It's the time of year when many start pulling out their bait and tackle. Trout season has begun in New York, and people are taking advantage of the sport.

The Department of Environmental Conservation is working with the public to improve fishing. After some feedback, they're making slight changes to what New Yorkers can catch, and where. The goal is to increase the chances of reeling in a big one. For example, in stocked-extended areas, you can take home three trout with no more than one over a foot long.


What You Need To Know

  • Trout season runs from April 1 to October 15

  • There are five different categories of where you can fish for trout, each with different rules

  • You can go trout fishing in the off season, but its catch and release only

  • Fishing license sales are already higher than they were at this time last year

"And that's part of the reason for that is to spread those two year olds out a little more. Because they're actually a little easier to catch when they first go in so by limiting the number people can keep, it keeps them in the stream a little longer," said Jim Everard, DEC Aquatic Biologist. "We're actually stocking fewer fish, but we're trying to stock a larger size fish on average. So the one year olds, are typically around eight inches, we're trying to get the average around nine inches."

The DEC is also extending the season through the colder months.

"Pretty much all the streams are going to be open to trout fishing during October 15, until right before April 1,” said Everard. “So it’s going to give people, you get a nice day in October, late October, early November and they want to go trout fishing they'll be able to, its catch and release only. You have to use artificial lures only."

If you're older than 16 and you want to fish, you'll need a license, and sales are on the upswing. Most years, sales increase by around 10,000 licenses. But in 2020, sales were up by more than 100,000. This year, license sales are up even higher, by almost 10,000 compared to this time last year.

"For anyone who wants to try fishing, it’s a great family activity, anybody can do it that's one of the coolest things about fishing. It doesn't matter if you're 2, or 100, you can go fishing," said Everard.

If you don't have your license yet, you can fish for free the last weekend in June.