HUDSON VALLEY – Trout season for anglers in the Hudson Valley opens on Monday, April 1, 2024. Local waterways have additional trout available to catch after DEC’s extensive annual stocking began in mid-March. DEC stocks waterways throughout the state with fish raised in New York fisheries.
Between March and June, DEC put nearly two million trout in fishing waters throughout the state.
“The mild winter afforded New Yorkers some trout fishing opportunities during the catch-and-release season,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “However, April 1, the traditional opening day of inland trout fishing season, brings the excitement to another level as spring arrives and the state’s streams and ponds are stocked to provide additional opportunities for anglers.”
Year-round trout fishing was greenlit on most NY streams in 2021, with the implementation of an Oct.16 to March 31 “artificial lures only, catch-and-release” season. Beginning April 1, anglers are permitted to use both artificial and live bait in hopes of catching the popular species of fish.
DEC trout stocking began in March and include the placement of 1,909,450 catchable-size brook, brown, and rainbow trout in streams and ponds across the state by early June. “Stocked-Extended” streams, listed in the Inland Trout Streams Regulations section of the freshwater fishing regulations guide, will receive fish every other week for two months to enhance season-long opportunities for angler success. Most streams will also receive a seeding of larger stocked trout. Spring trout stocking lists, including the week of stocking for trout streams, can be found here.
The full list of fishing regulations, including license requirements can be found here: 2024 NYS DEC Fishing Regulations
