Many things are misunderstood about New York, but its trout fishing generally gets its due. New York has some of the finest and most storied trout fishing in the world. It has been this way since long before trout fishing became a sport for the common person and let us hope it will continue forever, available to anyone who possesses a fishing license.

Trout fishing in New York covers a broad spectrum. The roots of American trout fishing go back to the fabled streams of New York's Catskills, where some of the first brown trout brought to America were stocked. Also, some of the first rainbow trout brought from the American West were stocked.

Pristine streams teeming with wild brook trout dominate the Adirondack Mountains, where trout anglers still can escape the trappings of civilization. Lesser-known but equally superb are the blue-ribbon streams in the western counties where trout grow big and wild. And, of course, there are stocked streams and lakes all around the state that attract the majority of early-season anglers.

In some respects, trout fishing is getting better in New York, though some anglers still complain and long for some mythical "good old days" when fishing was supposedly much better.

TROUBLE LOOMING?
In fact, there are some threats to our trout fishing that are being closely studied by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Anglers frequently complain about real or perceived declines in trout fishing, usually on topics related to stocking. As you read the following information about the various trout management programs in New York, pay attention to the many ways anglers' money is being spent to protect and enhance the state's legendary trout-fishing opportunities.

New York streams are affected by acidic precipitation. This is particularly troublesome in the Adirondacks and Catskills, where thousands of miles of streams are affected. Thin soils with poor buffering capacity make these areas most susceptible to ill effects. The problem tends to be most acute during spring run-off. This affects wild brook trout spawning success and has made it necessary to stock many waters to sustain fisheries.

There is little that New York alone can do to remedy this situation. Most acid precipitation that falls in New York originates from the Midwest. Some of the "fallout" is from power plant and industrial emissions, some from motor vehicle emissions. The DEC began conducting studies during the 1980s to assess this problem, including surveys at almost 1,500 lakes in the Adirondacks.

Blaming the problem on someone else is easy but hardly correct. The Clean Air Act Amendments set standards in 1990 to help, but little has been accomplished. Sulfates from power plant-industrial emissions have been reduced, but nitrates from motor vehicle emissions have not -- motor vehicles including those anglers use to get to their favorite trout streams and lakes, and it is those nitrates that are the biggest problem during spring run-off.