General Information The Empire State, despite its high population density in six urban areas, including New York City where half the population is concentrated, remains uncharacteristically natural. Formed by receding glaciers tens of thousands of years ago, the state's composition is defined by mountain ranges, farmland, hardwood forests and numerous lakes. Long Island, New York State's southern and easternmost point, is surrounded by beaches that meet the Atlantic Ocean on all sides. Roughly 9 percent of the 47,379-square-mile region is state forest or parkland, affording those in search of the great outdoors access to a wealth of hunting or angling opportunity. Capital City: Albany Largest City: Albany National Parks and Forests: Finger Lakes National Forest Fire Island National Seashore Gateway National Recreation Area Sport Fishing The Empire State's inland and coastal watersheds provide the angler with a variety of freshwater and saltwater angling opportunities. New York has 4,000 lakes and ponds, of which over half are 6 acres or more in size. It also has over 80,000 miles of rivers and streams, of which a quarter are classified as trout water, and hundreds of miles of coastline available for in-shore and offshore saltwater fishing. Brook, rainbow, and brown trout are found in several watersheds throughout the state, highly concentrated in the Adirondack and Catskill mountain watersheds. The Ausable, Willowemoc, Bouquet, Beaverkill, Delaware, Battenkill and several others are favorites of New York State trout anglers. Lake trout, brown trout, Pacific salmon, steelhead, landlocked salmon, bass, muskie, northern pike, chain pickerel, perch, walleye and panfish occur in many of the watersheds of New York. Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes and their tributaries offer excellent fishing for salmon, lake trout, steelhead, and brown trout. Hunting New York State's diverse landscape offers shelter and food for a number of sporting animals and game birds. White-tailed deer and black bear are popular big-game species. Small-game enthusiasts can pursue squirrel, rabbit, varying hare, raccoon, red and gray fox, coyote, and bobcat. Bird hunters can legally bag snipe, gallinules, rails, crow, Canada geese, woodcock, ruffed grouse, gray partridge, pheasant, bobwhite quail, and wild turkey at various times during the hunting season. For information on licensing, seasons, limits, rules and regulations, please visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website.