Fish for Free in New York State

If you've never been, it can be hard to understand why people love fishing so much. But if you ask someone who lives for fishing, they'll tell you that it's not just about snagging a huge catch.

So what is it that lures people to the water with fishing pole in hand? I asked my brother because I'm the odd man out in my family who doesn't fish and what he said made perfect sense. My brother explained that part of the fun is not knowing what you'll catch that day or if you'll catch anything at all. Will it be a big fish? A little one? Will you catch a fish you've never caught before? It the excitement of the unknown that keeps him going back to the river for more. Oh, and he also loves the fact that he gets to escape from the responsibilities of being an adult for a little while to relax and clear his mind.

If you're interested in giving fishing a try on November 11th, New York State is allowing anyone to fish in the fresh or marine waters in the state with no fishing license required. You have a huge pick of places to fish as all 7,500 lakes and 50,000 miles of rivers and streams in the state will be open for fishing.

If you're not sure where to fish, the Department of Environmental Conservation's fishing page has a fantastic list.