New York keeps two state fish that could hardly be less alike. The brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is a native char that rarely exceeds a pound, lives in cold Adirondack ponds most people will never walk to, and has been the state fish since 1975. The striped bass (Morone saxatilis) runs to seventy-six pounds, migrates the length of the Atlantic seaboard, and was named the state saltwater fish in 2006 — which is when the brook trout was reclassified as the state freshwater fish. One is a wilderness fish. The other is a New York City fish. Both are exactly right.
The Freshwater Side: Brook Trout
The brook trout is New York’s only native stream trout, and it is the most demanding fish in the state to find in genuinely wild form. Brookies need cold, clean, well-oxygenated water, which in practice means high-elevation Adirondack ponds, spring-fed headwater streams, and the shaded creeks of the Catskills. Where water warms, they disappear — which has made them a working indicator of watershed health as much as a gamefish.
They are also, pound for pound, the most beautiful freshwater fish in the northeast: olive backs with vermiculated markings, red spots ringed in blue, and belly fins edged in white. Anglers who chase them tend to be uninterested in size.
How Big?
Most wild New York brook trout run 6 to 10 inches. A twelve-inch fish from a stream is a good one; a fourteen-incher is a story. Pond-dwelling brookies in the Adirondacks grow larger, and heritage-strain fish in managed waters larger still.
The New York state record is 6 lb 3 oz, caught by Benjamin Ferguson in the St. Regis Canoe Area of Franklin County in 2025 — a genuinely remarkable fish, and a new record for a species whose record had stood a long time. That it came from a wilderness canoe area with no roads and no motors tells you where the best brook trout water in New York still is.
Where to Catch Them
Brook trout water in New York is concentrated in the north and the high country. For the wider picture see our guide to the best fishing spots in New York:
- St. Regis Canoe Area — 18,000 acres of ponds with no motors permitted, in Franklin County. Source of the current state record and the most concentrated wild brook trout water in the state.
- Adirondack backcountry ponds — hundreds of them, many reachable only on foot. The DEC reclaims and manages a network specifically for heritage-strain brook trout.
- West Canada Creek — a strong Adirondack-fringe stream with both wild and stocked fish.
- Catskill headwaters — the small feeder streams above the famous Beaverkill and Willowemoc water hold wild brookies where the bigger rivers hold browns.
- Tug Hill plateau streams — cold, heavily forested, lightly fished, and holding wild brook trout throughout.
When to Fish
The inland trout season and the wider New York calendar put the practical brook trout window from April through September, with the caveat that high-elevation Adirondack ponds may not be ice-free until May. Early season and autumn are best: brookies feed hard in cold water and become lethargic in midsummer heat, when they retreat to spring seeps and deep pond water. Autumn brings spawning colour, and males turn spectacular shades of orange and red.
How to Catch Them
Small and subtle. Wild brook trout in streams are not selective so much as spooky — they will take almost any well-presented fly but will vanish at a heavy footfall or a shadow across the pool. Short rods, light tippet, and an approach from downstream. Elk Hair Caddis, Adams, small Woolly Buggers and bead-head nymphs all work.
On Adirondack ponds, the traditional method is trolling a streamer or a small spoon from a canoe just after ice-out, when fish are cruising shallow. Ultralight spinning with a 1/16 oz spinner is equally effective. Barbless hooks and quick release are standard practice among anglers who care about these fisheries continuing.
The Saltwater Side: Striped Bass
The striped bass is the fish that defines New York’s marine angling, and its designation in 2006 recognised something that had been true for a century. Stripers run the Atlantic coast on a seasonal migration, and New York sits at the centre of it — the Hudson River is one of the two major spawning stocks on the eastern seaboard, and Montauk Point is arguably the single most famous striped bass location in the world.
They are strong, accessible from shore, edible, and available to anglers with no boat and no money. That combination is why more New Yorkers fish for striped bass than anything else in salt water.
How Big?
A typical keeper-class striper runs 28 to 35 inches. Fish over forty pounds are caught every season, and fifty-pounders turn up most years around Montauk and the South Shore during the autumn run.
The New York record is 76 lbs, caught by Bob Rocchetta in 1981 — a fish that has stood for more than forty years and sits close to the largest striped bass ever recorded anywhere.
Where to Catch Them
- Montauk Point — the rip off the lighthouse is the most famous striper water in America, and October there is a spectacle: birds, bait and fish concentrated against the rocks.
- Long Island South Shore — Fire Island, Jones Beach and the ocean beaches offer surfcasting from the sand for the length of the migration.
- Hudson River — the spawning run pushes upriver each spring as far as Albany, giving inland anglers genuine access to the fishery.
- Western Long Island Sound and the East River — productive urban striper water, fishable from shore within sight of Manhattan.
- Peconic Bays and the North Fork — quieter water for anglers who prefer not to compete for space at Montauk.
When to Fish
Two runs, spring and autumn. Fish move north and into the Hudson from April into June, then feed heavily along the coast through summer before the autumn migration south from September through November. The autumn run is the better of the two for size — fish are feeding hard ahead of the journey, and the biggest bass of the year come from October and early November.
How to Catch Them
Bait fishing with bunker, clam or eels accounts for a large share of the catch, particularly from the surf. Lure anglers throw bucktails, swimming plugs, poppers and soft plastics; the autumn blitzes, when stripers push bait to the surface, are the best topwater fishing on the East Coast. Boat anglers troll wire line or drift live eels along the Montauk rips.
Regulations change frequently as managers respond to stock assessments — slot limits and seasonal closures are common, and they differ between the marine district and the Hudson. Check current rules before keeping a fish.
Two Fish, One State
New York’s pairing works because the two fish describe the same state from opposite ends. Getting to a wild brook trout means walking into the Adirondacks with a light rod and low expectations of size. Getting to a striped bass can mean standing on a beach forty minutes from Times Square. One fish is a measure of how much wilderness the state has kept; the other is a measure of how much life its coast still supports.
Both are managed actively by the DEC — brook trout through pond reclamation and heritage-strain stocking programmes, striped bass through the interstate management framework that governs the coastal migration. And both are reachable on a $25 New York fishing licence, plus the free marine registry for the saltwater side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the state fish of New York?
New York has two. The brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) was adopted in 1975 and is the state freshwater fish. The striped bass (Morone saxatilis) was named the state saltwater fish in 2006, which is when the brook trout was formally reclassified as the freshwater designation. Both remain official.
Why is the brook trout the state fish of New York?
The brook trout is New York’s only native stream trout and one of the strongest symbols of the Adirondack wilderness. It requires cold, clean water to survive, which makes it a working indicator of watershed health across the state. The designation in 1975 recognised both its native status and its cultural place in New York’s angling history.
Where can I catch brook trout in New York?
The St. Regis Canoe Area in Franklin County holds the most concentrated wild brook trout water and produced the 6 lb 3 oz state record in 2025. Beyond that, the Adirondack backcountry ponds, West Canada Creek, the Catskill headwater streams above the Beaverkill, and the Tug Hill plateau streams all hold wild fish. Most of the best water requires walking in.
How big do brook trout get in New York?
Most wild New York brook trout run 6 to 10 inches, and a twelve-inch stream fish is a good one. Pond-dwelling Adirondack brookies grow larger. The state record is 6 lb 3 oz, caught in the St. Regis Canoe Area in 2025 — an exceptional fish anywhere in the species’ range.
What is the record striped bass in New York?
Bob Rocchetta’s 76 lb striped bass, caught in 1981, is the New York record and has stood for more than forty years. Fish over forty pounds are landed every season around Montauk and the Long Island South Shore, and fifty-pounders turn up most years during the autumn migration.
Is brook trout good to eat?
Brook trout are excellent eating — delicate, mild and traditionally pan-fried whole over a fire in the Adirondacks. That said, most anglers release them. Wild brook trout populations are limited and slow to recover, and catch-and-release with barbless hooks is standard practice on the backcountry ponds. Check DEC health advisories for any specific water before eating your catch.
Sources: NYSDEC — New York State Symbols. NYSDEC — Freshwater Fishing Records.