Trout harvest season begins April 1 statewide in New York

April 1 marks the opening of Trout Harvest Season across New York.

According to the State DEC, nearly two-million trout will be distributed statewide in various streams, rivers, lakes and ponds during an extensive spring stocking program.

“This is the true beginning of a long-awaited spring and a perfect time to get outside and enjoy time along a waterway near you,” said Acting NYS DEC Commissioner, Amanda Lefton.

Remember, the state has changed things up for when it comes to traditional trout season.

It used to be that April 1 marked the opener of trout season and once it closed in the fall, that was it (outside of certain lakes and rivers where special regulations permitted trout fishing) until the next spring.

But now, a shake-up in the regulations allows for anglers to target trout during the late fall and winter months, using artificial lures only and strictly catch and release.

***See the 2025 DEC General Freshwater Regulation booklet here and see the DEC Spring Trout Stocking lists here***

Stocking is already underway in other parts of the state, but our North Country region typically doesn’t have any fish stocking until April and May.

According to the DEC, hatcheries met the production target for rainbow and brown trout, but drought conditions (in certain parts of the state) last-year caused water supply constraints at some hatcheries, inhibiting brown trout growth.

Therefore, many stocked brown trout will be less than the desired nine inches in length at the time of stocking.

NYS DEC image.