Rat Pond fishing

Fishing at Rat Pond has Brown Trout, Golden Shiner, Fathead Minnow, and Northern Redbelly Dace on the stocking report. It is stocked about once 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

15

Since 2011

Species recorded

1

Average size

8.2 in

Elevation

1,616 ft

Access and facts

Rat Pond (88 acres) sits in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest in Franklin County. A 2021 NYSDEC survey found a heavily used brown trout fishery plus naturally present golden shiner, fathead minnow, and northern redbelly dace.

Sources: shore_notes , speciesFound

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How Rat Pond is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of May. In 2025 it was May 1, 2025, about when it usually is.

Bone Pond (0.6 mi) and Meadow Pond (2.5 mi) were stocked more recently.

Fish at Rat Pond

Fishing Rat Pond is most likely to be for Brown Trout. All 15 plants on record are Brown Trout.

Brown Trout 15 plants
Plants
15 of 15
Last stocked
May 1, 2025
Average length
8.2 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Brown Trout guide.

Fish stocked per year

  • 5102011
  • 5302012
  • 4402013
  • 5192014
  • 5102015
  • 5202016
  • 5002017
  • 5202018
  • 5302019
  • 4402020
  • 5602021
  • 5102022
  • 5102023
  • 5502024
  • 5402025

Stocking history

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
May 1, 2025 Brown Trout 540 8.67 in report
May 1, 2024 Brown Trout 550 9 in report
April 1, 2023 Brown Trout 510 9 in report
May 1, 2022 Brown Trout 510 8.5 in report
May 1, 2021 Brown Trout 560 8 in report
May 1, 2020 Brown Trout 440 9 in report
May 1, 2019 Brown Trout 530 8 in report
May 1, 2018 Brown Trout 520 8 in report
May 1, 2017 Brown Trout 500 8 in report
May 1, 2016 Brown Trout 520 7.3 in report
May 1, 2015 Brown Trout 510 7.9 in report
May 1, 2014 Brown Trout 519 8.2 in report
May 1, 2013 Brown Trout 440 8.2 in report
May 1, 2012 Brown Trout 530 7.8 in report
June 1, 2011 Brown Trout 510 7.8 in report

Species found here

Confirmed present independent of the stocking records above, not from a stocking event.

  • Golden Shiner : Wild, naturally present; collected in 2021 NYSDEC survey, not a stocked species. (source)
  • Fathead Minnow : Wild, naturally present; collected in 2021 NYSDEC survey, not a stocked species. (source)
  • Northern Redbelly Dace : First documented in the pond by the 2021 NYSDEC survey. (source)

Species stocked here

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

Nearest lakes