Department of Environmental Protection Announces Family Fishing Day at Ashokan Reservoir

Experts will teach families how to fish during Sept. 17 event in Ulster County

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced today that it will host Family Fishing Day at Ashokan Reservoir on Sept. 17. 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. Those who have their own tackle and bait are encouraged to bring it. As part of the “I Fish NY Program,” the New York State fishing license requirement is waived for adults who want to fish during this event. DEP and DEC staff will be available to teach beginners how to fish. Adults who do not have a free DEP Access Permit are encouraged to get one before coming to the event. Participants can get their free permit and print it from home by visiting: nyc.gov/dep/accesspermit.

The 8,314-acre Ashokan Reservoir is home to many different species of fish, including bass, yellow and white perch, yellow and brown bullhead, sunfish, and trout. The event will happen from 9 a.m. to 1 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. More information can also be obtained by emailing watershedevents@dep.nyc.gov, or by calling DEP at (800) 575-LAND.

DEP encourages participants to register before they come to Family Fishing Day. Those who plan on attending can register by clicking here, or by finding the link on DEP’s watershed Facebook page.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of high-quality water each day to more than 9.5 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 watershed. In addition to its $70 million payroll and $166 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 $20.7 billion in investments planned over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year.