Department of Environmental Protection to Host Third Annual Family Fishing Day at Ashokan Reservoir

Sept. 19 outing among events planned for Ulster County Creek Week

Photos from previous family fishing events at Ashokan can be found on DEP’s Flickr page

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced yesterday that it will host the third annual Family Fishing Day at Ashokan Reservoir on Sept. 19. The event is being co-sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which will supply fishing poles and bait to those who do not have their own. As part of the “I Fish NY Program,” the New York State fishing license requirement is waived for adults who would like to participate in this event. In addition, DEP and DEC staff will be available to teach beginners how to fish. Ashokan Reservoir is home to many different species of fish, including smallmouth and largemouth bass, yellow and white perch, yellow and brown bullhead, sunfish, and trout.

“This event at Ashokan Reservoir has become an annual favorite, attracting dozens of families from the watershed and the five boroughs of New York City,” DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd said. “World-class fishing in the Catskills has lured people to visit these rolling mountains and their pristine waters for more than a century. By hosting events such as Family Fishing Day, DEP hopes to support tourism in the region, and help expose the next generation of anglers to the Catskills’ proud heritage of outdoor recreation.”

Family Fishing Day at Ashokan Reservoir is part of Ulster County Creek Week, which encourages the enjoyment of water and watersheds throughout the county. The weeklong series of events includes stream walks, kayak/canoe tours, interpretive hikes, informational workshops and more. Additional information about Creek Week can be found at the event’s website by clicking here.

The event will happen from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Woodstock Dike on Ashokan Reservoir. A parking lot at the dike is located on a gravel driveway off Route 28, just east of the West Hurley Post Office. A sign will be posted at the end of the driveway to help participants find the lot. If adults do not have a free DEP access permit, applications will be available on the day of the event, or a permit can easily be obtained and printed online by going to the DEP website at: nyc.gov/dep/accesspermit. More information can also be obtained by calling DEP at (800) 575-LAND.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of high quality water each day to more than 9 million New Yorkers. This includes more than 70 upstate communities and institutions in Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties who consume an average of 110 million total gallons of drinking water daily from New York City’s water supply system. This water comes from the Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds that extend more than 125 miles from the City, and the system comprises 19 reservoirs, three controlled lakes, and numerous tunnels and aqueducts. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 scientists, engineers, surveyors, watershed maintainers and other professionals in the upstate watershed. In addition to its $70 million payroll and $157 million in annual taxes paid in upstate counties, DEP has invested more than $1.7 billion in watershed protection programs—including partnership organizations such as the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the Watershed Agricultural Council—that support sustainable farming practices, environmentally sensitive economic development, and local economic opportunity. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program with nearly $14 billion in investments planned over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.