Home


New York and Ontario Canada Fishing Regulations 2008-09


OUTDOORS NIAGARA
"It's yours, use it, protect it, share it"
"Niagara's Premier Outdoors Website" 

  "Most informative and up to date outdoors website on the planet"



Click!

Click!

Information provided here was taken from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation [NYSDEC] website and from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources website [OMNR]


Special New York State Regulations for Lake Erie, Lake Ontario,
Niagara River & St. Lawrence River
On this page GO HERE [Below]

Ontario Regulations GO HERE at the bottom of this page or scroll down



Statewide Regulations can be found below 
or go to the official NYS DEC  website

(ii) Table A:

[Top] 

Special regulations for Lake Erie, Lake Ontario,
Niagara River and St. Lawrence River.
Read this carefully before proceeding:

A note from Bill Hilts Jr. 12/11/07

I notice where you announced changes to Ontario fishing regs for 2008, when I click through it has NYS regs, too, and the lake trout regs are wrong for Lake O and the lower river. Actually I'm not sure how that will play out for the lower river now and will check the DEC website. For Lake O, you can only keep two lake trout per person and one can be any size; the second must be outside the slot limit. That was a change that went into effect Oct. 1, 2006. The lower river limit is three in aggregate for all trout and salmon species. I would assume that no more than two can be lake trout - one of any size and one outside the slot if they decide to keep lakers


Water Species Open season Minimum length Daily limit
Lake Erie Brown trout Rainbow trout (including steelhead) Coho salmon Chinook salmon Pink salmon All year 9" 3 in any combination
Lake trout All year 9"
Note: Read what it says in the yellow box above
Northern pike First Saturday in May through March 15 22" 5
Walleye First Saturday in May through March 15 15" 4
Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge Third Saturday in June through November 30 54" 1
Yellow perch, Sunfish All year Any size 50 of each
Black bass; (Open waters of Lake Erie excluding tributaries) First Saturday in May through Friday before Third Saturday in June 15" 1
Black Bass Third Saturday in June through November 30 12" 5
Lake Sturgeon CLOSED POSSESSION PROHIBITED
Upper Niagara River Brown trout Rainbow trout (including steelhead) Coho salmon Chinook salmon Pink salmon All year 9" 3 in any combination
Lake trout All year 9" 1
Northern pike First Saturday in May through March 15 22" 5
Walleye First Saturday in May through March 15 15" 4
Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge Third Saturday in June through November 30 48" 1
Yellow perch, Sunfish All year Any size 50 of each
Black Bass north of the Peace Bridge Third Saturday in June through November 30 12" 5
Lake Sturgeon CLOSED POSSESSION PROHIBITED
Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River Brown trout
Rainbow trout (including steelhead)
Coho salmon
Chinook salmon Pink salmon
All year 15" 3 in any combination not to include more than one rainbow trout (or steelhead) in the tributaries
Except 9" in Irondequoit Creek (entire), Lindsey Creek, Skinner Creek (Oswego and Jefferson Counties) and the Black River (Jefferson County)
Lake trout January 1 through September 30 Fish greater than 25" and less than 30" must be released 3
Atlantic salmon All year 25" 1
Muskellunge and
Tiger Muskellunge
Third Saturday of June through December 15 48" 1
Northern pike First Saturday of May through March 15 22" 5
Walleye First Saturday of May through March 15 18" 3
Lake Sturgeon, American eel CLOSED POSSESSION PROHIBITED
Yellow perch, Sunfish All year Any size 50
Except yellow perch and sunfish may be taken in number in Jefferson County east of Stony Point.
Lower Niagara River Brown trout Rainbow trout (including steelhead) Coho salmon Chinook salmon Pink salmon All year 15" 3 in any combination including Brown trout,Rainbow trout (including steelhead),Coho salmon,Chinook salmon, Pink salmon, Lake trout and Atlantic salmon. Catch shall include no more than one Atlantic Salmon
Lake trout January 1 through September 30 Fish greater than 25" and less than 30" must be released 3 in any combination including Brown trout, Rainbow trout (including steelhead), Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, Pink salmon, trout and Atlantic salmon. Catch shall include no more than one Atlantic Salmon
Atlantic salmon All year 25" 3 in any combination including Brown trout, Rainbow trout (including steelhead), Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, Pink salmon, Lake trout and Atlantic salmon. Catch shall include no more than one Atlantic Salmon
Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge Third Saturday of June through December 15 48" 1
Northern pike First Saturday of May through March 15 22" 5
Walleye First Saturday of May through December 31 18" 3
Yellow perch, Sunfish All year Any size 50 of each
Lake Sturgeon, American eel CLOSED POSSESSION PROHIBITED

[Top] 
(b) Additional special fishing regulations for Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and St. Lawrence River and their tributaries upstream to the first barrier impassable by fish. No person, when fishing in these waters, may:

(1) engage in any action to frighten fish and move them from concealment, including herding, driving, kicking and stoning;

(2) possess foul-hooked fish, i.e.,fish not hooked in the mouth;

(3) fail to immediately return foul-hooked fish to the water;

(4) take fish by snatching or any other fishing technique that results in fish being intentionally foul-hooked;

(5) fish at any time, unless otherwise posted by the department, in Beaverdam Brook, Oswego County, from the mouth to the upstream boundary of the Salmon River Hatchery property, or within 100 yards of any department fish collection device;

(6) use other than a conventional sportfishing rod, reel and line.

(c) Additional special fishing regulations for Great Lakes tributaries.

(1) Tributaries of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and St. Lawrence River.

(i) The special regulations set forth in this paragraph shall apply to that portion of each tributary that runs from the bridge closest to the mouth upstream to the first barrier impassable by fish, except that the area of applicability for the following tributaries shall be as specifically provided below:

(a) Cattaraugus Creek (Erie and Cattaraugus Counties) from the Aldrich Street extension bridge in Gowanda upstream to Springville Dam.

(b) Eighteenmile Creek (Niagara County) from the Route 18 bridge upstream to Burt Dam.

(c) Oak Orchard Creek (Orleans County) from the power lines that are 1.9 miles upstream (south) of Route 18 bridge upstream to Waterport Dam.

(d) Sterling Creek (Cayuga County) from Old State Road to impassable barrier upstream of Route 104A.

(e) Sterling Valley Creek (Cayuga County) from McIntyre Road to impassable barrier upstream of Route 104A.

(f) Owego River (Oswego County) from the Utica Street bridge upstream to the Varick Dam.

(g) Catfish Creek (Oswego County) from mouth upstream to dam at County Route 1.

(h) Black River (Jefferson County) from the upstream tip of the lowermost island to Mill Street Dam in Watertown.

(ii) From September 1st through March 31st of the following year, the following regulations shall apply:

(a) Fishing at night is prohibited, except in the Black River (Jefferson County) from Lake Ontario upstream to Route 180 bridge in Dexter.

(b) Hooks attached to any lure, except an artificial fly as defined in section 19.1(c) of this Title, shall be free-swinging.

(c) Hooks shall not have a gap (distance between the shank and the point) greater than one-half inch.

(d) Use of hooks with added weight is prohibited, except that artificial flies with no more than one-eighth ounce added weight are permitted.

(e) 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.

(f) For tributaries located in Oswego and Cayuga Counties, weight shall not be added to the line, leader, swivels, artificial fly or lure in any manner such that the weight hangs lower than the attached hook, artificial fly or lure when the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod. This prohibition shall also apply from September 1st through November 30th in the Genesee River (Monroe County) from the Driving Park Bridge upstream to the Lower Falls.

(g) Use or more than one hook is prohibited, except that multiple hooks attached to floating lures are permitted as noted in "special provisions for floating lures" in clause (i) of this subparagraph.

(h) Use of hooks having more than one point is prohibited, except that double or treble hooks attached to floating lures are permitted as noted in "special provisions for floating lures" in clause (i) of this subparagraph.

(i) Special provisions for floating lures:

(1) A floating lureis a lure that floats while at rest in water regardless of any weight attached to the line, leader or lure.

(2) Multiple, single, double or treble hooks are permitted on floating lures, except:

(i) in tributaries within Cayuga and Oswego Counties other than the Oswego River; and

(ii) from September 1st through November 30th in the Genesee River (Monroe County) from the Driving Park Bridge upstream to the Lower Falls.

(3) Any hooks on a floating lure, other than an artificial fly as defined in section 19.1(c) of this Title, must be attached thereto by a ring or swivel.

(4) The distance between the body of a floating lure and the points of any attached hooks shall not exceed one and one-half inches.

(iii) From April 1st through August 31st, subdivision (a) of this section shall apply. For species not listed in subdivision (a) of this section, general angling regulations listed in section 10.1(b) of this Part shall apply.

(iv) The special regulations set forth in this paragraph shall not apply to:

(a) tributaries of the St. Lawrence River in Franklin and Clinton Counties;

(b) Buffalo River (Erie County);

(c) Niagara River (Erie and Niagara Counties);

(d) Round Pond, Buck Pond, Long Pond, Cranberry Pond and Irondequoit Bay (Monroe County);

(e) Sodus Bay (Wayne County); and

(f) Salmon River, its tributaries, and South Sandy Pond (Oswego County).

For more and complete information on New York Fishing Regs go to:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation [NYSDEC]
 


§10.1 Sportfishing regulations - General - Statewide

(a) In accordance with Table A in subdivision (b) of this section, except as provided for in sections 10.2 and 10.3 of this Part, and Parts 11, 19, 35, 36 and 40 of this Chapter, no person shall;

(1) have in possession, take or attempt to take fish of a species listed other than during the open season specified for such species;

(2) have in possession or intentionally kill or unnecessarily injure fish of a species listed of sizes other than those specified and allowed for such species; or

(3) possess, kill or unnecessarily injure fish of a species listed in excess of the daily limit specified for such species except that fish caught and returned to the water immediately without unnecessary injury will not be counted as part of the daily limit: or

(4) Except in the marine and coastal district, as defined in Environmental Conservation Law Section 13-0103, no person shall possess for personal use more than 100 bait fish in the aggregate of the species listed in Environmental Conservation Law Section 11-1315 (1)(a); or

(5) Except in the marine and coastal district, as defined in Environmental Conservation Law Section 13-0103, bait fish collected for personal use from any water of the State of New York shall only be possessed or used in the water from which such bait fish were collected, and shall not be used or possessed in any other water of the State.

For more and complete information on New York Fishing Regs go to:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation [NYSDEC]
 

(B)     [Top] 


General Statewide Sportfishing regulations.
See NYS Niagara River, Lakes Erie and Ontario Above

§10.1 Sportfishing regulations - General, Statewide

(a) In accordance with Table A in subdivision (b) of this section, except as provided for in sections 10.2 and 10.3 of this Part, and Parts 11, 19, 35, 36 and 40 of this Chapter, no person shall;

(1) have in possession, take or attempt to take fish of a species listed other than during the open season specified for such species;

(2) have in possession or intentionally kill or unnecessarily injure fish of a species listed of sizes other than those specified and allowed for such species; or

(3) possess, kill or unnecessarily injure fish of a species listed in excess of the daily limit specified for such species except that fish caught and returned to the water immediately without unnecessary injury will not be counted as part of the daily limit: or

(4) Except in the marine and coastal district, as defined in Environmental Conservation Law Section 13-0103, no person shall possess for personal use more than 100 bait fish in the aggregate of the species listed in Environmental Conservation Law Section 11-1315 (1)(a); or

(5) Except in the marine and coastal district, as defined in Environmental Conservation Law Section 13-0103, bait fish collected for personal use from any water of the State of New York shall only be possessed or used in the water from which such bait fish were collected, and shall not be used or possessed in any other water of the State.

For more and complete information on New York Fishing Regs go to:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation [NYSDEC]
 

(b) Table A:     [Top] 

General Statewide Sportfishing regulations.
See NYS Niagara River, Lakes Erie and Ontario below
  Species Open season Minimum length Daily limit
(1) (a) Trout (brook brown and rainbow trout and hybrids of these species; and splake) April 1 through October 15 Any size 5
(b) Lake Trout April 1 through October 15 21" 3
(c) Landlocked Salmon April 1 through October 15 15" 3
(2) Kokanee April 1 through October 15 Any size 10
(3) Black Bass Third Saturday in June through November 30 12" 5
(4) Muskellunge Third Saturday in June through November 30 30" 1
(5) Walleye First Saturday in May through March 15 15" 5
(6) Tiger Muskellunge First Saturday in May to March 15 30" 1
(7) Northern Pike First Saturday in May through March 15 18" 5
(8) Pickerel First Saturday in May
through in May
through March 15
15" 5
(9) Whitefish All year Any size 5
(10) Crappie All year 9" 25
(11) Atlantic Sturgeon, paddlefish Possession prohibited
(12) American eel All year 6" 50
(13) American shad All year Any size 6
(14) Sunfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed and redbreast sunfish) All year Any size 50
(15) Yellow perch All year Any size 50
(16) All endangered or threatened fish species May not be taken or possessed at any time, except pursuant to a special permit.
(17) Bullhead, Catfish, Carp, Cisco, Rock Bass, Sauger, Sucker, White Bass, White Perch, and all other fishes not listed in this table All year Any size Any number
(18) Striped Bass (in the Hudson River and tributaries north of the George Washington Bridge and all inland waters) March 16 through November 30 18" TL (total length see ECL § 13-0-339[4]) 1

[Top] 
Note: See Parts 11, 12, 19, 25, 26 of this Title for additional special fishing regulations.

(c) Additional special fishing regulations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Part:

(1) no person when fishing in waters of the State other than the marine and coastal district may use or possess gaff hooks, except when fishing through the ice;

(2) a single, uninjured black bass that is being landed, measured or is in the process of being released from a recirculating or aerated livewell will not be counted as part of the daily limit; and

(3) no person when fishing in the waters of the State shall use or possess as bait round goby, Neogobius melanostomus.

(d) Special regulations for the cleaning of fish. No person, while upon waters of the State, excluding the marine and coastal district, shall possess:

(1) walleye, black bass, brook trout, lake trout or landlocked Atlantic salmon that have been dismembered or otherwise prepared for cooking or consumption beyond removal of the gills and viscera;

(2) other species of fish that have been dismembered or otherwise prepared for cooking consumption, except that the gills and viscera may be removed and such fish may be filleted, provided the skin is not removed from the fillet.

(e) Definition of black bass. For purposes of this Part, black bass shall mean largemouth bass and smallmouth bass.

§10.2 Boundary water fishing regulations

(a) Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and St. Lawrence River.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10.1 of this Part and in accordance with Table A in paragraph (2) of this subdivision, no person, when fishing in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and St. Lawrence River and their tributaries upstream to the first barrier impassable to fish except tributaries to the St. Lawrence River in Franklin County and Clinton County where statewide regulations apply, shall take or possess on these waters or the shores thereof fish of the species listed:

(i) other than during the open season specified for such species;

(ii) of a size less than that specified for such species; and

(iii) in excess of the daily limit specified for such species.

(2) Fishing regulations for Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara River, St. Lawrence River and their tributaries to first barrier impassable by fish, except tributaries to the St. Lawrence River in Franklin and Clinton Counties where General Angling Regulations, as provided in section 10.1 of this Part, apply.

(i) Brook trout, black bass, pickerel, whitefish, bullheads, carp, catfish, cisco, crappies, rock bass, sauger, suckers, sunfish, white bass, white perch, and any fish not specified in Table A of this subdivision: General Angling Regulations, as provided in section 10.1 of this Part, apply.

For more and complete information on New York Fishing Regs go to:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation [NYSDEC]

  Species Open season Minimum length Daily limit
(1) (a) Trout (brook brown and rainbow trout and hybrids of these species; and splake) April 1 through October 15 Any size 5
(b) Lake Trout April 1 through October 15 21" 3
(c) Landlocked Salmon April 1 through October 15 15" 3
(2) Kokanee April 1 through October 15 Any size 10
(3) Black Bass Third Saturday in June through November 30 12" 5
(4) Muskellunge Third Saturday in June through November 30 30" 1
(5) Walleye First Saturday in May through March 15 15" 5
(6) Tiger Muskellunge First Saturday in May to March 15 30" 1
(7) Northern Pike First Saturday in May through March 15 18" 5
(8) Pickerel First Saturday in May
through in May
through March 15
15" 5
(9) Whitefish All year Any size 5
(10) Crappie All year 9" 25
(11) Atlantic Sturgeon, paddlefish Possession prohibited
(12) American eel All year 6" 50
(13) American shad All year Any size 6
(14) Sunfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed and redbreast sunfish) All year Any size 50
(15) Yellow perch All year Any size 50
(16) All endangered or threatened fish species May not be taken or possessed at any time, except pursuant to a special permit.
(17) Bullhead, Catfish, Carp, Cisco, Rock Bass, Sauger, Sucker, White Bass, White Perch, and all other fishes not listed in this table All year Any size Any number
(18) Striped Bass (in the Hudson River and tributaries north of the George Washington Bridge and all inland waters) March 16 through November 30 18" TL (total length see ECL § 13-0-339[4]) 1

[Top] 
Note: See Parts 11, 12, 19, 25, 26 of this Title for additional special fishing regulations.

(c) Additional special fishing regulations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Part:

(1) no person when fishing in waters of the State other than the marine and coastal district may use or possess gaff hooks, except when fishing through the ice;

(2) a single, uninjured black bass that is being landed, measured or is in the process of being released from a recirculating or aerated livewell will not be counted as part of the daily limit; and

(3) no person when fishing in the waters of the State shall use or possess as bait round goby, Neogobius melanostomus.

(d) Special regulations for the cleaning of fish. No person, while upon waters of the State, excluding the marine and coastal district, shall possess:

(1) walleye, black bass, brook trout, lake trout or landlocked Atlantic salmon that have been dismembered or otherwise prepared for cooking or consumption beyond removal of the gills and viscera;

(2) other species of fish that have been dismembered or otherwise prepared for cooking consumption, except that the gills and viscera may be removed and such fish may be filleted, provided the skin is not removed from the fillet.

(e) Definition of black bass. For purposes of this Part, black bass shall mean largemouth bass and smallmouth bass.

§10.2 Boundary water fishing regulations

(a) Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and St. Lawrence River.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10.1 of this Part and in accordance with Table A in paragraph (2) of this subdivision, no person, when fishing in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and St. Lawrence River and their tributaries upstream to the first barrier impassable to fish except tributaries to the St. Lawrence River in Franklin County and Clinton County where statewide regulations apply, shall take or possess on these waters or the shores thereof fish of the species listed:

(i) other than during the open season specified for such species;

(ii) of a size less than that specified for such species; and

(iii) in excess of the daily limit specified for such species.

(2) Fishing regulations for Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara River, St. Lawrence River and their tributaries to first barrier impassable by fish, except tributaries to the St. Lawrence River in Franklin and Clinton Counties where General Angling Regulations, as provided in section 10.1 of this Part, apply.

(i) Brook trout, black bass, pickerel, whitefish, bullheads, carp, catfish, cisco, crappies, rock bass, sauger, suckers, sunfish, white bass, white perch, and any fish not specified in Table A of this subdivision: General Angling Regulations, as provided in section 10.1 of this Part, apply.

For more and complete information on New York Fishing Regs go to:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation [NYSDEC]


 [Top]                                                                          


NEW ONTARIO CANADA REGULATIONS
LAKE ERIE - LAKE - ONTARIO - NIAGARA RIVER

Complete Ontario Regulations can be found on the OMNR website HERE

This is a summary of NEW regulations for 2008 and 2009

St. Clair R/Lake St. Clair/Detroit R/Lake Erie/upper Niagara R are
now found in Zone 19. Southwestern Ontario is Zone 16

Important changes for 2008-09 in Zone 16 and 19 are :

  • Two rods while fishing from a boat in open water on Lake St. Clair
  • No more pike spearing
  • Zero limit for sturgeon on the Detroit R Personnel baitfish limit is 120, even if purchased
  • Crayfish limit is 36 and must be from water in which you are fishing
  • No longer able to use yellow perch and alewife as bait
  • Anglers cannot release live bait or empty contents of bait bucket, including water, into any waters
  • All ice huts must now be registered in zones 16 & 19
  • Walleye and pike seasons open year round on Thames R. below Kiel St and Sydenham R. below Dresden
  • No longer a sanctuary on Thames River but season closed Mar 16 – 2nd Sat in May
  • Grand River – Lake Erie to Caledonia – walleye limit 4/2 and no size limit
  • Grand River – Lake Erie to Onondaga/Tuscarora Twp – walleye and pike closed March 1 to 2nd Saturday in May
  • Anglers fishing from a boat many now catch and retain, and selectively live release, more walleye, northern pike, largemouth or smallmouth bass, provided (see page 9 for details)

John Cooper, OMNR Lake Erie Management Unit

Complete Ontario Regulations can be found
on the OMNR website
HERE [A great site!]


 [Top]  /   Home  /  Back to Bill Hilts Fish Finder


Exclusively on Outdoors Niagara