SEASON OPEN ALL YEAR

I know practicing catch and release is a good idea for preserving the quality of our NYS fishery. 

But every once in a while the traditionalist fly fisherman likes a fresh trout cooked over an open fire.

I enjoy eating the fish I catch. I don't care for all fish flavors but I do enjoy young 12 -15 inch trout cooked in a cast iron skillet with the head and tail attached.This cooking method makes deboning the fish so much easier.

So when I took Dennis to a catch and release stream yesterday. I think he may have been wanting fresh fish for dinner.

But releasing our catch is all part of the benefit of a larger quarry. Everything worked out well for our afternoon adventure. The stream was active with hatches and the trout were plentiful. We did make quite a stir in the neighborhood and it was hard work getting the Browns to bite. They may have been resting from yesterday's abundant food supply after the heavy rains.

We did manage to get them interested in some olive scuds.

So how are you going to finish up the Open Season for Trout.

You can still enjoy a stream side fish dinner up until October 15th. 

After that some NYS inland streams are off limits, except for Irondequoit Creek, Oatka, Spring creek and Cohocton River.

These choice streams are open throughout the winter and are mostly catch and release only.

In some areas like the Genesee River from Belmont Dam upstream to Pennsylvania State line (with exceptions)
Trout season is OPEN ALL YEAR --- Keep Any size, Daily Limit 5 - with no more than 2 longer than 12"

and in Genesee county, Oatka Creek, Trout is OPEN ALL YEAR   Any size 5 - with no more than 2 longer than 12"

in Livingston County, Cohocton River and Mill Creek,   Trout is OPEN ALL YEAR   Any size 5 - with no more than 2 longer than 12"

You really need to search the regulations to find available fishing during the off season.

The 2012-2013 Season regulations are posted on the NYS DEC website. Be sure to renew you fishing license before next week.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/fishguide12.pdf

One change in my area for Trout is the limit on rainbow for the Fingerlakes and their tribs.

•The daily limit for rainbow trout has been reduced from five to one in the western Finger Lakes

(Seneca, Keuka, Canandaigua, Canadice, and Hemlock lakes) and from three to one in the tributaries. 

General NYS regulations for inland Trout—Brook, Brown and Rainbow and hybrids of these species;

begins April 1 through Oct 15   Any size - except for specific streams. Daily Limit of 5 

Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River and tributaries

Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout (including Steelhead), Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Pink Salmon
Season is OPEN ALL YEAR --- Keeper size 15" -- except 21"  for Rainbow Trout or Steelhead 
--- Exception --- can be 9" in Irondequoit Creek (entire),  3 in any combination not to include more than 1 Rainbow Trout (or Steelhead) in the tributaries

Some of NY states best trout fishing streams are the Catskills. Check out this link for a video about fly fishing

http://www.dec.ny.gov/dectv/dectv122.html