Belmont Lake Fishing Festival – Babylon, Suffolk County

On April 5, ECOs Berketis, Dickson, and Ruffle assisted DEC Fisheries and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) at the annual Spring Family Fishing Festival at Belmont Lake State Park. Prior to the festival, DEC stocked Belmont Lake with nearly 1,000 brown and rainbow trout, giving the hundreds of festival attendees great opportunities to catch fish despite the mostly rainy conditions that day. ECOs patrolled the lake, assisted anglers, and answered questions about an ECO’s job duties and New York State fishing regulations. The festival also included vendors, food trucks, fly fishing demonstrations, and plenty of giveaways. Fishing poles and bait were provided by DEC’s I FISH NY program.

Trout fishing season is open year-round at Belmont Lake State Park. The daily limit is five fish, with no more than two fish longer than 12 inches.