In recent years, bronzebacks have retained their overall dominance, but brook trout have made a significant comeback, thanks to a deliberate state stocking program.

Unfortunately, the resurgence of the native species is threatened once more by another introduced species, i.e., northern pike of gargantuan proportions that live in the lake now.

"Like perch, northerns were put in Cranberry Lake without our approval," said the DEC's Flack. "They don't appear to be numerous yet, but they are very big. We're pretty sure there may be some 30-pounders in there."

Flack wouldn't mind if ice-fishermen removed all of those monsters. Cranberry Lake was opened to hardwater angling a couple of winters ago to encourage just such a development. Besides pike, the lake harbors countless small- to medium-sized perch and sunfish, and lucky anglers might even catch a brookie or two through the ice.

The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce at (315) 386-4000 can steer anglers to accommodations near Cranberry Lake, which is on Route 3, the main east-west road through the county.

TUPPER LAKE
If Tupper Lake and adjacent waters don't offer the best winter pike fishing in the state, DEC Region 5 fisheries biologist Rich Preall would like to set his tip-ups in the superior location. His netting crew had no trouble collecting more than 200 northerns, including a 15-pounder, during a recent survey.

Along with its abundant pike, Tupper Lake sustains vast numbers of lake trout averaging 18 inches and some walleyes of astonishing size.

"The walleyes are difficult to catch, probably because they are so well fed on smelt and other forage fish, but we've netted them up to 14 pounds, and I feel Tupper Lake is capable of producing the next state-record walleye," Preall said.

The state boat launch on Route 30, which separates the 3,800-acre Tupper Lake from the pike-rich Simond Pond, affords excellent access for ice- fishermen.

Preall's office at (518) 897-1200 can supply readers with a contour map of Tupper Lake, while the Franklin County Tourism office at (518) 483-6788 can provide a list of lodgings.

LAKE CHAMPLAIN
Anglers from Syracuse drive four hours one way to Lake Champlain each winter to enjoy a long weekend of fabulous fishing for perch and bluegills. Many other anglers swear by the "Great Inland Sea" -- which covers 290,000 acres -- as a steady producer of walleyes and lake trout.

Lakers are perhaps the most dependable target for visiting anglers. Averaging about 4 pounds, Champlain's togue feed heavily on smelt. Consequently, the best way to catch them through the ice is to use live smelt for bait. Locals on the lake catch their own bait using small teardrop jigs. They then bait tip-ups with the fresh meat, from 5 to 25 feet below the ice, and keep moving and changing depths until they hit a school of lakers. Landlocked salmon of 3 to 6 pounds often share space with Champlain lakers and are even fonder of smelt.

Arguably, Champlain's best trout and salmon action is in its mid-section. Public piers and boat launches in the villages of Port Henry, Westport and Port Kent afford ready access to productive ice.

Preall rates the water off Port Henry as having the best smelt concentrations in the lake and is therefore one of its better ice-fishing spots.

The Plattsburgh Chamber of Commerce at (518) 563-1000 is a starting point for planning an extended visit to Lake Champlain.