Printer-friendlyFreshwater Fishing
Fishing is a lifetime leisure sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from all walks of life, and New York State has some of the best fishing around. Our abundant water resources provide home and habitat for a wide variety of freshwater fish species. Over 45 species of game and panfish provide anglers with plenty of fishing opportunities. Smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, trout, salmon, northern pike, muskellunge, bullheads, yellow perch and crappie are just a few of the more popular fish species available.
New York also offers anglers a variety of settings to fish in. Small pristine Adirondack ponds, legendary Catskill streams, Great Lakes, Finger Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams are all accessible to interested anglers.
More than a million New Yorkers hold state fishing licenses. Sportfishing is healthy to the state's tourism industry-- contributing an estimated $1.4 billion annually to the state's economy.
If you haven't tried the sport yet and would like to, why not try fishing during free fishing days, when licenses are not required. DEC holds a number of free fishing clinics across the state; contact your local DEC Regional office for more information about these events.
More about Freshwater Fishing:
- New York State Freshwater Fishing Records - A list of record fish for 45 freshwater fish species.
- Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide - New York State's Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide: 2006 - 2008
- Fishing Hotlines - List of fishing hotlines which provide information such as fishing locations, fishing conditions, and types of fish found in the waters of New York State.
- Fishing Tips and Advice - A variety of helpful fishing tips, including information on catching and releasing trout, fishing responsibly, and using a ruler to weigh your fish.
- New York State's Top Fishing Waters - While excellent fishing is found across New York State, certain waters are anglers' favorites for various species.
- Warmwater Fishing in New York - Popular warmwater fishing waters of New York State.
- Carp Fishing in New York - New York offers an abundance of carp fishing opportunties.
- Contact DEC Fisheries/ Regional Information - Information for contacting the Bureau of Fisheries.
- Sport Fish Restoration Program - Monies used for sport fish management, development, research and restoration.
- Free Fishing Day Clinics - A listing of DEC sponsored events (such as family fishing clinics) where participants can fish for free-- no license is required.
- Lead Fishing Weights and Loons - The common loon faces many threats linked to human activity, among them is lead poisoning from the ingestion of lead fishing weights.
