The Fishing Line - March 26th Edition

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 03/29/2021 03:22 PM EDT
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The Fishing Line - March 26th Edition

In This Issue:

  • Trout Fishing Season Opens April 1
  • New Inland Trout Stream Regulations Take Effect April 1
  • New Interactive Trout Stream Fishing Map
  • New 2021 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide Available
  • Keeping Anglers in the Loop - Upcoming Outreach
  • Winter Fish Kills

Trout Fishing Season Opens April 1

Angler with brown troutThe first day of trout fishing season is an anticipated event for thousands of anglers that will don their boots and head to their favorite fishing hole to wet a line and officially greet spring. This year is a special year for inland trout fishing in New York as it represents the beginning of a new era of management based on the State’s new Trout Stream Management Plan, that was created in part by anglers, for anglers.

Through this Plan, DEC has made management of trout streams easier to understand and guided by fewer regulations. Our hatcheries are changing production so yearling fish are larger. In the future, every stream stocked receives some 12 inches or larger trout. We’re drawing a distinct line between wild and stocked trout management, and beginning in 2021, habitat improvement serves as DEC’s primary tool for creating and retaining self-sustaining populations of wild trout. Later on this year, we will also begin posting our stream access sites with new and updated information. Best of all, the fun does not have to stop in the fall as anglers will now be able to enjoy our trout stream resources through the fall and winter months thanks to the creation of a new catch and release season.


More information is presented below. Read, enjoy and then get out on the water!

New Inland Trout Stream Regulations Take Effect April 1

Young angler with brown troutNew York recently implemented new regulations that will improve the management of New York's inland trout streams, while providing anglers with more angling opportunities.

The new regulations are as follows:

  • Harvest Season - April 1 - October 15 (All categories)
  • Wild and stocked streams - daily limit is five trout, with no more than two over 12"
  • Wild-quality and stocked-extended - daily limit is three trout, with no more than one over 12"
  • Wild-premier - daily limit is one trout of any size
  • Catch and release season: October 16 - March 31; artificial lures only (all inland trout streams); some exceptions apply.

For a full listing of categorized streams, visit DEC's website (PDF). 

New Interactive Trout Stream Fishing Map

Screenshot DECinfo LocatorWhen it comes to choosing your next trout fishing destination in New York, it's one-stop shopping for anglers. Through a new interactive map on DECinfo Locator, anglers can access information on stocking, fishing access, season dates and regulations. All Wild-Quality, Wild-Premier, Stocked, and Stocked-Extended reaches are mapped, and Wild categorized reaches will be mapped later this year. To access the Trout Stream Fishing Map and User Guide, visit our website. 

We encourage you to watch the Trout Stream Fishing Map video (YouTube) that provides a quick overview and helpful tips on viewing the new Trout Stream Fishing Map layers in DECinfo Locator.

New 2021 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide Available

Fishing Regulations Guide coverNew for 2021, DEC streamlined its annual fishing regulations guide. By and large, contents in the new guide are limited to a summary of the laws and regulations anglers need to know before hitting the water. Waterbodies are now listed alphabetically by DEC region to make looking up regulations easier. Also, the guide's smaller size will allow anglers to easily keep a copy in their tacklebox.

You can download the new guide online and print it at home. Hard copies will be available in the near future wherever sporting licenses are sold.

 

 

 

 

Keeping Anglers in the Loop - Upcoming Outreach

Given the anxious anticipation that leads up to every April 1 trout opener and the recently adopted regulations under the new Inland Trout Stream Management Plan, DEC will be putting a larger focus on trout outreach in the coming weeks. In addition to produced videos to be released, we will take to Facebook Live for some exciting and engaging segments.

Schedule:
Oatka Creek Habitat Improvement Project with Trout Unlimited & DEC - March 31, 12:30 p.m.
Beginning Trout Fishing Techniques - March 31, 3:30 p.m.
Trout Stocking with a DEC Fish Hatchery - April 7, 11:30 a.m.

“Like” DEC’s Facebook page, and tune in on scheduled date and time.

Winter Fish Kills 

Fish KillNew Yorkers may be seeing more dead fish in the water this spring than in past years. The winter of 2020-2021 created optimal conditions for winterkills, which usually occur in shallow waterbodies with aquatic plant growth.

Winterkill occurs when snow that accumulates on the ice reduces the amount of light penetrating through the water, inhibiting the photosynthesis cycle in plants and reducing the amount of oxygen (a byproduct of the cycle) available to fish and other organisms. The problem is exacerbated when fish die, as the decomposition process also consumes any available oxygen in the pond.

To report a fish kill contact your Regional DEC Fisheries Office.