Fishing Rod Lending Program

Did you know you can borrow fishing gear for free? The DEC I FISH NY program offers opportunities for the public to borrow fishing equipment (spin casting rods, bobbers, and hooks) through participating providers. This is a great way for beginners to get started and familiar with the sport of fishing before purchasing their own equipment.

Requirements When Borrowing Fishing Equipment

Libraries and Parks: Partner with DEC!

Learn more about how to become a participating provider so you can offer fishing gear for free in your community!

Find a Participating Provider Near You

Find a location near you where you can loan out fishing gear.

Cohoes Public Library, 10 Cayuga Plaza, Cohoes, NY 12047
518-235-2570; [email protected]

Guilderland Public Library, 2228 Western Avenue, Guilderland, NY 12084
518-456-2400

RCS Community Library, 95 Main St., Ravena, NY 12143
518-756-2053; [email protected]

Rensselaerville Library, 1459 County Road 351, Rensselaerville, NY 12147
518-797-3949; [email protected]

Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville, NY 12186
518-765-2791

Westerlo Public Library, 604 State Route 143, Westerlo, NY 12193
518-797-3415; [email protected]

Belmont Free Library, 2 Willets Avenue, Belmont, NY 14813
585-268-5308

Bolivar Free Library, 390 Main Street, Bolivar, NY 14715
585-928-2015

Cuba Library, 39 E Main St, Cuba, NY 14727
585-968-1668; [email protected]

Friendship Free Library, 44 W Main Street, Friendship, NY 14739
585-973-7724; [email protected]

Genesee Library, 8351 NY-417, Little Genesee, NY 14754
585-928-1915; [email protected]

Whitesville Public Library, 500 Main, Whitesville, NY 14897
607-356-3645; [email protected]

Wide Awake Club Library, 22 N Genesee St, Fillmore, NY 14735
585-567-8301; [email protected]

Allegany Public Library, 90 W Main Street, Allegany, NY 14706
716-373-1056; [email protected]

Blount Library, 5 North Main Street Franklinville, New York 14737
716-676-5715; [email protected]

Cattaraugus Free Library, 21 Main Street, Cattaraugus, NY 14719
716-257-9500; [email protected]

Aurora Free Library, 370 Main Street, Aurora, NY 13026
315-364-8074; [email protected]

Dunkirk Public Library, 536 Central Avenue, Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-366-2511; [email protected]

Falconer Public Library, 101 W. Main St., Falconer, NY 14733
716-665-3504; [email protected]

James Prendergast Library Association, 509 Cherry Street, Jamestown, NY 14701
716-484-7135; [email protected]

Lakewood Memorial Library, 12 W Summit Street, Lakewood, NY 14750
716-763-6234; [email protected]

Mary E. Seymour Memorial Library, 18 Maple Avenue, Cassadaga, NY 14718
716-595-3323; [email protected]

Mayville Library, 92 S. Erie St., Mayville, NY 14757
716-753-7362; [email protected]

Myers Memorial Library, 6 Falconer Street, Frewsburg, NY 14738
716-569-5515; [email protected]

Big Flats Library, 78 Canal Street, Big Flats, NY 14814
607-562-3300

West Elmira Public Library, 1231 West Water Street, Elmira, NY 14905
607-733-0541

Dannemora Free Library, 40 Emmons St, Saranac, NY 12981
518-492-7005; [email protected]

Philmont Public Library, 101 Main Street, Philmont, NY 12565
518-672-5010; [email protected]

Homer-Phillips Free Library, 37 Main St., Homer, NY 13077
607-749-4616; [email protected]

Louis Adelia Read Memorial Library, 104 Read Street, Hancock, NY 13783
607-637-2519

Stamford Library, 117 Main St, Stamford, NY 12167
607-652-5001; [email protected]

William B. Ogden Free Library, 42 Gardiner Place, Walton, NY 13856
607-865-5929; [email protected]

Dover Plains Library, 1797 Route 22, Wingdale, NY 12594
845-832-6605; [email protected]

Crane Branch Library, 633 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222
716-883-6651; [email protected]

Paine Memorial Free Library, 2 Gilliland Lane, Willsboro, NY 12996
518-963-4478; [email protected]

Gloversville Public Library, 58 E. Fulton St, Gloversville, NY 12078
518-725-2819; [email protected]

Johnstown Public Library, 38 S Market Street, Johnstown, NY 12095
518-762-8317

Woodward Memorial Library, 7 Wolcott Street, LeRoy, NY 14482
585-768-8300

Catskill Public Library, 1 Franklin Street, Catskill, NY 12414
518-678-3357; [email protected]

West Winfield Library, 179 South St, West Winfield, NY 13491
315-822-6394; [email protected]

Caledonia Library Association, 3108 Main Street, Caledonia, NY 14423
585-538-4512; [email protected]

Dansville Public Library, 200 Main Street, Dansville, NY 14437
585-335-6720; [email protected]

Livonia Public Library, 2 Washington Street, Livonia, NY 14487
585-346-3450; [email protected]

Canastota Public Library, 102 W Center St, Canastota, NY 13032
315-697-7030; [email protected]

Cazenovia Public Library, 100 Albany Street, Cazenovia, NY 13035
315-655-9322; [email protected]

Chili Public Library, 3237 Chili Avenue, Rochester, NY 14624
585-889-2200; [email protected]

Hamlin Public Library, 1680 Lake Road, Hamlin, NY 14464
585-964-2320; [email protected]

Monroe County Library System, Sully Branch, 530 Webster Avenue, Rochester, NY 14609
585-428-8208

Fort Hunter Free Library, 167 Fort Hunter Rd, Amsterdam, NY 12010
518-829-7248; [email protected]

Fort Plain Free Library, 19 Willett St, Fort Plain, NY 13339
518-993-4646; [email protected]

Barker Public Library, 8708 Main St., Barker, NY 14012
716-795-3344; [email protected]

Niagara Falls Public Library (Lesalle Branch), 8728 Buffalo Ave., Niagara Falls, NY 14304
716-283-8309; [email protected]

Wilson Community Library, 265 Young Street, Wilson, NY 14172
716-751-6070; [email protected]

LaFayette Public Library, 2577 U.S. Route 11, LaFayette, NY 13084
315-677-3782; [email protected]

Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St, Liverpool, NY 13088
315-457-0310; [email protected]

Northern Onondaga Public Library (NOPL) at Brewerton, 5440 Bennett Street, Brewerton, NY 13029
315-676-7484

Skaneateles Library, 49 East Genesee Street, Skaneateles, NY 13152
315-685-5135 

Clifton Springs Library, 4 Railroad Ave, Clifton Springs, NY 14432
315-462-7371; [email protected]

Geneva Public Library, 244 Main Street, Geneva, NY 14456
630-232-0780; [email protected]

Honeoye Public Library, 8708 Main Street, Honeoye, NY 14471
585-229-5020; [email protected]

Naples Library, 118 South Main Street, Naples, NY 14512
585-374-2757; [email protected]

Wood Library, 134 North Main Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424
585-394-1381; [email protected]

Albert Wisner Public Library, 1 McFarland Drive, Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-1047

Brewster Public Library, 79 Main Street, Brewster, NY 10509
845-279-6421; [email protected]

Florida Public Library, 4 Cohen Circle, Florida, NY 10921
845-651-7659; [email protected]

Greenwood Lake Public Library, 79 Waterstone Rd, Greenwood Lake, NY 10925
845-477-8377

The Josephine-Louise Public Library, 5 Scofield Street, Walden, NY 12586
845-778-7621; [email protected]

Hoag Library, 134 South Main Street, Albion, NY 14411
585-589-4246; [email protected]

Yates Community Library, 15 North Main Street, Lyndonville, NY 14098
585-765-9041; [email protected]  

Oswego School District Public Library, 120 E. 2nd Street, Oswego, NY 13126
315-341-5867; [email protected]

Kinney Memorial Library, 3140 County Rd 11, Hartwick, NY 13348
607-293-6600; [email protected]

Butterfield Library, 10 Morris Avenue, Cold Spring, NY 10516
845-265-3040; [email protected]

Putnam Valley Library, 30 Oscawana Lake Rd, Putnam Valley, NY 10579
845-528-3242; [email protected]

Reed Memorial Library, 1733 US-6, Carmel, NY 10512
845-225-2439; [email protected]

Brunswick Community Library, 4118 State Highway 2, Troy, NY 12180
518-279-4023; [email protected]

Castleton Library, 85 South Main Street, Castleton, NY 12033
518-732-0879; [email protected]

Sand Lake Town Library, 8428 Miller Hill Road, Averill Park, NY 12018
518-674-5050; [email protected]

Finkelstein Memorial Library, 24 Chestnut Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977
845-352-3700; [email protected]

Rose Memorial Library, 79 East Main Street, Stony Point, NY 10980
845-786-2100; [email protected]

Corinth Free Library, 85 Main St., Corinth, NY 12822
518-654-6913; [email protected]

Mechanicville District Public Library, 190 North Main Street, Mechanicville, NY 12118
518-664-4646; [email protected]

Schuylerville Public Library, 52 Ferry Street, Schuylerville, NY 12871
518-695-6641; [email protected]

Stillwater Public Library, 662 Hudson Ave, Stillwater, NY 12170
518-664-6255; [email protected]

Waterford Public Library, 117 Third St. Waterford, NY 12188
518-237-0891; [email protected]

Scotia Branch Library, 14 Mohawk Avenue, Scotia, NY 12302
518-386-2247; [email protected]

The Community Library, 110 Union St., Cobleskill, NY 12043
518-234-7897; [email protected]

Middleburgh Library, 323 Main Street, Middleburgh, NY 12122
518-827-5142

Gouverneur Public Library, 60 Church St, Gouverneur, NY 13642
315-287-0791; [email protected]

Potsdam Public Library, 2 Park St, Potsdam, NY 13676
315-265-7230; [email protected]

Avoca Free Library, 18 North Main Street, Avoca, NY 14809
607-566-9279; [email protected]

Cohocton Public Library, 8 Maple Avenue, Cohocton, NY 14826
585-384-5170; [email protected]

Dormann Library, 101 W. Morris Street, Bath, NY 14810
607-776-4613; [email protected]

Hornell Public Library, 64 Genesee Street, Hornell, NY 14843
607-324-1210; [email protected]

Prattsburg Free Library, 26 S. Main Street, Prattsburg, NY 14873
607-522-3490; [email protected]

Pulteney Public Library, 9224 County Route 74, Pulteney, NY 14874
607-868-3652

Wayland Free Library, 101 W Naples St, Wayland, NY 14572
585-728-5380

Huntington Public Library (Main), 338 Main St, Huntington, NY 11743
631-427-5165; [email protected]

Huntington Public Library (Branch), 1335 New York Ave, Huntington Station, NY 11746
631-421-5053; [email protected]

Northport-East Northport Public Library, 151 Laurel Avenue, Northport, NY 11768
631-261-6930 

Highland Public Library, 14 Elting Place, Highland, NY 12528
845-691-2275

Greenwich Free Library, 148 Main Street, Greenwich, NY 12834
518-692-7157; [email protected]

Modeste Bedient Memorial Library, 3699 Route 54A, Branchport, NY 14418
315-595-2899; [email protected]

How to Become a Provider

Currently, public libraries and public parks are eligible to participate in DEC’s I FISH NY Library Rod Lending Program. If interested in becoming a participating provider, email [email protected]

What DEC Supplies to Providers

  • Fishing equipment: spin casting rods, bobbers, hooks, and mini tackle boxes.
  • Literature on fishing for beginners and freshwater fishing regulation guides for patrons to borrow.

Responsibilities of Providers

  • Loan out fishing gear to patrons. A fee cannot be charged for loaning out the rod; however, late return fees can apply.
  • Keep a log on how many fishing rods are loaned per year.
  • Maintain the fishing rods. If you do not have someone on staff who can maintain the equipment, we recommend contacting a local sportfishing group (e.g. Trout Unlimited, B.A.S.S., etc.) for assistance.
     
Contact for this Page

Bureau of Fisheries
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233

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