Adirondack Region Fish Advisories

The Adirondacks boast some of the most stunning scenery and unequaled fishing access in New York State. Fishing is a fun, healthy activity for the whole family and fish are a great choice for a healthy diet. However, waters within the Adirondack Region have been more affected by methyl mercury than other parts of the state. Everyone should follow the advice below when fishing from waters without specific advisories in the Adirondack Region (specific advisories are listed in the table below). Choose fish from the “best choice” category for the whole family because these fish have lower levels of mercury.

Check the specific advisory tables below for additional advice for certain waterbodies.

Adirondack Regional Advice

Image showing illustration of Adirondack Regional Advice.  This advice is available in table format below.

The sensitive population refers to people who may become pregnant (under the age of 50) and children under 15. The general population refers to everyone else.

Adirondack Regional Advice for waters without specific advice. The sensitive population refers to people who may become pregnant (under the age of 50) and children under 15. The general population refers to everyone else.
Category Fish General Population Advice Sensitive Population Advice
Best Choice Fish Black crappie Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Bluegill Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Brook trout Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Brown trout Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Bullhead Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Freshwater drum Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Pumpkinseed/sunfish Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Rainbow trout Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
White perch Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
White sucker Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Yellow perch less than 10 inches Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Any other fish not listed in this table Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month
Eat less Chain pickerel Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT
Lake trout Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT
Largemouth bass Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT
Rock bass Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT
Smallmouth bass Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT
Walleye less than 19 inches Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT
Yellow perch greater than 10 inches Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT
Avoid Walleye greater than 19 inches DON'T EAT DON'T EAT

Advisory Tables

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Adirondack Region Specific Advisories

Don't see your waterbody listed in the table?
If there is no specific advice for a particular waterbody in the Adirondack Region, follow the regional advice above.

Mapicon
Waterbody 1 (County)
fish icon
Fish
men & older women icon
General Population
Women and Kids icon
Sensitive Population
Chemical of Concern icon
Chemicals of Concern
Bubb Lake
(Herkimer)
Yellow perch Up to 1 meal/month Greater than 10", DON'T EAT;
Less than 10", up to 1 meal/month
Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Effley Falls Pond
(Lewis)
Chain pickerel Greater than 20", DON'T EAT;
Less than 20", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Fall Lake
(Hamilton)
Smallmouth bass Greater than 15", DON'T EAT;
Less than 15", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
Yellow perch Up to 1 meal/month Greater than 10", DON'T EAT;
Less than 10", up to 1 meal/month
Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Ferris Lake
(Hamilton)
Yellow perch Up to 1 meal/month Greater than 10", DON'T EAT;
Less than 10", up to 1 meal/month
Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Franklin Falls Flow/Pond (Franklin, Essex) Walleye DON'T EAT DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Hudson River See Hudson River & Tributaries
Lake Champlain, whole lake
(Clinton, Washington, Essex)
All fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury, PCBs
Lake Champlain, bay within Cumberland Head Southwest to Peru Boat Launch
(Clinton)
American eel, Yellow perch DON'T EAT DON'T EAT Mercury, PCBs, PFAS
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury, PCBs, PFAS
Lake Flower
(Franklin)
Northern pike Greater than 26", DON'T EAT;
Less than 26", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Lewey Lake
(Hamilton)
Yellow perch Up to 1 meal/month Greater than 10", DON'T EAT;
Less than 10", up to 1 meal/month
Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Lower Chateaugay Lake
(Franklin)
Yellow perch Up to 1 meal/month Greater than 10", DON'T EAT;
Less than 10", up to 1 meal/month
Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Meacham Lake
(Franklin)
Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch DON'T EAT DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Moshier Reservoir
(Herkimer)
Smallmouth bass Greater than 15", DON'T EAT;
Less than 15", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
North Lake, Town of Ohio
(Herkimer)
Yellow perch Greater than 10", DON’T EAT;
Less than 10", up to 1 meal/month
Greater than 10", DON'T EAT;
Less than 10", up to 1 meal/month
Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Oseetah Lake
(Franklin)
Northern pike Greater than 26", DON'T EAT;
Less than 26", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Rainbow Falls Reservoir
(St. Lawrence)
Northern pike Greater than 26", DON'T EAT;
Less than 26", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Sagamore Lake
(Hamilton)
Yellow perch Up to 1 meal/month Greater than 10", DON'T EAT;
Less than 10", up to 1 meal/month
Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Salmon River, downstream of Davis Lake Dam to Lake Champlain
(Clinton)
See Lake Champlain, bay within Cumberland Head advice
Soft Maple Reservoir
(Lewis)
Smallmouth bass Greater than 15", DON'T EAT;
Less than 15", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Stark Falls Reservoir
(St. Lawrence)
Northern pike Greater than 26", DON'T EAT;
Less than 26", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Stoner Lakes
(Herkimer)
Smallmouth bass Greater than 15", DON'T EAT;
Less than 15", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Sunday Lake
(Herkimer)
Chain pickerel DON'T EAT DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury
Tupper Lake
(Franklin, St. Lawrence)
Smallmouth bass Greater than 15", DON'T EAT;
Less than 15", up to 1 meal/month
DON'T EAT Mercury
All other fish Follow Adirondack Regional Advisory Mercury

The sensitive population refers to people who may become pregnant (under the age of 50) and children under 15. The general population refers to everyone else.

1 The specific health advisories for the waters listed above also apply to tributaries and connected waters if there are no dams, falls, or barriers to stop the fish from moving upstream.

Regional Brochure

Link to view Adirondack Region Brochure

Advisory Waters Map

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Map of the Adirondack Region