The Fishing Line - All About Trout

Freshwater Fishing, Fisheries Management, and Fishing Access News

In This Issue:

• 2022 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide Now Available
• Planning for Trout Fishing Season
• New Trout Stream Signage
• New Statewide Trout Fishing Regulations (Ponds & Lakes)
• Virtual Webinar- State of Lake Champlain Salmonid Fisheries
• New Video Release - Preserving New York's Brook Trout
• Staff Spotlight - Michelle Poprawski
• The Forgotten Phoebe

2022 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide Now Available

A PDF version of the new 2022 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide is now available to download from the DEC website. Hard copies of the guide are currently being produced and guides are anticipated to be available at License Issuing Agents by the second week of April. Hard copies can also be requested by emailing fwfish@dec.ny.gov

Planning for Trout Fishing Season

Now that the tip-ups have been put away and ice fishing season is (hopefully) in the rear-view mirror, it's time to think about spring trout fishing. Check out the helpful resources below to help you plan your first trip out on the water.

• stocking information
• fishing access
• regulations

Management Categories for Specific Inland Trout Streams (PDF)

New Trout Stream Signage

As part of our efforts to make fishing more enjoyable, DEC has posted Management Category (PDF) signs on most of the State’s 1,500 miles of public fishing rights. These signs convey not only the management category for a particular stream reach, but also the regulations associated with the reach. Look for the white and green signs with a trout on them when fishing trout streams with public fishing rights.

More Information:

Inland Trout Stream Management Plan

New Statewide Trout Fishing Regulations (Ponds & Lakes)

Statewide regulations for rainbow trout, brown trout, and splake in ponds and lakes have been revised. The new regulations provide for a year-round season with a five fish per day, any size, with two no more than 12" daily harvest limit. Statewide regulations for brook trout in ponds and lakes remain the same with a five fish per day, any size limit during the April 1 – October 15 open season. Please consult the new regulations guide on the DEC website before hitting the water as special regulations may apply. 

Virtual Webinar- State of Lake Champlain Salmonid Fisheries 

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are working with Lake Champlain United and Trout Unlimited to host a virtual meeting with anglers and other interested people on the State of the Lake Champlain Salmonid (trout and salmon) Fisheries tomorrow, Saturday, March 26 from 1–4 p.m.

For more information on this webinar including an agenda and registration link, visit the SeaGrant Lake Champlain website. 

New Video Release - Preserving New York's Brook Trout

We're excited to share the release of our latest video - Preserving New York's Brook Trout. In this video, viewers take a journey to a remote Adirondack pond to get a behind-the-scenes look into what Fisheries staff are doing to help reestablish self-sustaining brook trout populations.

Staff Spotlight - Michelle Poprawski, Fish Culturist

I am the hatchery manager at DEC’s Catskill Fish Hatchery. After completing my education in 2011, I worked at two aquaculture facilities at MOTE Marine Laboratory in Florida before starting my career with the DEC in 2015.

I am responsible for everything that happens at this facility, including raising over 350,000 brown trout and taking over 2 million brown trout eggs. I currently  supervise a crew of three staff and deal with projects ranging from construction and maintenance, to creating and executing a stocking schedule. It’s not hard to keep busy. I enjoy many aspects of my position, but like many culturists out there, stocking season is the highlight. I love seeing trucks roll in with transfers of rainbow trout or two-year-old brown trout from one of DEC’s other 11 hatcheries; those fish temporarily camp out here in Livingston Manor until they reach their ultimate destination in one of the 12 southeastern counties. It’s the adrenaline of lining up five or more trucks in the morning, with culturists from multiple hatcheries, loading with different sizes and multiple species, that makes all the hard work worth it. I have not been out stocking much since becoming a manager. I miss it. I value bringing the fish to the water, engaging with the public, sharing my passion, and educating them on the goals of the hatchery system.

While I am enthusiastic about my job, I try to have a life outside work, even if I live next door. I live in Livingston Manor with my husband Rob, three-year-old daughter Andora, and our crazy, pheasant-hunting, fish-eating dog, Abby. We make the most of the land around us - hiking, hunting, and fishing every chance we get. I am enthralled with teaching Andora all my fishing skills. This winter has been full of ice fishing, ice skating, and sledding around the hills outside of the hatchery on those really cold days - it feels good just to get out.

I am thankful to be in my position. I was once a young kid dreaming of working for DEC, going to the Caledonia Hatchery with my father, far too often. Listening to his love of nature and respect for the world around him. My dream is now a reality as I’m going to be here for as long as I can. I’m going to make the most of it and look forward to shifting DEC’s hatchery system to the next level, hopeful to modernize facilities and inspire future anglers.

The Forgotten Phoebe

Anglers pursuing trout this spring should not overlook the tried-and-true casting spoon, “The Phoebe”. This lure, which imitates a small forage fish, comes in a variety of colors and sizes and works great for all species of trout in rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Whether cast and retrieved, twitched and jigged through deeper pools and runs, or trolled behind a boat on flat water, this lure is sure to draw strikes from hungry trout. Adding a piece of scented bait like a night crawler, wax worm or moldable dough bait to the hook will make the lure even more irresistible. When you head to your favorite trout water this spring, don’t forget to pack a few “Forgotten Phoebes." You won’t regret it!