information, see the Complete Summary of Regulations provided online by the DEC.

Lake Ontario Tributaries with Seasonal Closures

Little Sandy Creek (Oswego County): Fishing is prohibited from March 16 through the first Saturday in May from the State Route 3 bridge downstream 850 feet to the intersection of the channelized area and upstream 1.0 miles from the bridge to the Public Fishing Rights section.

Sections of Lake Ontario Tributaries Subject to Seasonal (Sept. 1 to Mar. 31) Regulations

The following tributary sections are subject to seasonal fishing regulations described below during the period September 1 to March 31:

Lake Ontario Waters and Tributaries Exempted from Seasonal Tributary Regulations

The following regulations apply except those listed in the table below:

Hours

• Fishing from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise is prohibited except in the Black River (Jefferson County) from Lake Ontario upstream to the Route 180 bridge in Dexter, where fishing is permitted at all times.

Hooks

• Only one hook with a single hook point is permitted, except as outlined below for floating lures and artificial flies.
• Hooks attached to any lure must be freeswinging, except on an artificial fly
• An artificial fly may not have more than two hook points.
• The gap between a hook’s shaft and point cannot exceed one-half inch.
• Use of hooks with added weight is prohibited, except that artificial flies and jigs weighing no more than one-eighth ounce are permitted.
• Artificial fly means a hook with no more than two points dressed with feathers, hair, thread, tinsel or any similar material to which no additional hooks, spinners, spoons or similar devices have been added.

Floating Lures

• A floating lure is a lure that floats at rest in water with or without any weight attached to the lure, leader or line.
• Can have multiple treble hooks.
• Any hooks on a floating lure must be attached to the lure by a ring or swivel except for artificial flies.
• The distance between the body of a floating lure and the points of any attached hooks shall not exceed one and one-half inches.

Leaders and Weights

• 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.
• Any weight added to the line, leader, swivels, artificial fly or lure shall not hang lower than the hook when the line or leader is held vertically.

Salmon River Downstream of Rt. 52 Bridge in Altmar

From the upstream most navigation buoy located between the breakwalls at the mouth of the river upstream to the County Rt. 52 bridge in Altmar

Fishing Hours, Season Dates and Locations

• Angling Permitted: From one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
• Lower Fly Section: Open September 15 through May 15, from County Route 52 Bridge in Altmar upstream 0.25 mile to the marked boundary at Beaverdam Brook.
• Upper Fly Section: Open April 1 through November 30 from a marked boundary upstream of the New York State Fish Hatchery property to a marked boundary 0.6 mile upstream at the Lighthouse Hill Reservoir tailrace.
• Fishing is prohibited outside the open season.

Catch & Release

All fish must be immediately released without unnecessary injury.

Tackle Restrictions

Tackle is restricted to a traditional fly rod, fly reel, fly line, and artificial fly. Restrictions on fly lines, flies, attractors, leaders and supplemental weight are as follows:

• Fly Lines:
  • Use of less than 20 feet of floating, sinking, or combination floating/sinking fly line or shooting head immediately behind the leader and in front of any running line or other backing is prohibited.
  • May 1 through August 31: Floating fly lines only.
  • September 1 through April 30: Floating, sinking, and sink tip fly lines are permitted.


• Flies:
  • May 1 through August 31: a single unweighted artificial fly having one hook point with a one-half inch maximum gap only permitted.
  • September 1 through April 30: a single unweighted or weighted artificial fly with no more than ¹/₈ oz. added weight, having one hook point with a one-half-inch maximum gap only permitted.


• Attractors:
  • The use of added baits or attractors such as, but not limited to, fish eggs, insects, beads, spoons, spinners, plugs, or similar devices on the line above the artificial fly is prohibited.


• Leaders:
  • The total length of the leader including the tippet shall not exceed 15 feet.
  • May 1 through August 31: sinking and metal leaders are prohibited.


• Additional Weight:
  • May 1 through August 31: the use of supplemental weight such as split shot, sinkers, metal leaders, twist-ons, or swivels attached to the leader, tippet, fly line or fly is prohibited.
  • September 1 through April 30: the use of supplemental weight is permitted with the following restrictions.
    • The combined weight of any supplemental weight and fly may not exceed one-eighth of an ounce.
    • The maximum distance between the artificial fly and any added weight to the line, leader or tippet shall not exceed four feet.
    • Weight added to the line, leader, swivels, or artificial fly in any manner such that the weight hangs lower than the attached fly is prohibited.

Beaverdam Brook in Altmar Fishing Closure

Fishing in Beaverdam Brook and its tributaries, Oswego County, is prohibited from their mouths to the upstream boundary of the Salmon River Hatchery property.

These regulations apply to all the New York waters of Lake Ontario in the region.

Fishing License Fees

Required for all persons age 16 or over