With warm weather comes a lot of fishing, and for this summer the DEC has released some tips anglers can follow to help keep up the trout population:

• Avoid catch and release fishing for heat stressed trout. Those that are already weakened by heat stress are at risk of death regardless of how carefully handled they are.
• Do not disturb trout where they have gathered in unusually high numbers, as it is likely these fish are recovering from heat stress in a pocket of cold water.
• Fish early in the morning, as stream temperatures are at their coolest then.
• Have a go to plan B in case water temperatures are too high at your intended destination. Consider a body of water that is less prone to heat stress or fishing for a more heat tolerant species, like small mouth bass.

If you follow these tips you can fish while remaining conscientious about your environment and ensure healthy trout for generations to come.