Trek for Trout: A cooperative effort to help brook trout in New York
On Saturday, May 17, 2025, members of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers from NY, Vermont, and New Hampshire joined a one-day conservation effort to protect native brook trout habitat across the Adirondacks.
Trek for Trout was a collaborative initiative between BHA and partners including the New York State DEC, Trout Unlimited, Trout Power, Native Fish Coalition, Paul Smith’s College, and SUNY ESF. Volunteers posted signage at 150 remote brook trout ponds in the Adirondack Mountains as part of a citizen science effort to collect angler data and support baitfish regulations vital to the health of these fisheries.
Despite significant habitat loss due to logging, acid precipitation, and the introduction of incompatible fish species, 412 publicly accessible waters in the Adirondack Park still support ponded brook trout populations, with additional populations on private lands. Angling remains popular, with recent reports of brook trout exceeding 16 inches in about one-third of these ponds. Around 14% of these waters host self-sustaining populations, including Horn Lake, Little Tupper, and Windfall strains, as well as ponds containing descendants of stocked hybrids and some recovering endemic strains. However, many once self-sustaining ponds have been irreversibly damaged by invasive species, highlighting the urgency of ongoing identification and protection efforts.
For more information on the plight of the brook trout in the face of climate change, check out Conservation Cooperative podcast Episode 4 and Episode 5.
Volunteers from BHA and other participating organizations registered in advance using a DEC-hosted, map-based interface to select one or more ponds to visit. On the day of the event, volunteers reported to one of seven designated Hubs across the Adirondacks, where they received signs and instructions. Equipped with hiking shoes, hammers, and grit—as the weather did not cooperate, bringing heavy rain, hail, and lightning (and mosquitos!) —BHA members got to work placing signs across the landscape to help preserve this vital resource.
The signs posted by volunteers have a unique QR code for the lake at which they were posted. Anglers visiting these remote lakes can scan the code and fill out a quick survey about their trip. Information such as how long they fished, what they caught, and if they observed any other fish besides brook trout is then sent to DEC. This information will guide the DEC on brook trout management decisions as catch rate, fish size and the presence of other. fish species can give a glimpse as to the overall health of the brook trout pond.
To cap off the effort, New York Chapter of BHA hosted a Trek for Trout Pint Night at River Trail Beerworks in Saranac Lake. Volunteers, conservation partners, and community members gathered to raise a glass in celebration of public lands, native fish, and shared stewardship.
A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers that helped with this effort and to the NYSDEC in their efforts to preserve this iconic species in such an iconic location.