The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today some proposed changes to the state’s freshwater fishing regulations.

“New York provides some of the best fishing in the nation and every two years DEC modifies existing freshwater sportfishing regulations and proposes new regulations to help ensure this remains the case,” said Assistant Commissioner for Natural Resources Kathleen Moser. “We encourage anglers to review these proposed changes and provide DEC with comments.”

The proposed regulation changes are the result of careful assessment of the status of existing fish populations and the desires of anglers for enhanced fishing opportunities. Several of the changes being considered are to remove special regulations that are no longer warranted.

These proposed changes are available on the DEC’s website, and feedback from all interested parties is welcomed.

Proposed changes which impact Adirondack region fisheries

Draft regulation changes that pertain to walleye:

• Establish a special walleye regulation of 18-inch minimum size and three per day in Lake Pleasant and Sacandaga Lake (Hamilton County) to aid restoration of the walleye populations in these waters.
• Prohibit fishing in the following stream sections from March 16 until the first Saturday in May (opening day for walleye) to protect spawning walleye: Lake Pleasant outlet to the mouth of the Kunjamuk River (Hamilton County)

Draft regulations that pertain to trout and salmon:

• Open Lake Kushaqua and Rollins Pond (Franklin County) to ice fishing for lake trout as these populations are considered stable enough to support this activity.
• Open Blue Mountain Lake, Eagle Lake, Forked Lake, Gilman Lake, South Pond and Utowana Lake (Hamilton County) to ice fishing for landlocked salmon and reduce the daily limit for lake trout in these waters from three per day to two per day. Combined with an existing regulation this change will create a suite of nine lakes in Hamilton County that will have the same ice fishing regulations for lake trout and landlocked salmon.
• Delete the catch and release trout regulation for Jordan River from Carry Falls Reservoir upstream to Franklin County line (St. Lawrence County) because this regulation is considered inappropriate for this remote stream section.

Draft regulations that pertain to ice fishing and baitfish:

• Delete special ice fishing regulation for Square Pond (Franklin County) because this water will no longer be managed for trout.
• Open specific waters to ice fishing currently deemed as trout waters in the counties of Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida and St. Lawrence Counties as ice fishing can be allowed for at these locations.
• Provide for ice fishing at a privately managed water in Hamilton County (Salmon Pond) that is stocked with trout by a private party, as requested.

Draft regulations that pertain to gear and angling methods:

• More clearly specify that attempting to take fish by snagging is prohibited.

DEC is proposing additional regulation changes to remove special regulations that are no longer relevant, to provide more clarity in the current regulations and to make minor adjustments to current language. The full text of the draft regulation as well as instructions for submitting comments can be found on DEC’s website at: Proposed Regulations

Comments on the proposals can be sent via e-mail to fishregs@gw.dec.state.ny.us, or mailed to Shaun Keeler, New York State DEC, Bureau of Fisheries, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753. Hard copies of the full text can be requested from Shaun Keeler at the same addresses listed above. Final regulations, following full review of public comments, will take effect October 1, 2012.