NEW YORK \u2014 Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently announced the 2026 dates for Free Fishing Days in New York.<\/p>\n
According to a press release, the requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived during the following six days in 2026: Feb. 14\u201315, June 27\u201328, Sept. 26 (National Hunting and Fishing Day), and Nov. 11 (Veterans Day).<\/p>\n
\u201cFree Fishing Days provide the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors to affordably explore, unplug, and get outside,\u201d Hochul said in the release. \u201cNew York State\u2019s waters offer some of the best fishing opportunities in the nation, hosting memorable fishing experiences that increase tourism and benefit the economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition to the many health benefits associated with recreating outdoors, fishing can provide more opportunities to connect with family and friends, something that seems harder and harder to do with increasing demands on time in today\u2019s world.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the release, DEC\u2019s Free Fishing Days program began in 1991 to give New Yorkers who might not fish a chance to try the rewarding sport of freshwater fishing at no cost, introduce people to a new hobby, and encourage people to support conservation by purchasing a New York State Fishing License.<\/p>\n
\u201cA wide variety of sport fish are thriving in thousands of freshwater lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers across New York State,\u201d Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in the release. \u201cRecreational fishing can be an exciting, affordable, and rewarding challenge that reminds us to slow down and take time to enjoy our valuable natural resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether you\u2019re new to the sport or a seasoned angler, I encourage everyone to get outside and visit New York\u2019s waters during this year\u2019s Free Fishing Days.\u201d<\/p>\n
DEC offers a host of resources for those interested in getting started in fishing. The I FISH NY Beginners\u2019 Guide to Freshwater Fishing provides information on everything from rigging up a fishing rod, to identifying your catch and understanding fishing regulations. There\u2019s also a video series on DEC\u2019s YouTube channel that complements the Beginners\u2019 Guide.<\/p>\n
DEC\u2019s Places to Fish webpages are a reliable source of information when planning your next fishing trip. DEC\u2019s official mobile app, HuntFishNY, now features \u201cThe Tackle Box,\u201d which provides anglers with one-stop shopping for fishing regulations, boating access, and stocking information within a map-based interface from the convenience of your smart phone.<\/p>\n
Free Fishing Days further support\u00a0 Hochul\u2019s \u201cGet Offline, Get Outside\u201d initiative that promotes physical and mental health by encouraging New York\u2019s children and families to put down their phones and computers, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings. One of the ways teens and youth can find ideas to get offline is through DEC\u2019s Get Offline, Get Outside Challenge, which offers 50 fun and interesting activities for youth to complete by the age of 19.<\/p>\n
In addition to Free Fishing Days, there are also \u201clearn to fish\u201d opportunities available through DEC-approved free fishing clinics. For a list of what\u2019s currently scheduled visit DEC\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
To help make fishing more affordable and help inspire the next generation of anglers, 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. This program offers an opportunity for people to try fishing before deciding to purchase their own gear. For more information and a list of the more than 80 participating libraries, visit DEC\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
Free Fishing Day participants are reminded that although the requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived during free fishing days, all other fishing regulations remain in effect. Outside of free fishing days, anglers over the age of 16 must have a valid fishing license. For more information on purchasing a license visit DEC\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
The New York State Department of Health (DOH) provides advice to anglers about what fish are safe to eat and how often. Visit DOH\u2019s website to search by waterbody location.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEW YORK \u2014 Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently announced…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":126402,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[85,267,9,11,10],"class_list":["post-126401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-latest-headlines","tag-local-news","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126401\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}