A different kind of streaming season begins
DEC partners with area libraries to offer fishing rods on loan to patrons
Photo: DEC
Get offline and outside for a different kind of streaming experience starting this weekend – spring trout fishing season!
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has started stocking more than 1.7 million catchable-sized* brook, brown and rainbow trout in waters across the state to prepare for the spring trout fishing season, which begins on April 1, 2026.
*Anglers should note that drought conditions at Catskill Fish Hatchery during the late summer and autumn of 2025 reduced the water supply to a level that inhibited brown trout growth. Therefore, on average, yearling trout from this facility will be shorter than the 9-inch target size at stocking. Growth rates can be expected to recover at Catskill Fish Hatchery with normal rainfall, officials say.
To help make fishing more affordable and accessible, the DEC has also partnered with libraries across the state to provide a Fishing Rod Lending Program. While borrowing a book, library patrons can sign out a fishing rod to test out. For more information and a list of the more than 80 participating libraries, visit DEC’s website.
Resources:
Find spots to go with the DEC’s Trout Stream Fishing Map: DECinfo Locator
Trout Stream Fishing User Guide: https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/places-to-fish/trout-stream-fishing-map-guide
Anglers can also use their smart phones to find trout fishing opportunities around the state by accessing the Tackle Box feature in DEC’s HuntFishNY app.
