Oswegatchie River

Oswegatchie River fishing

Fishing at Oswegatchie River is on a river section, stocked with Brook Trout and Brown Trout. It is stocked about 4.3 times a year since 2011, most often in April and May. Species guides list dawn, day, and dusk as the active times.

Last stocked

May 1, 2025

Plants on record

64

Since 2011

Species recorded

2

Average size

9.2 in

Elevation

245 ft

Access and facts

Water type
river section
Nearest town
Edwards
Boat ramp
Yes
Float tube friendly
Yes
ADA accessible
No

DEC's public boat-launch inventory lists 5 access points along this stretch of the Oswegatchie River in St. Lawrence County, including at Edwards, Fine, Heuvelton (hand launch, hard surface launch).

Sources: water_type , access , photos , fishing_notes , watch_outs

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How Oswegatchie River is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of April. In 2025 it was May 1, 2025, later than usual.

Fish at Oswegatchie River

Fishing Oswegatchie River is as likely to be for Brook Trout and Brown Trout. Each accounts for 32 of 64 plants on record.

Brook Trout 32 plants
Plants
32 of 64
Last stocked
May 1, 2025
Average length
7.5 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Brook Trout guide.

Brown Trout 32 plants
Plants
32 of 64
Last stocked
May 1, 2025
Average length
11 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Brown Trout guide.

Fishing Oswegatchie River

Brook trout exist as the primary sport-fish for the entire length of Middle Branch Oswegatchie. Chubs & bullheads are also present in its waters. Brook trout are the main sport-fish. Shiners, sunfish, suckers, chubs, minnows, bullheads and other fish may also be found in its waters. Important fish species include smallmouth bass, northern pike, musky, channel catfish, walleyes, red-finned mullet, and common carp.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

What to watch for

The Middle Branch Oswegatchie River mostly consists of shallow and fast-moving waters. The Branch's far-upstream sections consist of small and narrow feeder streams, which are generally not favorable to canoeists due to fallen logs and overhanging alders. A two-mile section from southern Cranberry Lake to Inlet is unnavigable.

Fish stocked per year

  • 5,3502011
  • 5,5302012
  • 5,2302013
  • 25,5792014
  • 18,2002015
  • 4,9702016
  • 5,9002017
  • 5,6002018
  • 5,6402019
  • 5,0502020
  • 4,0902021
  • 4,0902022
  • 9302023
  • 9102024
  • 3,0402025

Stocking history

Showing 15 of 64 plants Showing 64 plants

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
May 1, 2025 Brook Trout 420 9 in report
May 1, 2025 Brown Trout 2,360 9.15 in report
May 1, 2025 Brown Trout 260 13.8 in report
May 1, 2024 Brook Trout 590 9 in report
May 1, 2024 Brown Trout 290 9 in report
May 1, 2024 Brown Trout 30 14 in report
May 1, 2023 Brook Trout 590 9 in report
May 1, 2023 Brown Trout 150 9.5 in report
May 1, 2023 Brown Trout 20 14 in report
May 1, 2023 Brown Trout 150 9.5 in report
May 1, 2023 Brown Trout 20 14 in report
May 1, 2022 Brook Trout 830 9 in report
May 1, 2022 Brown Trout 330 13.5 in report
May 1, 2022 Brown Trout 1,470 9.5 in report
May 1, 2022 Brook Trout 1,460 9 in report
June 1, 2021 Brown Trout 330 13 in report
May 1, 2021 Brook Trout 830 8.5 in report
May 1, 2021 Brook Trout 2,930 8.5 in report
March 1, 2020 Brook Trout 1,000 8 in report
March 1, 2020 Brown Trout 340 13 in report
March 1, 2020 Brown Trout 1,910 8 in report
March 1, 2020 Brook Trout 1,800 8 in report
May 1, 2019 Brown Trout 340 13 in report
April 1, 2019 Brook Trout 1,000 8 in report
April 1, 2019 Brown Trout 2,300 8 in report
April 1, 2019 Brook Trout 2,000 8 in report
May 1, 2018 Brook Trout 1,000 8 in report
May 1, 2018 Brown Trout 340 13 in report
May 1, 2018 Brown Trout 2,260 8 in report
March 1, 2018 Brook Trout 2,000 8 in report
May 1, 2017 Brook Trout 1,000 8 in report
May 1, 2017 Brown Trout 340 13 in report
May 1, 2017 Brown Trout 2,560 8.1 in report
April 1, 2017 Brook Trout 2,000 8 in report
May 1, 2016 Brown Trout 340 13 in report
May 1, 2016 Brown Trout 2,240 8.1 in report
April 1, 2016 Brook Trout 800 8 in report
March 1, 2016 Brook Trout 1,590 8 in report
August 1, 2015 Brook Trout 3,000 3.7 in report
June 1, 2015 Brook Trout 5,000 2.4 in report
June 1, 2015 Brook Trout 5,000 2.4 in report
June 1, 2015 Brown Trout 2,230 7.9 in report
May 1, 2015 Brook Trout 880 9 in report
May 1, 2015 Brown Trout 340 13.4 in report
April 1, 2015 Brook Trout 1,750 9.3 in report
June 1, 2014 Brook Trout 10,000 2.1 in report
June 1, 2014 Brook Trout 10,000 2.1 in report
May 1, 2014 Brook Trout 1,000 9.1 in report
May 1, 2014 Brown Trout 260 13.7 in report
May 1, 2014 Brown Trout 85 9.2 in report
May 1, 2014 Brown Trout 2,234 8.3 in report
April 1, 2014 Brook Trout 2,000 8.5 in report
May 1, 2013 Brown Trout 340 13.3 in report
May 1, 2013 Brown Trout 1,890 8.9 in report
April 1, 2013 Brook Trout 1,000 8 in report
April 1, 2013 Brook Trout 2,000 8 in report
May 1, 2012 Brown Trout 340 13 in report
May 1, 2012 Brown Trout 2,310 8.1 in report
April 1, 2012 Brook Trout 960 8.1 in report
March 1, 2012 Brook Trout 1,920 8.2 in report
May 1, 2011 Brook Trout 940 8.7 in report
May 1, 2011 Brown Trout 340 13.2 in report
May 1, 2011 Brown Trout 2,200 8.5 in report
April 1, 2011 Brook Trout 1,870 8.7 in report
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Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

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