Saltwater Fishing in NY

Surrounded by more than 500 miles of shore-line, the five boroughs of New York Cityabound with opportunity for recreational

anglers. Knowing just a few fishing spots inNew York City can lead to a wide variety of fish-ing adventures. Each borough is unique and of-fers a number of fishing environments. Fromquiet beaches to urban piers, every angler issure to find enjoyment. Although the type and quality of access var-ies between and within each borough, the num-ber of public access sites in New York City isstaggering. About half of the Bronx shorelineis on Long Island Sound and the other half splitamong the Hudson, Harlem and East rivers.Pelham Bay Park, on Long Island Sound, of-fers anglers a long expanse of shoreline to fishas well as beaches for swimming and trails forhiking and biking. South of the Bronx, the borough of Queenshas its share of excellent fishing opportunities.Historic Gantry Plaza State Park provides out-standing pier fishing on the East River

with stately views of the Manhattan skyline.Queens also boasts access to Jamaica Bay, in-cluding a portion of the Gateway National Rec-reation Area (GNRA) which includes manybeaches and tidal flats. Like most of NYC’s fish-ing, this beautiful area can be accessed via publictransportation.

Anglers in Brooklyn enjoy pier fishing fromthe popular Canarsie Pier or Pat AulettaSteeplechase Pier located just off the boardwalkon Coney Island. Crossing the harbor to Manhattan’s south-ern tip, one finds the famous Battery Park. Thispark offers great access to the famed HudsonRiver fishery. The Hudson River is one of theprimary spawning rivers for the coveted stripedbass. To this already diverse list, Staten Island addsan array of saltwater angling opportunities thatrivals that of Long Island. An excellent placeto fish in Staten Island is Great Kills. Thisunique, man-made section of the GNRA offersoutstanding beach and bulkhead fishing withmagnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean.

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Blackfish

By NYSDEC Region 2Long Island City, NY (718) 482-4900

Striped Bass

Staff

ew York State is second to none interms of its fishery resources and di-versity of fishing opportunities avail-

able. Despite this, fishing participation has de-clined in many areas of the state. One poten-tial explanation is that our population is becom-ing increasingly urban while our fisheries man-agement emphasis is on rural resources. In ad-dition, resources may be more available to thosefortunate enough to live close to them or afflu-ent enough to travel to them. For these reasons, the New York State De-partment of Environmental Conservation Divi-sion of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources isimplementing the I FISH NY initiative. I FISHNY is an outreach/urban-suburban fisheriesmanagement initiative of the Department. Thisinitiative will work to provide better informa-tion on both how and where to fish throughoutthe state, with an emphasis on urban and sub-urban areas.

With the bulk of the state’s population resid-ing in cities and suburbs, I FISH NY will alsowork to improve fishing opportunities “close tohome” using appropriate fisheries managementtechniques, which may include regulation ad-justment, habitat improvement or stocking. The I FISH NY initiative will not only workto improve fishing opportunities in urban areasof the state, but will also work to educate thepublic on where to fish and provide top-notchinformation and programs on how to make bestuse of the resources available. Educational pro-gramming will include fishing clinics and fes-tivals, as well as school-based, in-class instruc-tion and a revised statewide angling educationinitiative. This brochure was produced with these goalsin mind and will help guide the novice as wellas the seasoned angler in fishing the marine wa-ters of New York City.

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FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY...............33

I FISH NEW YORK..................2

TAKING CARE OF THE RESOURCE..........32

Contents

SPECIES AVAILABILITY......9

CATCH AND RELEASE ............................................31SALTWATER FISH.....................5

FISHING BASICS........................3

FINDING A FISHING SITE.................................10

MAPS............................................................................................11

Rigging Basics--There are countless ways aline can be rigged. The diagram below illus-trates one common setup. This basic rig con-sists of a dropper loop, snelled hook and aweight. The simple design and versatility makeit ideal for New York marine anglers. Thedesign can be easily modified, making it an ex-cellent choice for pursuing the many speciesfound in New York waters. It is also important to match the fishing gearto the targeted species. For example, the drop-per loop can be tied near the sinker for bottom-dwelling species such as f luke and winterflounder, or higher up when seeking bluefishor striped bass. In addition, the weight can beadjusted depending on the type of bait, currentstrength and fishing method. Heavier weightscan be used in stronger currents or when surfcasting, and lighter weights can be used inweaker currents or when drift fishing.Using appropriately sized gear allows the an-gler to quickly play and land the fish, reduc-ing the number of lost and stressed fish.

Rod Selection--There are four main types ofrods: spinning, casting, boat or trolling and fly.These rods come in different lengths and de-grees of stiffness or action. They usually rangefrom small, 5-foot ultra-light (used for trout andpanfish), to very large, 15-foot heavy action rods(for large saltwater species). A 7- foot, mediumaction rod is a good all-around saltwater rod forboth bottom fishing and casting. If you will beprimarily bottom fishing from a boat or pier, aboat rod is a good option.

Reels--The reel’s primary function is to storeline and assist in casting and retrieving. Likerods, reels come in different types and sizes.Their size is determined by the amount of linethey hold. The main types of reels arespincasting, casting, spinning and fly. A goodall-around reel is a spinning reel that holds 150yards of 12 to 20 lb. test fishing line. Those pre-ferring to bottom fish from a boat or pier mayprefer an inexpensive casting reel.

Fishing Line--There are a wide variety of fish-ing lines being manufactured today. Theselines are made out of increasingly specializedmaterials and can be purchased in a variety ofcolors. Monofilament line is the most popularand remains the best choice because of itsstrength and castability. A sturdy 15 to 30 lb.test line is appropriate when pursuing inshoresaltwater fish.

Setting Up a SaltwaterFishing Rod

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Common Fishing KnotsThere are a number of knots useful to the angler. Instead of trying to learn them all, it is betterto learn only a few and learn to tie them well. A well-tied knot can make all the differencebetween landing a big fish or losing it. The two common knots illustrated below are useful andeasy to tie.

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artwork: Duane Raver



As the name implies, striped bass are characterized by thepresence of black stripes along the length of the fish. TheHudson River produces a local population of stripers, butmost of the fish caught along the coast originate in theChesapeake. Stripers are seasonal migrants, though somefish are found in city waters year-round. The preferred habi-tat is inshore near structures such as rocks and pilings, butthese fish can be found in open water. Although striped basscan grow in excess of 40 pounds, most fish caught range from3 to 30 pounds. Striped bass can be caught by casting artifi-cial bait such as bucktail jigs and swimming plugs. Fishingthe bottom with sandworms, menhaden (bunker), mackerel,or squid also works well.

Bluefish are long, moderately stout fish, with distinctlyforked tails and jaws filled with triangular, serratedteeth. It is these teeth that have earned the bluefish areputation as a voracious and dangerous feeder. Theirstyle of attacking prey makes bluefish a popular sportfish. Bluefish are coastal migrants that travel inschools into local waters in the spring, following schoolsof mackerel and bunker. Fish caught by anglers rangein size from 9 inch (snappers) to 12 to 15 pound(brutes). Bluefish hit a variety of artificials, withshiny spoons and jigs most effective. Fishing chunkbait on the bottom will catch the larger blues. A wireleader should be used to prevent bite-offs.

Weakfish are long, slender fish, characterized by dark spotson the back and sides. They are a colorful local species, withdistinctive yellow pelvic and anal fins. Skin color may dis-play pearly lavender, rose, blue, gold or copper overtones.Weakfish surge into local waters to spawn in the spring andspend the summers and early fall fattening up for travelsouth in October. They are schooling fish and prefer watersof estuaries, bays and tidal creeks, or along the open sandybeach. The name "weakfish" may come from the tendency ofhooks to tear away from the mouth. Most weakfish caughtrange from 1 to 6 pounds. Weakfish will hit bottom rigsbaited with spearing, squid, or whole sandworms. They willalso take artificials such as bucktails and diamond jigs,worked near the bottom in areas with swift currents.

SALTWATER FISH IDENTIFICATION




Tautog (blackfish) are stout-bodied fish, somewhat flattened side-to-side, with blunt heads. They are characterized by their darkcolor, thick rubbery "lips" and continuous dorsal fin. Their smalljaws are filled with stout conical teeth which are used to crushhard-shelled prey. Blackfish move into local waters in spring tospawn over rocks and artificial reefs. Following spawning, thefish spread out over rocky areas, grass beds, and shellfish bedsto feed, mainly on invertebrates. While blackfish may reachnearly 25 pounds, fish over 14 pounds are uncommon and theaverage ranges from 1 to 4 pounds. Use bottom rigs baited withcrab or clam.

Black sea bass are stout fish with large mouths filled with small,needle-like teeth. These fish are characterized by their darkcoloration, continuous dorsal fin and rounded tail fin. Colora-tion ranges from bluish-black to smoky gray to dusky brown.Sea bass move inshore onto rocky bottoms and artificial reefs inthe spring, then offshore and south in the fall. They are found inschools on wrecks, reefs and around jetties. They feed aggres-sively on invertebrates and fish. Although sea bass can reach 10pounds most caught are less than 4 pounds. Fishing bottom witha hi-lo rig baited with squid or clam is popular.

Scup, or porgies, are small, fairly flattened fish. They have acontinuous dorsal fin with long sharp spines and a deeply con-cave tail fin with sharp corners. They are a dull silver to lightbrassy color with 12 to 15 faint stripes on the sides. An irides-cent light blue stripe runs along the base of the dorsal fin andthe sides are flecked with this color. Porgies are somewhat mi-gratory, moving inshore and north in the spring, reversing thatpattern in the fall. They are bottom feeders, eating a variety ofinvertebrates during daylight hours. They are a common catchon artificial reefs and rock piles. Porgies seldom exceed 4 poundsand the average fish caught is less than one pound. Fish bottomrigs baited with sea worm, clam or squid.




Winter flounder are flatfish, having both eyes on one side oftheir head, swimming on their sides and having colorationonly on the eyed-side. Flounder are right-eyed flatfish (whenthe fish is placed so that its eyes are above its mouth, the headof the fish points to the right) characterized by a very smallmouth with thick fleshy "lips" and tiny teeth. Though they canchange colors to match the substrate, they are generally darkon the eyed-side (muddy brown to dark olive to nearly black)and pure white on the blind side. They undergo limited sea-sonal movements in response to extremes in water tempera-ture. They prefer a muddy sand bottom and can be found nearshellfish beds and grassy patches. Flounder can reach 7 pounds,though most caught are in the range of 1 to 2 pounds. Fish onthe bottom with clam strips.

Summer flounder (fluke) are left-eyed flatfish (when the fishis placed so that its eyes are above its mouth, the head of thefish points to the left) characterized by large mouths withstout canine teeth. Like winter flounder, fluke can alter theircoloring to match the substrate, from white sand to blackmud. They are brownish with eye-spots arranged in a distinc-tive pattern and white blind sides. Fluke move inshore in thespring, reversing this pattern in the fall. They are active preda-tors, spending most of their time on the bottom. While theyseem to prefer sand or mud bottoms they often gather nearsome type of structure. Fluke can exceed 20 pounds, but fishlarger than 15 pounds are rare and most fish caught are 1 to3 pounds. Fluke will hit bottom rigs baited with spearing orsquid and will also take a bucktail jig tipped with squid.

Sea robins are unusual-looking fish with large, fan-like, pectoralfins, the first three rays of which extend as fingerlike feelers.They have broad heads covered with bony plates edged withrearward-pointing spines, and slender bodies tapering towardthe tail. Striped sea robins are distinguished by their lightyellowish brown-to-orange coloration and two distinct long, thinstripes on each side. Sea robins are able to produce a varietyof sounds, resembling grunts or croaks, by vibrating their swimbladders. They are usually found in the same areas as weak-fish and fluke. They are aggressive feeders, taking bait rigson the bottom or bucktail jigs tipped with a strip of squid. Searobins migrate towards warmer waters from January to April.Both the striped and northern (Prionotus carolinus) sea robinsare present in our area.

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artwork: Smithsonian Institution, NMNH, Division of Fishes

Spiny dogfish are the most abundant shark in the western NorthAtlantic. There is an active commercial fishery for them, and theyare the preferred fish for the British staple, “fish and chips.” Asindicated by their name, spiny dogfish have stout, sharp spinesat the leading edge of both dorsal fins. They use these slightlyvenomous spines in defense, so must be handled carefully whencaught. Dogfish are highly migratory and are generally in NewYork waters in spring and autumn when they consume largenumbers of fish. They grow slowly and live long, swimming inlarge schools with others of similar age. Adults can grow to 5 feet.Young are born 8 to 12 inches in length. These seasonally abun-dant sharks will take bottom rigs baited with squid or cut fish.Surf casting the south shore beaches can bring good catches, es-pecially in the fall.

Skates, like rays, have a very flat and expanded body form. Thewide pelvic fins are attached to the head to form a “disk,” whilethe rest of the body forms a long, slender “tail.” All skates haverows of “thorns,” or “thornlets” on parts of their dorsal surface,including the tail. You should exercise caution when handling thefish. Skates feed mainly on benthic (bottom) invertebrates al-though free-swimming animals may also be consumed. Fertili-zation takes place internally and fertilized eggs are encapsulatedin flattened, oblong pouches having four curved “horns”. Thesepouches are commonly referred to as “mermaid’s purses” and arefrequently found on beaches after they have become dark in color.Little skates can grow to 18 inches in size. These relatives of thesharks can be caught with bait fished on a sandy bottom. Nightfishing can be productive.

Eels are elongate, snake-like fish with small scales deeply em-bedded in the skin. The dorsal fin begins far behind the well-developed pectorals. The dorsal and anal fins are continuous withthe tail fin and together appear as one long fin that wraps aroundthe back end of the fish. Eels are born in saltwater, grow andmature in fresh water, and return to the sea to spawn. Eels areboth predators and scavengers, feeding on living and dead ma-terial. They are prey for a number of fish species including stripedbass. Adult females average 2 to 3 feet in size and are generallylarger than males. Eels can be caught in many areas around NYC.They prefer quiet waters with mud or sand bottoms. Small hooksbaited with nightcrawlers or seaworms, fished on the bottom, willwork well. Eels tend to be nocturnal, so fishing for them at nightcan be more productive than during the day.

Crookes Point, Staten Island

n general, fish move. Fish move for a va-riety of reasons. Most often, movement isdriven by the need to find food, protection,

or to reproduce. Anglers with a basic under-standing of these movements are going togreatly improve their odds of being successful.With knowledge of the fish that they are likelyto encounter at a particular time of year, an an-gler can eliminate some of the guesswork (Atwhat height in the water column should mybait be? Should I use bait or a lure? How bigshould my bait be? etc.).

The following chart provides a basic outlineof when certain species of gamefish are avail-able to the inshore angler in New York. Keepin mind that most fish species can and will becaught outside of the outlined times. In addi-tion, this outline does not take into accountregulated open seasons. Make sure you fish fora particular species only during its current regu-lated open season as listed on the DEC websiteat www.dec.state.ny.us or call the regional of-fice.

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Using the Maps-The maps and charts on the following pages areincluded to help anglers locate the various salt-water fishing spots within New York City. Achart that precedes the map on the left-hand sideof the page will give details about each locationand assign a number that corresponds to a la-bel on the accompanying map.

Example:

7 V SubwayA

Major Road

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Getting to a Site-While some of the areas listed have parkingavailable nearby, many do not. Public trans-portation may often be the most convenient wayto travel to fishing access. The subway linesshown on these maps are intended to be a gen-eral guide for subway locations. Detailed sub-way and bus information can be obtained fromthe Metropolitan Transportation Authority(MTA).

More About MapsThe maps included give the generallocation for an access site. Reasonableefforts have been made to ensure theaccuracy and completeness of eachmap. However, accuracy may vary.More detailed street maps can be ob-tained from the following sources:

MTA http://www.mta.info Travel Information Center: (718) 330-1234

Department of Transportation Map Information Unit NYS Department of Transportation State Campus Building 4, Room 105 Albany, New York 12232

USGS U.S. Geological Survey Washington, D.C. 20242

Bronx Fishing Access

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Currently Unavailable

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Riverdale Park

Roberto ClementeState Park

City SS SL Palisade Ave.

State B S Parallel to the Major Deeganon McCracken Ave.

Tiffany Street Pier City P SL End of Tiffany Street

Farragut Street City B S End of Farragut Street atDEP outfall

Hunts Point Riverside Park City B SL End of Lafayette Avenue

Sound View Park City SS RB S D Between Gildersleeve andLeland

Bronx River Avenue City J S Between Lafayette andBronx River Avenues

Clason’s Point Park City SS RB HL S End of Sound View Avenue

Castle Hill Park City RB MS S D Castle Hill Avenue

Ferry Point Park City RB LHutchinson River ParkwayService Road

Evers Marina Private HS End of Outlook Avenue

Bay Shore Avenue City RB J S All along Bayshore Road

Pelham Bay Park/South City RB L Bruckner Service Roadto Watt Avenue

Lagoon/Turtle Cove/NorthJetty

CityMS SSJ

HL L City Island Avenue orPark Drive

City Island Bridge City SB HL S West City Island Bridge

The Boat Livery Public B HS $ $ Rent until4:30 pm

City Island Avenue or Park Drive

P-Pier SB-Sandy Beach RB-Rocky Beach J-Jetty B-Bulkhead M-Marina SS-Steep Shoreline MS-Marshy ShorelineHL-Hand Launch HS-Hard Surface/Concrete Ramp L-Lot SL-Small Lot S-Street LS-Little Street LP-Lot with Permit G-Garage NPS-National Park Service D-Daylight Hours (Sunrise to Sunset)

For More Information: NYC Parks and Recreation:1-800-201-PARK or www.nyc.govNational Park Service (Gateway National Recreation Area) - www.nps.gov/gate/New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation - www.nysparks.state.ny.us

$ -Fee Required

Orange locations are marinas

Staten Island Fishing Access(North)Nam

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Crescent Beach Park City SB RB HL S Between Armstrong and Wiman

Crookes Point NPS SB HL LP Great Kills

Great Kills Boat Launch NPS M HS LP Great Kills

Unprotected Beach NPS SB L Great Kills

FDR Boardwalk City SB JP

L Miller Field to Fort Wadsworth,parallel to Father Capodanno Blvd.

St. Georges Station/Bank Street

City P SSB

L Richmond Terr. and Shuyler St.to Bank St. and Richmond Terr.

Snug Harbor City RB SS S Richmond Terrace andSnug Harbor Road

Faber Park City B SL Richmond Terrace andNorth Street

Victory Blvd. City MS HL SL West end of Victory Blvd.

Ocean Breeze Pier City P L Seaview Ave. & Midland Beach



$ -Fee Required


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Staten Island (North)

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Conference House Park City RB SB HL S DWest end of Hylan, access alsofrom Billop Ave. and Surf Ave.

Mount Loretto State RB SB L Hylan Blvd. (betweenSharrott and Richard)

Dorothy FitzpatrickFishing Pier

City SB P HL SL D Sharrott Ave.

Sandy S. Marina State M HS $ L D Johnston and Bayview Ave.

Lemon Creek Park City RB HL S Indale to Seguine

Wolfe’s Pond Park City SB L Between Holton and Huguenot

Staten Island Fishing Access(South)



$ -Fee Required


Staten Island (South)

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Lower Manhattan Fishing AccessNa

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West 27th Street City B S West 27th and West Street

Hudson River Park State/City

B S From 59th Street and West SideHighway to Battery Place

Pier 54 City P LS West 13th Street andWest Side Highway

Pier 40 City P G West Houston and West Street

Pier 25 and 26 City P HL Moore Street and West Street

Rockefeller Park City B S G Battery Park City

Esplanade City B LS Battery Park City

Historic Battery Park City B S G Battery Park City

Dover Street Pier City P L $ South Street and Dover Street

East River Park City B LJackson Street to 13th Streetalong FDR Drive

Stuyvesant Cove City B East 18th Street to25th Street

East River Esplanade City B 36th Street to 38th Street

South side of Pier 34 City P Canal Street and West Street

Southeast Access City B L $ From South Street Seaportto north of Rutgers Street

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$ -Fee Required


Lower Manhattan

Map Prepared byOffice of Natural ResourcesNYS Dept. of Environmental ConservationRegion 2

Miles

Upper Manhattan Fishing Access

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$ -Fee Required


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Roosevelt Island City B S West Road

Light House Park State B L North tip of Roosevelt Island

Wards Island Park City B SS HL L Wards Island

107th Street Pier City P S 107th Street

FDR Access City B S 42nd Street to Triborough Bridge

Randalls Island Park City SS S Randalls Island

Harlem River Greenway City B S 125th to 145th Street

215th and 9th Avenue City SS LS 215th to 216th off 9th Ave.

Inwood Hill Park City RB L Long walk to good access

Dyckman Street Pier City P HL S Dyckman Street offRiverside Drive

Dyckman Boat Marina Public M HS $ LDyckman Street offRiverside Drive

Fort Washington Park City SB RBSS

S From Dyckman Street to145th Street

Riverbank State Park State B LAccess via 145th Street offRiverside Drive

Marginal Street City B LS End of West 125th andMarginal Street

Riverside Park City SS S 79th - 129th Streets alongHenry Hudson Parkway

79th Street Boat Basin Public M HS LP West 79th Street offRiverside Drive

68th - 69th Street Pier City P B S Access on the west end of69th Street

Map Prepared byOffice of Natural ResourcesNYS Dept. of Environmental ConservationRegion 2 Miles

Upper Manhattan

Queens Fishing Access(West)Nam

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Grand Ferry Park City SS RB S Grand Street and River Street

Huron Street City B S End of Huron Street offWest Street

Gantry Plaza State Park State P S 49th Street and Center Blvd.

5th Street City B LS North end of 5th Street

Water’s Edge RestaurantPier

Private P LS End of 44th Street

Queensbridge Park City B SClosesat 9 pm

Vernon just north ofQueensborough Bridge

36th Street City SS LS Under Roosevelt Island Bridge

Rainey Park City B S Dawn -9 pm Between 33rd and 35th Aves.

Costco Parking Lot Private RB SS LCostcohours

Costco on Vernon Blvd.

Socrates Sculpture Park City SS S End of Broadway andVernon Blvd.

31st and Vernon Aves. City SB S End of 31st Avenue

Hallets Cove City B SSouth end of 1st Street behindAstoria Houses Apt. Buildings

DEP wet weather discharge City SS S End of 9th Street

Ralph DeMarco Park City SS S 20th - 22nd Ave. and Vernon Blvd.



$ -Fee Required


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Queens Fishing Access(North)

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World’s Fair Marina City M B HS L Closes9 pm Near Shea Stadium

25th and 120th Street Private P S 25th and 120th Street nearSkyline Terrace Apartments

Herman A. MacNeil Park City B SS SCloses9 pm Poppenhusen Avenue

Powell’s Cove Park City RB MS S Closes9 pm

North dead end of 131st Street

Malba Access City B RB S North Malba Drive

Francis Lewis Park City SB SCloses9 pm Near Whitestone Bridge

Little Bay Park andFort Totten City RB J S Near Throgs Neck Bridge

at end of Utopia ParkwayBayside Marine/Crocheron Park

City P MRB HS L Closes

10 pmAcross from north boundCross Island Parkway



$ -Fee Required


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Miles

Queens (North)

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Queens Fishing Access(Rockaways)



$ -Fee Required


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Seagirt Access City SB J HL LS End of B5, B6, B7

Bayswater Point State Park State MS LS D End of Mott Avenueand Beacon Place

Healy Avenue State MS LS Healy Avenue and Bay 32nd Pl.

Bayswater Park City MS SB LCloses9 pm

Bay 32nd and BeachChannel Drive

Conch Basin City MS SB HL S Along Almeda Avenuetowards Edgemere Park

Rockaway Community Park City SB P S Closes9 pm

B 58th and Almeda Ave. acrossfrom Ocean Bay Apartments

Dubos Point WildlifeSanctuary City MS RB S B 65th and De Costa Ave. or

B 65th and Bayfield Ave.Brant Point WildlifeSanctuary

City MS RB S Barbadoes Drive andHillmeyer Avenue

Vets Memorial BridgeSouth City B S South base of bridge extending

west along bulkhead

Beach Channel Park City B S From B 117-B 123 and B 125-B130 along Beach Channel Dr.

Jacob Riis Park NPS SB HL L $ Closed12am-6am

B 146 to B 169 off ofCronston Avenue

Fort Tilden NPS SB J L Entrance at Rockaway Pt.Blvd. and B 169th

Rockaway Point NPS SB J HL LP24 hrs.w/permit

Rockaway Point Blvd.

Broad Channel Park City MS SB HL L D 22nd Road and Shad Creek

W. 10th to W. 18th City RB S End of streets W. 10th toW. 18th Rd.

Smitty’s Fishing Station Private M SWed-Sun7am-4pm

East 9th and Lanark

Joseph P. Addabo Bridge NPS RB SB HL L On and around Joseph P.Addabo Bridge

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Queens (Rockaways)

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Brooklyn Fishing Access(South)

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Canarsie Park NPS SB P L South end of Rockaway Pkwy.

Floyd Bennett Field NPS RB SB HL LP 24 hrs. w/permit

South Flatbush Ave. before bridge

Plum Beach NPS SB HL L Access from East BoundBelt Parkway

Brigham St. Bulkhead City B SB HL L South end of Brigham Street

Sheepshead Piers City P S Emmons Ave. betweenOcean and E. 26th

Foot Bridge City B S Emmons Ave. and E. 19th

Shore Blvd. City BShore Blvd. sidecloses 10 pm

Shore Blvd. and Emmons Ave.



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Brooklyn Fishing Access(West)

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Pat AulettaSteeplechase Pier

Coney Island Creek Park City

City P L D W.16th and Surf Ave.

SB HL S Bayview Ave. and W.37th

Kaiser Park CityRB SB P S D Neptune Ave. and W.24th/W.32nd

Dreier-Offerman Park City RB L Shore Pkwy Bay 44th/Bay 49th

Shore Pkwy Bulkead City B L S Shore Pkwy Bay Pkwy - Bay Bridge

American Veterans MemorialPier City P LS Shore Rd. and Bay Ridge Ave.

Columbia St. Bulkhead City B South end of Columbia St.

Beard Street Warehouse Public P SL S D Van Brunt and Reed Street

Lois Valentino Park City P SS SCloses at11 pm Van Dike Street and Ferris Street

Empire-Fulton Ferry StatePark

State RB B S D Water Street and Dock Street



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Brooklyn (West)

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ften it is necessary to release a fish be-cause it does not meet NYS fishing regu-lations (check the DEC website at

www.dec.state.ny.us or call the regional office),is not a species you are targeting, or you do notwish to eat it. In these cases, releasing fish un-harmed is a conservation measure that contrib-utes to the health and quality of fish populations.Simply letting the fish go after capture is notall there is to catch-and-release fishing.

However, when releasing fish, follow thesesimple guidelines to ensure that the fish yourelease has the best possible chance to surviveand be caught again.

• If possible, unhook the fish in the wa-ter. If you must remove the fish fromthe water, do so as gently as possible.To help prevent the loss of the fish’sprotective mucous coating, handle thefish with bare wet hands. Do notsqueeze or suspend the fish by the line,lower jaw or gills; this places enormousstrain on the fish.

Remember, fish that are skillfully and quicklyreleased have an excellent chance

for survival!

• Use appropriately sized gear for thespecies that you are targeting. Match-ing your gear to the size of the fish al-lows you to quickly play and land thefish, preventing it from becoming ex-hausted. The shorter the time the fishis played, unhooked and released, thebetter its chance of survival. Many fishswim away when released only to diea few hours later because they were“played” too long.

• Consider barbless hooks or crimp thebarb down on the hook you are using.This will make it easier to quickly un-hook and release the fish.

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5. • When using bait, use a circle hookwhen appropriate. This will increase thenumber of mouth-hooked fish, result-ing in better survival rate of releasedfish.

TIPS FOR PROPERTIPS FOR PROPERCATCH AND RELEASECATCH AND RELEASE

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• If the fish is hooked in the gut ordeep in the throat, cut the line andleave the hook. Do not try to rip thehook out of the fish. This can damagethe gills and other internal organs.The hook will eventually disintegrate,minimizing the harm to the fish.

• Size and catch limits, seasons, and gearrestrictions should be observed at all times.Regulations change as fisheries managerslearn more about fish life histories andhow to provide anglers with the best pos-sible opportunities without depleting thestocks.

• Do not waste fish. Keep only the fishthat you intend to eat. Consider releas-ing trophy-sized fish. These fish are themost reproductively valuable individuals.The largest fish contribute disproportion-ate numbers of offspring to the next gen-eration. Remember, taxidermists can cre-ate exact replicas of your trophy fish witha few pictures and the length and girthmeasurements.

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lthough ocean resources were once con-sidered to be unlimited, recent declinesin the populations of many fish species

have demonstrated the opposite. Many saltwa-ter game fish are being overharvested andother species will face a similar situation un-less all anglers practice wise conservation andadopt an ethical approach to fishing. The fu-ture of New York State’s marine fishery dependson continued and increased angler responsibil-ity. By practicing and promoting ethical behav-ior, we can be certain that this unparalleled re-source will continue to provide quality experi-ences for anglers. Ethical behavior is a keycomponent of the angling experience; a goodangler respects other anglers, non-anglers andthe resource. The following guidelines providea starting point for becoming an ethical angler.

•

• Protect your resource. You arestrongly encouraged to turn in indi-viduals that jeopardize your rights toenjoy the fish and wildlife of NewYork State.

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For current recreationalfishing regulations checkthe DEC website atwww.dec.state.ny.us orcall (631) 444-0435

To Report Infractions of New YorkState Environmental Law Call:

• Keep the resource clean. Discardtrash into proper receptacles. Thisincludes used fishing line, bait con-tainers, soda cans, etc. Aside frombeing aesthetically unpleasing, theseitems pose risks to fish and wildlifethat depend on these areas for sur-vival.

Turtle Cove, Pelham Bay ParkTurtle Cove, Pelham Bay ParkTurtle Cove, Pelham Bay ParkTurtle Cove, Pelham Bay ParkTurtle Cove, Pelham Bay Park

1-877-457-5680 or aRegional Law Enforcement OfficeLong Island: (631) 444-0250New York City: (718) 482-4885

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general and specific health advisories for eat-ing fish from New York waters. The health ad-visory for consumption of fish from New YorkCity’s surrounding marine waters is to eat nomore than one meal (1/2 pound) per month.NYC’s surrounding marine waters include theHudson River, Arthur Kill, Kill Van Kull, EastRiver, Harlem River, and the Upper Bay of NYHarbor (north of the Verrazano NarrowsBridge). Infants, children under the age of 15,and women of childbearing age are advised toeat no fish from NYC’s surrounding marinewaters. NYSDOH also issues specific health adviso-ries for many of New York State’s waters out-side of the city.

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For more information on specificconsumption advisories, pleasecontact NYSDOH EnvironmentalHealth Information:

1-800-458-1158 ext 27815orwww.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/fish/fish.htm

ish are nutritious and good to eat. Whenproperly prepared, fish provide a diethigh in protein and low in saturated fats.

Some fish, however, absorb contaminants fromthe water in which they live and from the foodthey eat. Over time, some of these contami-nants accumulate in the fish, and likewise inthe people who eat these fish. These contami-nants can harm you, so it is important to keepyour exposure as low as possible. Guidelinesprepared by government agencies are not in-tended to discourage people from eating fish,but anglers should consider them when prepar-ing and eating legal fish taken from New Yorkwaters. The federal government sets standards forchemicals in food sold commercially, includingfish. The DEC routinely monitors contaminantlevels in fish. The NYS Department of Health(NYSDOH) issues advisories when sportfishcontaminant levels exceed federal standards.These advisories should guide you in makingwise decisions on the type and amount of fishto eat to minimize your exposure to contami-nants. NYSDOH issues both

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Saltwater Fishing in NY

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