Catching and Releasing Trout
Today's anglers can take simple steps to improve the quality of future fishing. Some anglers practice catch-and-release fishing all or much of the time, while others release only sub-legal (undersize) trout. The guidelines below are intended to help anglers reduce mortality of trout that are released. How many of the measures are you using?
- handle fish as little as possible and release them quickly - do not fight fish to exhaustion
- minimize or eliminate the time fish are out of the water - as little as 30 seconds of air exposure causes delayed mortality of released trout
- consider using only artificial lures - their use is mandatory on some waters
- use barbless hooks if you plan to release most of the fish you catch
- when a fish is deeply hooked, do not try to remove the hook - clip the leader instead
- during the warm summer months when stream temperatures are elevated, do not fish for trout if you plan to release them - these fish are already stressed and additional handling may kill them
- likewise, do not fish for trout in spring holes when water temperatures are in the mid 70s or higher (especially if you plan to release them)
Managing New York's Trout Waters
From small headwater tributaries and tiny ponds, to large rivers and lakes, New York is blessed with abundant trout waters. To help ensure that our trout populations remain healthy, New York's Department of Environmental Conservation employs a range of fishing regulations. Anglers should familiarize themselves with the regulations that apply to any water they fish. The regulations are found in the Fishing Regulations Guide (link below) issued with your license.
New York Trout:
Brook Trout
Pink or reddish spots inside blue halos. Wormlike markings on back. Fins along belly have distinct, white leading edge.
Brown Trout
End of upper jaw extends well past rear edge of eye. Tail fin square with few spots or none. Body color generally brownish/yellow. Dark and reddish/orange spots present.
Rainbow Trout
Pink or red band usually present on side of fish. Tail fin with many dark spots. Many small spots on body. Fish in lakes often silvery.
Lake Trout
Light spots on darker background. No red spots. Tail deeply forked.
