Located in the northeast corner of Central Park, Harlem Meer is
probably the best of several places in the park where fishing is
allowed. The Meer is stocked with a wide variety of fish, including
golden shiner, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill
sunfish, carp, and chain pickerel. So grab your tackle, head on
over and spend a couple hours along the shore practicing your
angling skills and taking in the scenery. If you do not own fishing
equipment, no worries as bamboo fishing poles are available free of
charge (if you have a valid picture I.D.) from mid-April to
mid-October at The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, located on the
north shore of the Harlem Meer at 110th Street between Lenox Avenue
and Fifth Avenue. The poles are issued Tuesday through Sunday, from
11 a.m.to 3:00 p.m.and must be returned by 4:00 p.m. Bait (corn
kernels) is free with the poles.
All fishing in Central Park is catch-and-release meaning every
fish must be put back in the water immediately. Returning fish to
their habitat is essential to maintaining the ecological balance of
the lake.
Also, please abide by the following rules:
i) Use hooks without barbs as barbed hooks are difficult to remove
from fish and can injure them.
ii) Lead weights are not permitted as lead is poisonous and can
kill wildlife. Use stainless steel or other non-toxic
materials.
iii) To prevent birds from getting tangled or hurt, take all
fishing line fragements and hooks when you leave. Do not leave any
tackle behind.
Cache is a decon container which can hold small items. Bring a
pen/pencil just in case. Please secure lid properly so as to ensure
a watertight seal.
Good luck fishing and caching!
