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
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.
Click to access the Adirondack Regional Advice in table format
| 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 | |
| Northern pike | 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
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.
Waterbody 1 (County) |
 Fish |
 General Population |
 Sensitive Population |
 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
Advisory Waters Map
