Boat launches · Lake Ontario · New York

Boat Launches Near Henderson Harbor

9 public launches within 12 miles of downtown Henderson Harbor, New York, 5 of them trailer ramps. The nearest is Henderson municipal launch, 1.1 miles S.

Within 12 mi

Trailer ramps

Closest

1.1 mi

Closest first

Public launches around Henderson Harbor

Straight-line distance and direction from downtown, not a driving or boating route. Every figure is what the agency publishes; a blank means the agency is silent.

1.1 mi S
Henderson municipal launchHenderson Harbor · Henderson
Trailer rampDirections
2.9 mi SW
Henderson state park launchStony Creek · Henderson
Trailer rampDirections
4.6 mi NE
Westcott Beach State ParkHenderson
Trailer rampDirections
7.1 mi NE
Market Square ParkSackets Harbor · Sackets Harbor
Trailer rampDirections
9.6 mi NE
Hounsfield DEC launch (Black River Bay at Lloyds Landing)Black River Bay at Lloyds Landing · Hounsfield
Unimproved trailer launchDirections
11 mi NE
Hounsfield DEC launch (Black River Bay at Muskellunge Creek)Black River Bay at Muskellunge Creek · Hounsfield
Unimproved trailer launchDirections
11 mi NW
Lyme DEC launch (Isthmus at Point Peninsula)Isthmus at Point Peninsula · Lyme
Trailer rampDirections
12 mi N
Long Point State ParkChaumont Bay · Lyme
Unimproved trailer launchDirections
12 mi NE
Brownville DEC launchBlack River Bay at Perch River · Brownville
Unimproved trailer launchDirections

Once you're off the trailer

What to fish out of Henderson Harbor

Our Lake Ontario fishing guides name water reached from these launches for 6 species:

Smallmouth Bass · Late June through October, with September and October the best size windowSmallmouth Bass Fishing on Lake OntarioHenderson Harbor and Henderson Bay: The center of the eastern basin fishery. Protected water with rock and grass in 10–25 ft, and a short run to the deeper offshore shoals.Walleye · Mid-May through June, and again from late September into NovemberWalleye Fishing on Lake OntarioChaumont Bay: The best-known walleye water on the New York side. Shallow, weedy, protected, and directly connected to the eastern basin. Night trolling over 8–14 ft is the standard program.Yellow Perch · September through November open water; January through February on bay iceYellow Perch Fishing on Lake OntarioChaumont Bay: The eastern basin's largest protected bay, out of Chaumont and Three Mile Bay. Big perch on the weed edges in fall and a strong ice fishery in a cold winter.Northern Pike · May through June, September until ice-up, and December through mid-March through the iceLake Ontario Northern Pike: Chaumont Bay, Henderson Harbor & the South-Shore BaysChaumont Bay: The big eastern-basin bay between Chaumont and Point Peninsula. NYSDEC lists pike among the fish to troll or cast for in the shallows. Launches at Chaumont, Three Mile Bay and Long Point State Park in Lyme.Chinook Salmon · Mid-June through mid-September, peaking with the staging fish off Oswego and Mexico Bay in late AugustChinook Salmon Fishing on Lake OntarioHenderson Harbor and Stony Point: The far eastern end fishes shallower and later. Stony Point and the water off Galloo Island produce through September when the western ports have gone quiet.Lake Trout · May and June shallow, July through September deep, with a fall concentration on the eastern shoalsLake Trout Fishing on Lake OntarioHenderson Harbor and the Duck Islands: Rock, current and depth close together. Fish the drops around the islands in 60 to 140 feet through summer.

Brown Trout on Ontario Coho Salmon on Ontario Muskellunge on Ontario Steelhead on Ontario

Before you launch

Lake Ontario is big water

Creek-mouth launches depend on lake level and sand. Some shoal in low water, and the DEC notes where that is a known problem. Out front, the lake is deep and cold close to shore, and a north or west wind stacks waves at the harbor entrances.

Lake-effect snow squalls off the east end. Oswego and Tug Hill can get several feet in a day, and a squall can arrive on a boat ramp with almost no warning in November.
Deep water very close to shore on the south side, which means fish are far offshore in summer — 8 to 15 mile runs are normal and the weather can change during them.
Strong current and standing water at the Niagara Bar. The river outflow meets lake water and creates real hydraulics; small boats get into trouble there in wind against current.

Read how to read a Great Lakes marine forecast and trailering and launching on big water. Pack the big-water safety kit.

Camp or picnic

State parks

Robert G. Wehle State Park3.5 mi
Westcott Beach State Park4.7 mi
Southwick Beach State Park6.5 mi
Long Point State Park – Thousand Islands11 mi

For the crew ashore

Beaches

Henderson Harbor Yacht Club Beach0.7 mi
Southwick Beach State Park7.3 mi

Landmarks from the water

Lighthouses

Stony Point Light5.1 mi
Horse Island Light6.2 mi

Questions

Where is the closest public boat launch to Henderson Harbor?

Henderson municipal launch, about 1.1 miles S of downtown in a straight line.

How many public boat launches are near Henderson Harbor?

State agency data lists 9 public launches within 12 miles: 5 trailer ramps and 4 unimproved or carry-in sites, on Lake Ontario and the bays and rivers that run into it.

Do boat launches near Henderson Harbor charge a fee?

None of these 9 sites publishes fee information, which does not mean they are free; city and park launches often sell a daily or season pass. Confirm with the manager before you tow.

Who sets the fishing rules on Lake Ontario near Henderson Harbor?

NYSDEC. Seasons, limits and license rules change, so read the current regulations before you go.

Up and down the shore

Launches near other Ontario towns

Sackets Harbor, NY · 7 mi Oswego, NY · 32 mi Sodus Point, NY · 57 mi Rochester, NY · 86 mi Point Breeze, NY · 105 mi Olcott, NY · 131 mi

Source

Launch facts are from NYSDEC, Boat Launch Sites for Jefferson County, retrieved 2026-10-27. Ramps close for repairs, fees change and water levels move; confirm with the manager before you tow. Fishing rules are set by NYSDEC.

Downtown positions are approximate. Chart shoreline generalized from Natural Earth (public domain); not for navigation. Something wrong or missing? Write to contact@greatamericanlakes.com.

Lake Ontario launches New York launches Lake Ontario field guide All launch towns