Outdoor Activities in New York – The NYC Fishing Experience

If you list the top ten fun things to do in New York City, the chances of fishing making the list are slim to none. New York City is known for its nightlife, bars, and restaurants. Fishing in New York? Not so much. But if you love fishing and it’s an activity you enjoy, there are several New York fishing spots you can visit this weekend.

You can go freshwater or saltwater fishing in New York. Most of the time, you cannot keep freshwater fish and have to put them back in the water, but you can keep saltwater fish.

You can go freshwater fishing at various locations in New York City.

• Lakes of Central Park in Manhattan
• Prospect Park Lakes in Brooklyn
• Lake Crotona and Lake Van Cortland in the Bronx
• Meadow Lake, Willow Lake and Baisley Park Pond in Queens
• Clove Lake, Silver Lake and Wolfe’s Pond on Staten Island.

If you’re going saltwater fishing, you can fish from boats in bodies of saltwater near town, such as Jamaica Bay, the Great Kills, or Long Island Sound.

There are some New York City fishing rules that you should be aware of before fishing anywhere in or around New York City. Most New York fishing areas prohibit the use of nets and only rods may be used. You also cannot use food as bait and need to use barbless hooks. Bent or spinning hooks are not allowed. You need a fishing license when fishing in Marine District waters. Typically 15lbs is the minimum breaking stress line for carp/jacks.

New York City is known for its skyscrapers, not its nature centers; except for Central Park. It is important to escape the concrete jungle within the city limits to rest and relax. So please be responsible and follow New York City regulations that protect and make marine life healthy for fishing. Remember that we must maintain and preserve the few natural centers we have in New York City for everyone, including future generations.

So now that you know where to fish in New York, go ahead and enjoy an afternoon of fishing this weekend. It will be a relaxing escape from the hectic pace of New York City life.