Freshwater Fishing Regulations
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2022 Freshwater Fishing Regulations
(Effective April 1)
Regulation Changes for 2022: Review details on significant changes to freshwater fishing regulations that became effective April 1, 2022.
Season Dates and Catch Limits
Statewide Seasons and Catch Limits
(Exceptions may apply in certain waters through special regulations - see below)
Special Regulations for Specific Waters
Border Waters: Delaware River | Lake Champlain | Greenwood Lake | Indian Lake
Map of DEC Regions
Waters by Region/County:
- Region 1(Long Island): Nassau | Suffolk
- Region 2 (New York City): Brooklyn | Bronx | Manhattan | Queens | Staten Island
- Region 3 (Lower Hudson Valley): Dutchess | Orange | Putnam | Rockland | Sullivan | Ulster | Westchester
- Region 4 (Capital Region/Northern Catskills): Albany | Columbia | Delaware | Greene | Montgomery | Otsego | Rensselaer | Schenectady | Schoharie
- Region 5 (Eastern Adirondacks/Lake Champlain): Clinton | Essex | Franklin | Fulton | Hamilton | Saratoga | Warren | Washington
- Region 6 (Western Adirondacks/Eastern Lake Ontario): Herkimer | Jefferson | Lewis | Oneida | St. Lawrence
- Region 7 (Central New York): Broome | Cayuga | Chenango | Cortland | Madison | Onondaga | Oswego | Tioga | Tompkins
- Region 8 (Wester Finger Lakes): Chemung | Genesee | Livingston | Monroe | Ontario | Orleans | Schuyler | Seneca | Steuben | Wayne | Yates
- Region 9 (Western New York): Allegany | Chautauqua | Cattaraugus | Erie | Niagara | Wyoming
Additional Regulations and Guidance
- General Regulations
Definitions, taking and possession, harvest, purchase and sale, natural baits other than baitfish. - Baitfish Regulations
Use, purchase, collection, possession, and transportation of baitfish - Fishing Licenses
Requirements, types, privileges, and purchasing information on freshwater fishing licenses or enrolling in the recreational marine fishing registration (for migratory fish species only) - Fish Consumption Advisories (link leaves DEC website)
Species, quantity, and waterbody locations from which you can safely eat fish.
View a Full Copy of the Fishing Regulations Guide
Download a Printable PDF
New York Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide: 2022 (PDF)
Pick Up a Copy
You can get a hard copy of the 2022 guide in one of the following ways:
- Visit a License Issuing Agent/Vendor near you, OR
- Send an email to FWFish@dec.ny.gov to request a copy by mail
