Freshwater Fishing License Not Required on National Hunting and Fishing Day, Sept. 27, 2025

New Yorkers Encouraged to “Get Offline, Get Outside” and Try Freshwater Fishing at No Cost

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced Sept. 27 will mark the next Free Fishing Day in New York State.

“The September 27th free fishing day is particularly special because it coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day, a celebration of the incredible angling opportunities our state provides,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “Free fishing days are the perfect time for newcomers to learn to freshwater fish or for experienced anglers to bring others outdoors to enjoy the many abundant waterways across New York.”

This annual Free Fishing Day coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day, which was designated by Congress in 1972. The day helps encourage people to experience, understand, and appreciate traditional outdoor sports and recreation and abundant natural resources, while also recognizing hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife conservation.

Free Fishing Days further support Governor Hochul's “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative that promotes physical and mental health by helping encourage New York’s children and families to put down their phones and computers, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings.

In addition to designated free freshwater fishing days, DEC and its partners also hold free fishing clinics throughout the year. Participants learn about local fishing opportunities and are taught about the fish they can catch, fishing safety, how to cast a fishing rod, aquatic resource stewardship, and New York’s fishing regulations. A full list of programs is available on DEC’s website. Check the list regularly as new events are added throughout the year.  

No rod? No problem. DEC partners with libraries across the state to provide a fishing rod lending program. Along with borrowing a book, library patrons can sign out a fishing rod. This affordable program provides an opportunity for people to try fishing before deciding to purchase their own gear. For more information on the program and a list of participating libraries visit DEC’S website.

For beginning anglers interested in getting started, the I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing provides information on everything from rigging up a fishing rod to identifying your catch and understanding fishing regulations. DEC's Places to Fish webpages are a reliable source of information for those ready to plan their next fishing trip. The “Tackle Box” feature in DEC’s official app, HuntFishNY, contains freshwater fishing regulations, boating access and stocking information within a map-based interface from the convenience of a smart phone. Other features include driving directions to state-operated boat launch sites and an offline feature that allows users to access information when cell coverage isn't available. The HuntFishNY app is available for download through Google Play or the App store. For more information visit DEC’s website.

The final free fishing day for 2025 will take place on Veterans Day, November 11. On Free Fishing Days, New York residents and non-residents alike may fish for free without a fishing license. Free Fishing Day participants are reminded that, although the requirement for a fishing license is waived during free fishing days, all other fishing regulations remain in effect. When not participating in Free Fishing Days, anyone 16 years of age and older must have a current New York State fishing license to fish. Fishing licenses are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. More information on purchasing a fishing license can be found on DEC's website.

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) provides advice to anglers about what fish are safe to eat and how often. Visit DOH’s website to search by waterbody location.

Agreement Requires Buffalo Sewer Authority to Proceed with Long-Term Modernization Upgrades that Protect Public Health and Improve the Niagara River Watershed

Includes Comprehensive Public Participation Plan to Promote Environmental Justice and Address Community Impacts

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, and the Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA) today announced an agreement to significantly improve water quality along the Niagara River and its tributaries. This landmark agreement directly benefits the region’s environmental well-being by addressing longstanding water quality violations, implementing a long-term modernization plan, and upgrading water infrastructure to help significantly reduce the amount of sewage entering the Niagara River watersheds. 

“Protecting the Niagara River’s water quality is essential to preserving vital habitats and Western New York communities,” DEC Commissioner Lefton said. “Thanks to our partnership with Attorney General James and the Buffalo Sewer Authority leadership, this landmark commitment provides an environmentally sustainable path forward for Buffalo’s wastewater management. These robust actions will ensure cleaner water, address the infrastructure needs of the region’s residents, and provide the public with a seat at the table as Buffalo’s complex aging facilities are modernized.”    

“Every New Yorker deserves clean, safe water," said Attorney General James. "This agreement is a major step forward in protecting the health of Western New York families and preserving the Niagara River for generations to come. I am proud to work with DEC and the City of Buffalo to modernize this system, and my office will always fight for healthy and sustainable communities."

The Buffalo Sewer Authority said, “Over the past decade, Buffalo Sewer has spent hundreds of millions of dollars throughout the City of Buffalo to reduce our combined overflow events almost in half; dropping the volume by over 400 million gallons per year. In this time, however it has become clear that fully implementing the 2014 Long-Term Control Plan would not be possible. We welcome this agreement to ensure that we have a clear path forward in achieving the water quality goals that we committed to in 2014 through our Queen City Clean Waters Initiative.  And we are happy to announce that as part of this agreement we will be investing $100,000 in the City of Buffalo’s park system as part of our ongoing commitment to public outreach and participation.”

BSA owns and operates wastewater treatment facilities that include the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment plant and an extensive combined sewer collection system. 

The system has stringent DEC permits allowing the discharge of treated sanitary wastewater and stormwater from an outfall at Bird Island. During periods of heavy rainfall or snowmelt, the volume of wastewater in a combined sewer system can exceed the capacity of the plant that receives the wastewater for treatment. When this happens, two additional outfalls are used to discharge partially treated combined sewage at Bird Island and 52 permitted combined sewer overflows (CSOs) discharge excess wastewater containing untreated sewage directly into nearby water bodies. It is estimated that Buffalo’s combined sewer system contributes more than 1.4 billion gallons of combined sewage overflow to the Niagara River and its tributaries each year.  

BSA failed to implement required sewer system improvements to ensure that combined sewer overflows complied with technology and water quality-based requirements and upgrades required under a Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) and faced state violations for non-compliance. The agreement announced today, memorialized in a State consent judgment now under review by the State Supreme Court for Erie County, includes a revised LTCP that consists of both gray and green infrastructure projects being implemented at an estimated cost of $1 billion over a 15-year implementation schedule. BSA’s State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit will be revised by DEC to incorporate the requirements of the settlement. 

In addition to typical upgrades to grey infrastructure, the LTCP also includes significant green infrastructure commitments. Green infrastructure is an environmentally friendly technique to manage stormwater which often includes green roofs, permeable pavement and other surfaces, rain gardens and restored wetlands, mimics nature by soaking up and storing water. By using vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage water and create healthier, more resilient urban environments, green infrastructure can replace more traditional concrete, or “gray,” solutions. Green infrastructure, which includes green roofs, permeable pavement and other surfaces, rain gardens and restored wetlands, greatly reduces the amount of stormwater that is sent to a wastewater treatment plant for treatment, and therefore reduces CSOs.

The agreement also includes the payment of a $20,000 civil penalty and an environmental benefit project (EBP) valued at $100,000, to support the purchase and installation of playground equipment and educational materials about reducing Buffalo waterway pollution to help increase public awareness.   

BSA continues to implement a comprehensive public participation plan for full transparency regarding the LTCP projects and water quality improvements, further illustrating the importance of preventing areas predominantly classified as a Potential Environmental Justice Areas and disadvantaged communities from further environmental harms.    

Through a variety of water infrastructure funding sources since 2019, New York State invested more than $39 million to rehabilitate and upgrade infrastructure at the Buffalo Sewer Authority, including an August 2024 investment of a $3,333,000 grant and $3,147,000 in interest-free financing from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the planning, design, and construction of sewer system real time control sites. 

A full implementation schedule is available on BSA’s website. (PDF)

HAMBURG, N.Y., – June 22, 2025 – Southtowns Walleye Association of Western New York Inc. (STWA) (www.southtownswalleye.com) held its 41^st Annual Walleye Derby from June 7^th through June 15^th 2025, on the waters of Lake Erie and the Upper Niagara River, with more than $75,000 in cash and prizes at stake, anglers throughout Western New York and multiple states participated in the nine day event in search of a walleye worthy of the top prize.

The Derby concluded with an awards picnic held at the STWA Clubhouse on June 22^nd at 12pm with close to 150 people in attendance, the main prizes were awarded to the top fish that were weighed in after the nine day event. Top honors for the winners went to the following top adult and youth participants within each division.

Adult Winners 2025:                                  

1st – Karl Clapp – 9.88 lbs. - $5,250
2nd – Luke Goodberry – 9.52 lbs. - $3,375
3rd – Albert Raro – 9.42 lbs. - $1,875
4th – Chad Beyer – 9.41 lbs. - $1,125
5th – Jeremy Wilson – 9.32 lbs. - $1,050
6th – James Burke – 9.26 lbs. - $975
7th – John Woelfe – 9.20 lbs. - $900
8th – Richard Misner– 9.20 lbs. - $825
9th – Michael Minter – 9.06 lbs. - $750
10th – Mark McMahon - 8.91 lbs. - $750 (Derby Daily Walleye Superseded)

Youth Winners 2025:
1st – Adam Goodberry – 7.67 lbs.
2nd – Lucas Dusenbury – 7.34 lbs.
3rd – Joshua Dabolt– 6.86 lbs.
4th – Gabby Rizzo– 6.65 lbs.
5th – Bentley Geedy– 6.60 lbs.
6th – Claire Nowak– 6.49 lbs.
7th – Wyatt Simonick – 6.33 lbs.
8th – Landon Duffy– 6.33 lbs. 
9th – Landon Smith– 6.13 lbs.
10th – Emma Ballesteros – 6.04 lbs.

2025 Derby Lure Winner:                              Lakeshore Hardware Youth Lifetime License Winner:
David Matyas – 7.59 lbs.                               Adam Goodberry – 7.67 lbs.

Southtowns Walleye Association of Western New York, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving fishing opportunities in the region for all individuals. With a clear focus on kids, community, conservation and philanthropy, our various programs support these pillars for a strong future generation of outdoorsmen and women and our fishery. To learn more about the club, please visit us at www.southtownswalleye.com or stop by our facility located at 5895 Southwestern Boulevard, Hamburg, NY 14075, Tel.: 716.649.8202, meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at 7:30pm and are open to the public.