Boat launches · Lake Ontario · New York

Boat Launches Near Rochester

6 public launches within 20 miles of downtown Rochester, New York, 3 of them trailer ramps. The nearest is LaSalles Landing Park, 4.4 miles E.

Within 20 mi

Trailer ramps

Closest

4.4 mi

Closest first

Public launches around Rochester

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.

4.4 mi E
LaSalles Landing ParkIrondequoit Bay · Penfield
Hand / carry-in launchDirections
6.5 mi NE
Irondequoit Bay State Marine ParkIrondequoit Bay · Irondequoit
Trailer rampDirections
6.7 mi N
Port of Rochester MarinaGenesee River · Rochester
Trailer rampDirections
7.8 mi N
Greece DEC/Municipal launchSlater Creek · Greece
Hand / carry-in launchDirections
11 mi NW
Rochester DEC launchBraddock Bay · Rochester
Hand / carry-in launchDirections
19 mi NW
Hamlin DEC launchSandy Creek · Hamlin
Trailer rampDirections

Once you're off the trailer

What to fish out of Rochester

Our Lake Ontario fishing guides name water reached from these launches for 7 species:

Brown Trout · Late March through May, with a second window in October and November near the river mouthsBrown Trout Fishing on Lake OntarioThe Genesee River mouth, Rochester: Warm river discharge in April pulls browns into the plume. Troll the color line where brown river water meets the clear lake.Steelhead · October through April in the tributaries, peaking December and again in late March; June through August offshoreSteelhead Fishing on Lake OntarioThe Genesee River, Rochester: An urban tailwater below the lower falls with fall and spring runs and easy access. Fishes best on a moderate flow.Chinook Salmon · Mid-June through mid-September, peaking with the staging fish off Oswego and Mexico Bay in late AugustChinook Salmon Fishing on Lake OntarioRochester and the Genesee River mouth: Fish the 150 to 350 line straight out from the Genesee. Devils Nose east of Rochester holds a temperature edge that concentrates fish in July.Lake Trout · May and June shallow, July through September deep, with a fall concentration on the eastern shoalsLake Trout Fishing on Lake OntarioRochester and Devils Nose: The contour east of the Genesee River holds fish on bottom through summer, and the run from Rochester is short.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 BaysBraddock Bay and Irondequoit Bay: Rochester's two bays. NYSDEC calls Braddock Bay's spring and summer fishing for trophy northerns outstanding, and Irondequoit Bay a year-round pike fishery, open water and ice. Launches at Rochester, Irondequoit and Penfield.Smallmouth Bass · Late June through October, with September and October the best size windowSmallmouth Bass Fishing on Lake OntarioBraddock Bay and the Rochester shoreline: South-shore rock and gravel breaks near Rochester in 15–30 ft. Less structure than the eastern basin, but a real fishery and easy to access.Yellow Perch · September through November open water; January through February on bay iceYellow Perch Fishing on Lake OntarioIrondequoit Bay: Just east of Rochester. Deep for a bay — over 70 ft in the middle — with perch stacked on the 18–28 ft slopes in late fall and through the ice.

Coho Salmon on Ontario Muskellunge on Ontario Walleye 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

Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park6.3 mi

For the crew ashore

Beaches

Ontario Beach7.2 mi

Landmarks from the water

Lighthouses

Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse6.6 mi
Braddock Point Light15 mi

Questions

Where is the closest public boat launch to Rochester?

LaSalles Landing Park, about 4.4 miles E of downtown in a straight line (hand / carry-in launch). The closest trailer ramp is Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park, 6.5 miles NE.

How many public boat launches are near Rochester?

State agency data lists 6 public launches within 20 miles: 3 trailer ramps and 3 unimproved or carry-in sites, on Lake Ontario and the bays and rivers that run into it.

Do boat launches near Rochester charge a fee?

None of these 6 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 Rochester?

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

Sodus Point, NY · 32 mi Point Breeze, NY · 33 mi Olcott, NY · 57 mi Oswego, NY · 59 mi Buffalo, NY · 67 mi Youngstown, NY · 73 mi

Source

Launch facts are from NYSDEC, Boat Launch Sites for Monroe 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.

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