Where to go fishing in the Capital Region

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — With nice weather sweeping through the Capital Region, you might be thinking of going fishing. Before you go, make sure you’re following all fishing rules and regulations, and have a spot in mind where you want to go.

In New York State, you generally need a fishing license, which you can get at a license issuing agent location or on the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) website. There are also catch limits for certain fish and other regulations, all of which you can find on the DEC website.

Where it comes to choosing a place to fish, you might want a place nearby or based on which type of fish you want to catch. Here’s a breakdown of freshwater fishing spots by county, according to the DEC.

Albany County

Ann Lee Pond, off Heritage Lane in Colonie. Shore fishing.
Basic Creek Reservoir, off Route 404/Bear Swamp Road in Westerlo. Shore fishing only, must get access permit from the City of Albany.
Buckingham Pond, off Berkshire Boulevard in Albany. Shore fishing.
Lawson Lake, off Lawson Lake Road in Lawson Lake County Park in Feura Bush. Shore fishing.
Rensselaer Lake/Six Mile Waterworks, off Fuller Road in Colonie. Shore fishing, hand carry boats.
Thompson’s Lake, off Route 157/Thompson’s Lake Road in East Berne. Launch 0.3 miles north of Route 157A and Beaver Dam Road, shore fishing and hand launch at Thompson’s Lake State Park.
Tivoli Lake, Tivoli Nature Preserve off Northern Boulevard, next to Livingston Middle School in Albany. Shore fishing.
Washington Park Pond, off Madison Avenue in Albany. Shore fishing.
Van Schaick Pond, off Park Avenue in Cohoes. Shore fishing.
Hudson River
- Corning Preserve on Colonie Street, off Route 787 in Albany. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.
- Henry Hudson Park, off Route 144, half mile north of Cedar Hill. Turn east onto Lyons Road in Henry Hudson Park and go to the end. Hard surface ramp. Fishing Pier.
- Next to Plaza 23 Truck Stop on Church Street off Broadway in Albany. Fishing Pier.
- Off Route 144/Main Street in Coeymans. Turn east onto Westerlo Street. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.
Mohawk River:
- Freddies Park. Parking area just before the bridge on the right when heading north on Route 9/Loudon Road in Cohoes. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Colonie Town Park. From Route 9/Loudon Road, off Old Loudon Road, on Schermerhorn Road in Latham. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.

Rensselaer County

Black River Pond, off Miller Road/Route 35 in Cherry Plain State Park in Cherry Plain. Shore fishing, hand launch.
Bradley Lake, off Frear Park Road in Troy. Shore fishing.
Burden Lake, off Burden Lake Road on 2nd Dyke Road in Averill Park. Shoreline fishing off roadway, hand launch.
Dunham Reservoir, Grafton Lakes State Park off Route 2 in Grafton. Shore fishing or trailer launch on Johnson Road off Route 2, hand launch on Dunham Road off Route 2.
Dyken Pond, on Dyken Pond Road in Cropseyville. Hand launch off Deer Run Way on west shore.
East Greenbush Town Park Pond, off Elliot Road in East Greenbush. Hand launch, shore fishing.
Hampton Manor Lake, on Lake Shore Drive in East Greenbush. Shore fishing, hand launch,
Long Pond, off Route 2 in Grafton Lakes State Park in Grafton. Shore fishing or hand launch on North Long Pond Road off Route 2, hand launch near beach area.
Mill Pond, off Route 2 in Grafton Lakes State Park in Grafton. Shore fishing and hand launch on North Long Pond Road off Route 2.
Second Pond, off Route 2 in Grafton Lakes State Park in Grafton. Hand launch, walk-in access trails with parking off Parkway Road and off Shaver Pond Road. Boat rentals available.
Shaver Pond, Grafton Lakes State Park in Grafton. Shore fishing, hand launch, walk-in access trails with parking off the main Parkway Road and off Shaver Pond Road. Boat rentals available.
Schaghticoke Reservoir, on Fishersman’s Lane in Schaghticoke. Shore fishing, hand launch.
Snyders Lake, off Geiser Road in North Greenbush. Hand launch inside Town of North Greenbush Park.
Tomhannock Reservoir, off Route 7 on Reservoir Road in Pittstown. Pulloffs and shoreline access points on Reservoir Road. Must get access permit for the City of Troy.
Valley Falls Reservoir, off Route 67 (North Street) in Valley Falls. Shore fishing, hand launch on Fire House Road in Buskirk.
Wright Lake, off Oakwood Avenue on Wright Lake Road in Troy. Shore fishing.
Hudson River:
- Off Forbes Avenue, just north of the train station in Rensselaer. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.
- Off Route 4 in Lansingburgh, at the far west end of 123rd Street. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.
- Off Route 127/River Road at the corner of Marion and River Bend roads, one mile north of the 126th Street Bridge in Troy. Beach launch.
- Schodack Island State Park off Route 9J, over the bridge on Schodack Landing Way to the park. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.
- Lock 4 Canal Park off Stillwater Bridge Road, turn south at the east end of the bridge towards the mouth of the Hoosic River on Canal Road in Schaghticoke. Hand launch. Shore fishing.

Schenectady County

Collins Lake, off Route 5 in Scotia. Hand launch (east side on Washington Avenue), hard surface ramp (south side off Schonowee Avenue), shore fishing.
Iroquois Lake, in Central Park off Iroquois Way in Schenectady. Shore fishing.
Steinmetz Park Pond, off Lenox Road and Hendrickson Avenue in Schenectady. Shore fishing.
Mariaville Lake, off Route 159/Mariaville Road in Mariaville. Hand launch at the general store on Route 159, ask for permission.
Featherstonhaugh Lake, off Route 159/Mariaville Road on Judith Lane in Duanesburg. Hand launch, shore fishing.
Mohawk River:
- At the end of Freeman’s Bridge, off Route 50 south in Glenville. Hard surface ramp.
- On the south shore, off Route 7 in Vischer Ferry. Take Lock Seven Road to the end. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.
- On the west shore at the end of Old Rice Road in Rotterdam, one mile north of I-890, Exit 2 or 2A. Hand launch. Access at end of breakwall below lock. Shore fishing.
- Lock 9 State Canal Park/ On the north shore, off Route 5 at the north end of Route 103 bridge in Rotterdam Junction. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Off Rosendale Road in Niskayuna in Lions Park. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Aqueduct Park. Off Route 146/Balltown Road on Aqueduct Road in Niskayuna. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Gateway Landing Park. Off Route 5/State Street in Schenectady. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Rotterdam Kiwanis Park. Off Route 5S/River Road in Rotterdam. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.

Saratoga County

Ballston Lake. Fishing pier and hand launch east of Route 50 on Outlet Road (currently closed, expected to open in May). Trailer launch for a fee at restaurant on Lake Road.
Lake Lonely, off Crescent Avenue in Saratoga. Unimproved trailer at boat livery for a fee.
Round Lake, off Route 9 in Round Lake. Shore fishing, hard surface ramp for launching trailered boats, separate canoe/kayak launch.
Saratoga Lake, off Route 9P in Saratoga Springs. Shore fishing and hard surface ramp for a fee.
Sugarloaf Pond, off Columbus Avenue in Waterford. Shore fishing.
Moreau Lake, at Moreau Lake State Park. Shore fishing and boat launch.
Hudson River:
- Peebles Island State Park on Delaware Avenue in Waterford. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Battery Park, south of Route 32/Broad Street at the end of First Street in Waterford. Hard surface ramp.
- Lock C1 off Route 4/Route 32 on Lock One Road in Waterford. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.
- Lighthouse Park, on Route 4/Route 32 in Waterford. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Lock C2, off Route 4/Route 32, on NYS Bicycle Route 9 in Mechanicville. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Off North Main Street, on Terminal Street in Mechanicville. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Stillwater Riverfront Park, off Route 4 in Stillwater. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- On Route 4 (south of Hanehan Road), south of Schuylerville. Beach launch. Shore fishing.
- Fort Hardy Park, on Route 29/Ferry Street in Schuylerville. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Fort Hardy Park, off Saratoga Street on Tow Road in Schuylerville. Hard surface ramp.
- Hudson Crossing, off Route 4/Route 32, on Route 42 in Schuylerville. Hand launch.
- Off Reynolds Road/Route 197 on County Route 29 (West River Road) in Moreau. Hard surface ramp.
Mohawk River:
- Peebles Island State Park on Delaware Avenue in Waterford. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Halfmoon Crescent Park from Route 9/Loudon Road in Clifton Park to Vischer Ferry Road and a slight left onto Old Canal Road. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- From Route 9/Loudon Road in Clifton Park to Vischer Ferry Road and a slight left onto Old Canal Road. Continue onto Towpath Road, just before junction at Clamsteam Road. Hand launch. Shore fishing.
- Off Riverview Road, south of Droms Road in Clifton Park, part of Mohawk Landing Nature Preserve. Hand launch.
- Battery Park, south of Route 32/Broad Street at the end of First Street in Waterford. Hard surface ramp.
- Alcathy’s Boat Launch, at end of Flightlock Road in Waterford, just after Lock 6, heading west from Route 97/Fonda Road. Hard surface ramp. Shore fishing.
- Riverside Park, off Ingersoll Avenue in Schenectady. Shore fishing.
- Maalwyck Park, off Route 5 in Glenville. Shore fishing.
Heath Creek in Corinth
Kayaderosseras Creek in Corinth/Greenfield/Milton,
Paul Creek in Edinburg
Upper Corinth Reservoir in Corinth
Great Sacandaga Lake in Edinburg/Day

Fulton County

Great Sacandaga Lake in Mayfield/Northampton/Broadalbin
Ayers Creek in Stratford
Caroga Creek in Ephratah
Durey Creek in Caroga
East Canada Creek in Stratford
Holmes Lake in Bleecker
Indian Lake in Caroga’
Lynos Vly Outlet in Bleecker
Mayfield Creek in Mayfield
Mc Vean Creek (Hale Creek) in Johnstown/Mayfield
Meco Creek in Johnstown
Sprite Creek in Stratford
Stewart Lake in Caroga
Third Lake in Stratford
Canada Lake in Caroga
Cayadutta Creek in Johnstown
Timmerman Creek in Oppenheim
Northville Lake in Northampton
West Caroga Lake in Caroga
Peck Lake in Bleecker/Johnstown
Dexter Lake in Stratford
Spectacle Lake in Stratford

Schoharie County

Looking Glass Pond, hand launch off Rossman Hill Road in Fulton.
Mallet Pond in Fulton
Schoharie Reservoir in Gilboa and Conesville. DEP Access Permit required.

Columbia County

Copake Lake in Copake, Cartop launch accessible by Lakeview Road or County Route 7.
Lake Taghkanic in Gallatin, Lake Taghkanic State Park, hand launch located on west shore by the beach and trailer ramp on east shore off Lake Taghkanic Road. Permit required.
Ore Pit Pond in Copake, Taconic State Park.
Queechy Lake in Canaan, boat launch on northeast shore off County Route 30, 0.2 miles west of Route 22.
Weed Mines Pond in Copake, Taconic State Park.
Hudson River:
- Lasher Memorial Park in Germantown
- Cheviot Boat Ramp in Germantown
- Stuyvesant Riverview Park in Stuyvesant
- Nutten Hook Unique Area in Stuyvesant

Greene County

Colgate Lake in Jewett, hand launch on Country Route 78 on the north side of lake.
Green Lake in Athens, boat launch off Valley Road, 2.4 miles north of Leeds.
North-South Lake in Hunter, boat launch is 2 miles east of Haines Falls at the end of County Route 18. Hard surface ramp.
Hudson River:
- Four-Mile Point Preserve in Coxsackie
- Stockport Flats in Stockport
- Town of Athens State Boat Launch
- Athens Riverfront Park
- Hudson Waterfront Park in Hudson
- Cohotate Preserve in Athens
- Kiwanis Park/Catskill Creek in Catskill
- Dutchman’s Landing in Catskill
- Ramshorn-Livingston Sanctuary in Catskill