Lake Ontario fishing

Lake Ontario fishing is stocked with Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Brown Trout on a natural lake. Also recorded: Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish, and 5 more. It is stocked about 6.8 times a year since 2011, most often in May and June. Species guides list dawn for Lake Trout, dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, and Largemouth Bass, and dawn, day, and dusk for Brown Trout, Yellow Perch, and Northern Pike.

Lake Ontario
Photo: Louis Rodriguez, CC BY-SA 4.0
Last stocked
May 2025
Brown Trout
Plants on record
102
Since 2011
Species stocked
3 (+11 also recorded)
Average size
8.2 in
Elevation
272 ft

Fish at Lake Ontario

3 stocked · 11 confirmed present

Brown Trout Stocked · 53 plants · last May 2025 Best: dawn, day, dusk

Last stocked May 2025 · avg 8.4 in · 53 plants

Best: dawn, day, dusk

Brown Trout species guide
Rainbow Trout Stocked · 25 plants · last April 2019 Best: dawn, dusk

Last stocked April 2019 · avg 9.3 in · 25 plants

Best: dawn, dusk

Rainbow Trout species guide
Lake Trout Stocked · 24 plants · last May 2024 Best: dawn

Last stocked May 2024 · avg 6.8 in · 24 plants

Best: dawn

Lake Trout species guide

Anglers can catch steelhead (rainbow trout), chinook salmon, coho salmon, brown trout, and lake trout in Lake Ontario. Offshore chinook fishing ramps up in July and runs through September, with popular ports such as Wilson, Olcott, and Youngstown. The Niagara Bar is a top area for spring fishing. Lake Ontario's chinooks are the largest found anywhere in the Great Lakes. (dec.ny.gov, accessed October 5, 2026)

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

How Lake Ontario is stocked

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Fish stocked in 2011

149,000

Fish stocked in 2012

69,360

Fish stocked in 2013

219,240

Fish stocked in 2014

128,710

Fish stocked in 2015

251,460

Fish stocked in 2016

136,330

Fish stocked in 2017

66,265

Fish stocked in 2018

139,437

Fish stocked in 2019

158,400

Fish stocked in 2020

129,264

Fish stocked in 2021

40,040

Fish stocked in 2022

122,560

Fish stocked in 2023

122,762

Fish stocked in 2024

125,157

Fish stocked in 2025

47,300

Stocking history

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
May 2025Brown Trout23,6509.2 inreport
April 2025Brown Trout23,6508.5 inreport
May 2024Brown Trout18,5008.9 inreport
May 2024Brown Trout4,5009.2 inreport
May 2024Lake Trout39,3767 inreport
May 2024Brown Trout3,5308.9 inreport
May 2024Lake Trout39,7816.7 inreport
May 2024Brown Trout19,4708.8 inreport
May 2023Brown Trout6,5008.1 inreport
May 2023Lake Trout40,0486.2 inreport
May 2023Lake Trout39,7146.3 inreport
May 2023Brown Trout6,5008.1 inreport
May 2023Brown Trout15,0007.8 inreport
April 2023Brown Trout15,0009 inreport
May 2022Brown Trout7,1708 inreport
May 2022Lake Trout79,5007 inreport
May 2022Brown Trout7,1708 inreport
May 2022Brown Trout14,3607.5 inreport
April 2022Brown Trout14,3608 inreport
May 2021Brown Trout20,0208.1 inreport
April 2021Brown Trout20,0208.4 inreport
May 2020Lake Trout38,6606.7 inreport
May 2020Lake Trout37,1346.7 inreport
April 2020Brown Trout5,3807.7 inreport
April 2020Brown Trout21,5507.6 inreport
April 2020Brown Trout4,9907.7 inreport
April 2020Brown Trout21,5507.6 inreport
June 2019Brown Trout9,1007.7 inreport
May 2019Brown Trout12,3309 inreport
May 2019Brown Trout9,8208.5 inreport
May 2019Lake Trout40,0006.4 inreport
May 2019Lake Trout40,0006.4 inreport
May 2019Brown Trout22,1508.5 inreport
April 2019Rainbow Trout12,5009.1 inreport
April 2019Rainbow Trout12,5009.2 inreport
May 2018Rainbow Trout7,0709.1 inreport
May 2018Brown Trout21,7507.7 inreport
May 2018Rainbow Trout9,2508.6 inreport
May 2018Lake Trout39,8357.3 inreport
May 2018Lake Trout39,7827.2 inreport
May 2018Brown Trout21,7507.7 inreport
June 2017Rainbow Trout4,5459.4 inreport
June 2017Rainbow Trout1,2009.4 inreport
June 2017Brown Trout3,2807.3 inreport
May 2017Rainbow Trout12,5009.1 inreport
May 2017Brown Trout20,6307 inreport
May 2017Rainbow Trout3,4809.3 inreport
May 2017Brown Trout2,8307.2 inreport
May 2017Brown Trout17,8007 inreport
November 2016Brown Trout12,400–report
May 2016Rainbow Trout12,5009.3 inreport
May 2016Brown Trout21,5508.1 inreport
May 2016Lake Trout14,9406.9 inreport
May 2016Lake Trout40,8906.4 inreport
May 2016Brown Trout18,8109.3 inreport
May 2016Brown Trout2,7409 inreport
April 2016Rainbow Trout12,5009.3 inreport
June 2015Rainbow Trout9,8908.7 inreport
June 2015Brown Trout1,1709.2 inreport
June 2015Brown Trout7,1309.2 inreport
June 2015Brown Trout6,0008.7 inreport
June 2015Rainbow Trout10,0009.6 inreport
June 2015Rainbow Trout3,1008.7 inreport
June 2015Brown Trout13,0008 inreport
May 2015Rainbow Trout2,7009.6 inreport
May 2015Brown Trout7,1308.5 inreport
May 2015Lake Trout80,7506.6 inreport
May 2015Lake Trout79,8006.4 inreport
May 2015Brown Trout10,7008.9 inreport
May 2015Brown Trout10,6908.7 inreport
April 2015Rainbow Trout9,4009.5 inreport
June 2014Brown Trout10,7709 inreport
June 2014Rainbow Trout5209.9 inreport
June 2014Brown Trout2,8309.2 inreport
June 2014Brown Trout15,2808.6 inreport
May 2014Rainbow Trout9,8709.7 inreport
May 2014Rainbow Trout7,5009.8 inreport
May 2014Lake Trout40,7107.4 inreport
May 2014Lake Trout41,2306.4 inreport
June 2013Rainbow Trout3,6809.1 inreport
May 2013Brown Trout18,1808.7 inreport
May 2013Rainbow Trout8,8209.3 inreport
May 2013Lake Trout15,0807.5 inreport
May 2013Lake Trout35,3307.5 inreport
May 2013Lake Trout25,4807.5 inreport
May 2013Lake Trout40,2706.9 inreport
May 2013Lake Trout41,7206.5 inreport
May 2013Brown Trout18,1808.7 inreport
April 2013Rainbow Trout12,5009.6 inreport
June 2012Brown Trout11,0908.8 inreport
May 2012Brown Trout22,1807.9 inreport
May 2012Brown Trout11,0908.7 inreport
April 2012Rainbow Trout12,5009.5 inreport
April 2012Rainbow Trout12,5009.2 inreport
June 2011Brown Trout10,5709 inreport
June 2011Brown Trout10,5808.9 inreport
June 2011Brown Trout10,5908.9 inreport
May 2011Rainbow Trout12,5008.6 inreport
May 2011Brown Trout10,6008.9 inreport
May 2011Rainbow Trout12,5009 inreport
May 2011Lake Trout62,0107.3 inreport
May 2011Lake Trout19,6507.1 inreport

Access and facts

Water type
natural lake
Nearest town
Olcott
Boat ramp
Yes
Float tube friendly
Yes
Facilities
cleaning station

DEC lists hard-surface ramps at Olcott on Eighteenmile Creek (Newfane Marina, about 100 cars and trailers, fish cleaning station), at Golden Hill State Park in Somerset (55) and at Wilson-Tuscarora State Park in Wilson (50, cleaning station), plus hand launches on Twelvemile Creek.

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

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Advisories, closures, regulations and water conditions change. Check the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation before you go.

About Lake Ontario

According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the general consensus is that trout and salmon fishing in the Niagara County portion of western Lake Ontario is among the very best New York has to offer. (dec.ny.gov, accessed October 5, 2026)

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

Photo of Lake Ontario
Louis Rodriguez, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo of Lake Ontario
Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo of Lake Ontario
Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0

Nearest lakes

Eighteenmile Creek 0.2 mi last stocked April 2025 Keg Creek 3.3 mi last stocked April 2013 East Branch Twelvemile Creek 6.2 mi last stocked April 2025 Twelvemile Creek 7.2 mi last stocked April 2025 Fourmile Creek 14.9 mi last stocked April 2013

Common questions

What fish are at Lake Ontario?

Fishing Lake Ontario usually means Brown Trout: Brown Trout accounts for 53 of 102 plants on record, ahead of Rainbow Trout and one more. Brown Trout was last stocked May 2025, averaging 8.4 in. Rainbow Trout was last stocked April 2019, averaging 9.3 in. Lake Trout was last stocked May 2024, averaging 6.8 in. Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, and Smallmouth Bass, plus 7 more are recorded here outside the stocking reports.

When is Lake Ontario stocked?

Last stocked May 2025. It is stocked about 6.8 times a year since 2011, most often in May and June.

How big are the fish stocked at Lake Ontario?

Stocked fish average 8.2 in. Brown Trout average 8.4 in. Rainbow Trout average 9.3 in. Lake Trout average 6.8 in.

How do you get on Lake Ontario?

There is a boat ramp and it is float tube friendly. The nearest town is Olcott. Facilities include cleaning station. DEC lists hard-surface ramps at Olcott on Eighteenmile Creek (Newfane Marina, about 100 cars and trailers, fish cleaning station), at Golden Hill State Park in Somerset (55) and at Wilson-Tuscarora State Park in Wilson (50, cleaning station), plus hand launches on Twelvemile Creek.

Sources (5) +