Fall has arrived in New York, and among the many reasons to get outside and enjoy the crisp temperatures are the final two Free Fishing Days, when the requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived across the state.
The first of two Free Fishing Days this fall lands on Sept. 26, which not so incidentally coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day. The second of the season, and last of the year, will come on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Launched in 1991, the Free Fishing Days program aims to increase accessibility to fishing, introducing newcomers to the pastime or providing a reason for folks who haven’t fished in years to revisit the hobby.
The program also supports Gov. Kathy Hochul’s “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative, which encourages New York’s children and families to take a break from social media and technology to enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings in the name of physical and mental health.
“Free Fishing Days provide the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors to affordably explore, unplug, and get outside,” Hochul said in a release earlier this year announcing the six dates for Free Fishing Days. “New York State’s waters offer some of the best fishing opportunities in the nation, hosting memorable fishing experiences that increase tourism and benefit the economy. In 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’s world.”
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has compiled the Get Offline, Get Outside Challenge, a bucket list of sorts that offers 50 outdoor activities for young people across the state to complete before they reach the age of 19.
Learning to cast a fishing rod is one of the 50 activities, and the DEC is helping with that one not only by waiving the license requirement on six days a year but also by hosting free fishing clinics like the one scheduled for Sept. 24 at Pier 97 along the Hudson River Greenway or a number of clinics scheduled for Free Fishing Day on Sept. 26 and through the fall.
“A wide variety of sport fish are thriving in thousands of freshwater lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers across New York State,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in the release. “Recreational fishing can be an exciting, affordable, and rewarding challenge that reminds us to slow down and take time to enjoy our valuable natural resources. Whether you’re new to the sport or a seasoned angler, I encourage everyone to get outside and visit New York’s waters during this year’s Free Fishing Days.”
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