How To Enjoy Fishing In New York This Spring

The trout fishing season began on April 1st, and now, a month later, on May 1st, the 2025 season opened for Walleye, northern pike, Pickerel, and Tiger Muskellunge, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The DEC notes that in New York State, Walleye are found in over 140 waters and every major watershed. This time of the year, early to mid-spring, is a perfect time to fish for Walleye. Get more information for fishing for Walleye on the NYS DEC's website.

Fishing is a great way to get outside and enjoy nature, and New Yorkers are fortunate to have such a large variety of popular sportfish to choose from in the state’s abundant waterways. I encourage all anglers to enjoy the great fishing that can be found here in New York and share the fun with others, especially those new to the sport. - NYS DEC Acting Commissioner Lefton

Also, this time of year, you will find that it's a perfect time to fish for northern pike. According to the DEC, after spawning, northern pike prefer to stay near shallow water areas and feed aggressively before returning to deeper water areas for the summer.

The DEC notes that Pickerel are usually easy to catch. As for the Tiger Muskellunge, they are stocked at select waterbodies to provide anglers the opportunity to enjoy targeting big, hard-fighting fish.

Check out the new NYS DEC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide on their website , which you can download. on DEC’s website, or pick up a copy of the guide wherever sporting licenses are sold. For those locations, visit the NTYS DEC's website.