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Fishing

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In New York you can find world class fishing for a wide variety of sportfish within more than 7,500 lakes and ponds, 70,000 miles of rivers and streams, and hundreds of miles of coastline. You can go fishing for smallmouth bass on Lake Erie, brook trout on a crystal clear Adirondack pond, Pacific salmon on Lake Ontario, stripers on the Hudson River, brown trout on the Beaver Kill, and so much more!

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HuntFishNY App

Use the HuntFishNY app Tackle Box tool to find waterbody specific information on stocking, boat launches, fishing regulations, & more!

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Fishing Licenses

Fishing License Types, Fees, & Ways to Buy

2023 new York fishing regulations cover

Fishing Regulations

Freshwater Fishing Regulations
Saltwater Fishing Regulations

Health Advice On Eating the Fish You Catch (leaves DEC site)

Cover image of I FISH NY Guide to Great Lakes Fishing brochure.

Places to Fish

Fishing Hotlines
Freshwater Places to Fish
Saltwater Places to Fish
Ice Fishing
Great Lakes Fishing
Trout Fishing Streams
Lake Contour Maps
Boat Launch Sites
Google Maps Places to Fish
DECinfo Locator (interactive recreation map)

Stocking trout from a DEC hatchery truck

Stocking Information

Anticipated Spring Trout Stocking List
Previous Year's Actual Stocking List
DEC Fish Hatcheries
Requirements for Stocking Private Ponds/Waters

Electrofishing Clear Creek.

Fisheries Management

DEC Fisheries Management & Reports

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Learn to Fish

Free Learn to Fish Clinics
Fishing Tips & Skills
Getting Started Fishing Guides & Brochures

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Fishing Awards & State Records

Angler Achievement Awards Program
Current Freshwater Fish State Records

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Protect Your Waters

How to Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers
Learn About Aquatic Invasive Species
Report an Invasive Species
Being a Responsible Angler

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More about Fishing:

  • Saltwater Fishing - The marine waters of New York host varied and exciting fishing opportunities.
  • Freshwater Fishing Regulations - Information on New York State's Freshwater Fishing Regulations.
  • Places to Fish - Fishing information on numerous great fishing spots located around the state, including PDFs of lake contour maps and Publish Fishing rights maps.
  • Fishing Hotlines/News - The fishing hotlines provide weekly updates on information such as fishing locations, fishing conditions, and types of fish found in the waters of New York State.
  • Learn to Fish - Learn how to fish in NY.
  • DEC Fish Stocking - Information on where DEC stocks the over one million pounds of fish it raises in the hatchery system.
  • Private Pond Stocking - Information on requirements to stock freshwater fish into privately owned waters in New York State.
  • DEC Fish Hatcheries - DEC operates 12 fish hatcheries where numerous fish species are reared for stocking into more than 1,200 public waters across the State.
  • Ice Fishing - Ice fishing opportunities abound in New York State. Winter anglers catch a variety of fish.
  • Fisheries Management and Reports - Summary and final reports of fisheries reseach that has been conducted in New York.
  • Fish Health Regulations - Summary and Q & A of the emergency regulations passed by New York in response to Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia.
  • New York Angler Achievement Awards Program - Information about New York's Angler Achievement Awards program.
  • Public Input on Fishing Regulations - Information on formally proposed freshwater fishing regulations and fishing regulations the DEC is considering to formally propose.
  • Great Lakes Fisheries Relief Program - Eligibility and application information on assistance funding for the Great Lakes coastal fisheries through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CARES) Act.
  • Contact DEC Fisheries/ Regional Information - Information for contacting the Bureau of Fisheries.