Lake Sturgeon
An ancient, slow-growing native sturgeon stocked in New York waters as part of ongoing restoration efforts.
- Scientific name
- Acipenser fulvescens
- Family
- Acipenseridae
- Adult size
- Can reach several feet and decades of age; among the longest-lived freshwater fish in North America.
Identification
Armor-like rows of bony plates (scutes) along the body, a shark-like heterocercal tail, and a long snout with four barbels ahead of the mouth.
Habitat
Large rivers and lakes with soft or gravel bottoms.
Diet
Bottom-dwelling invertebrates, located and consumed with a protrusible, vacuum-like mouth.
Angling
Harvest is tightly restricted or prohibited in most restoration waters; most encounters are catch-and-release.
Conservation
A state and regional conservation priority; New York's stockings support long-term population restoration in historic native waters.
Where Lake Sturgeon is stocked
When Lake Sturgeon is stocked
Top Lake Sturgeon waters
Lake Ontario
Wayne County · 8 species · 611 records
Last stocked May 2026
Salmon River
Oswego County · 6 species · 410 records
Last stocked May 2026
Genesee River
Monroe County · 6 species · 378 records
Last stocked May 2026
Cattaraugus Creek
Wyoming County · 4 species · 210 records
Last stocked May 2026
Cayuga Lake
Tompkins County · 4 species · 147 records
Last stocked April 2026
St. Regis River
St Lawrence County · 3 species · 117 records
Last stocked May 2026
Oswegatchie River
St Lawrence County · 3 species · 78 records
Last stocked May 2026
Raquette River
St Lawrence County · 2 species · 45 records
Last stocked May 2026
St. Lawrence River
St Lawrence County · 1 species · 29 records
Last stocked October 2025
Oneida Lake
Oswego County · 2 species · 27 records
Last stocked May 2025
Black Lake
St Lawrence County · 2 species · 26 records
Last stocked October 2025
Chaumont Bay
Jefferson County · 1 species · 3 records
Last stocked September 2022
Genesse River
Monroe County · 2 species · 3 records
Last stocked September 2025
St. Regis
St Lawrence County · 2 species · 3 records
Last stocked September 2025
Cayuga
Cayuga County · 2 species · 2 records
Last stocked June 2020
Black lake
St Lawrence County · 1 species · 1 records
Last stocked October 2023
Middle Oswegatchie
Jefferson County · 1 species · 1 records
Last stocked October 2017
North Sandy Pond
Oswego County · 1 species · 1 records
Last stocked August 2014
Onieda Lake
Oswego County · 1 species · 1 records
Last stocked September 2025
Upper Owegatchie River
St Lawrence County · 1 species · 1 records
Last stocked October 2014
Frequently asked
Where is Lake Sturgeon stocked?
Lake Sturgeon is stocked in 20 waters across 1 state: New York.
When is Lake Sturgeon stocked?
Lake Sturgeon is typically stocked in fall, most often in October, based on records across every state that stocks it.
How many Lake Sturgeon are stocked?
About 357,786 Lake Sturgeon have been stocked on record since 2012, across New York.
What size Lake Sturgeon are stocked?
Stocked Lake Sturgeon average about 4.4 inches, based on sizes reported by New York.
What does a Lake Sturgeon look like?
Armor-like rows of bony plates (scutes) along the body, a shark-like heterocercal tail, and a long snout with four barbels ahead of the mouth.