JULY
Bluefish
Patchogue Bay
The town of Blue Point is a great base of operations for anglers heading into Patchogue Bay, or for those fishing from shore. Bluefish may be taken year-round with no size limit on the first 10 fish, and a 12-inch minimum length on the next five, with a daily creel limit of 15 fish.

Fish plugs or live bait, and be sure to use a wire leader.

Landlocked Salmon
West Branch Reservoir
A free Public Access Permit is required for this Carmel reservoir, which is owned by the city of New York. Anglers may take landlocks here year-round, with an 18-inch minimum length and a one fish creel limit.

Fishing is also good for lake trout, brown trout and bass. Access can be had from Route 301 off U.S. Route 6.

Lake Trout
Keuka Lake
Keuka is known for excellent lake trout fishing, and is also good for browns, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass and yellow perch.

Access is plentiful. Keuka State Park is east of Branchport off Route 54A. Access can be had in Penn Yan off Route 14A. Cartop and small, trailered boats can be put in at Guyanoga Creek at the Route 54A bridge in Branchport.

AUGUST
Largemouth Bass
Greenwood Lake
This Orange County lake offers excellent largemouth bass fishing for anglers in New York and New Jersey. Try trolling or drifting live baits under a float rig. Smallmouth bass can be had here, too.

Access to the eastern shore is off Sterling Forest Road. Access to the western shore is from Route 210.

Summer Flounder
Shinnecock Bay
Summer flounder may be taken year ‘round, but peak fishing runs from June through September.

The minimum length is 19.5 inches, with a daily creel limit of four fish.

A few miles offshore, anglers can try their luck around the Shinnecock Artificial Reef. Access is from several small harbors along Route 80 in South Hampton, from Beach Road.

Or check out the Shinnecock Bay Fishing Station and Marina at 22 Shinnecock Road in Hampton Bays.

Rainbow Trout
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is known as the “Walleye Capital of the World.” But the big lake also offers excellent fishing for rainbow trout, steelhead and smallmouth bass.

Access can be had in several locations, including the Erie Basin Marina along Erie Boulevard Mall in Buffalo and Sturgeon Point off Longshore Road north of Angola.

For more access, check DeLorme’s Gazetteer, maps 39, 40 and 54.

SEPTEMBER
Smallmouths
Canandaigua Lake
Canandaigua is a two-story fishery and is home to smallmouth and largemouth bass, yellow perch, lake trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. Fish the deeper holes here for bronzebacks.

This long lake stretches across Ontario and Yates counties, and access can be had in both. See DeLorme’s Gazetteer, Map 58.

Steelhead
Cattaraugus Creek
Cattaraugus Creek, a tributary of Lake Erie, is well known for its incredible steelhead fishing, yet angling pressure has traditionally been light.

Excellent fall runs of steelhead occur, as well as good fishing for smallmouth bass and walleyes.

A special permit is required to fish the portions of the creek that flow though the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. Access to the river is off Route 438.

Brown Trout
East Koy Creek
East Koy Creek, known for excellent brown trout fishing, flows through portions of Wyoming County.

About 13 miles of the creek are stocked with brown trout, and there are also wild browns here. Public easements on 13 miles of the creek make all that great fishing easier for anglers to access!

For a map of access sites, phone the DEC’s Region 9 fisheries office at (716) 372-0645, or you can log on to www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish marine_pdf/eastkoycreek.pdf