The DEC calls them set lines. This is from the DEC website:
(d) Set lines.
(1) The department shall designate waters where set lines may be operated. A listing of such waters will be available to the public from all department regional offices. Operation of set lines is regulated by the following further provisions.
(2) Set lines may be used to take whitefish, bullheads, catfish, American eel, white perch, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, rock bass, carp, suckers, freshwater drum, burbot and bowfin in waters designated by the department.
(3) No person shall operate more than one set line in any body of water in which set lines are permitted.
(4) A set line tag, issued by the department, must be attached to the shore end of each set line when it is in use in such a manner that it will be on the top of or above the water and in plain sight at all times.
(5) Set lines must be visited by the licensee at least once each 24 hour period and all fish must be removed from the set line at that time.
(6) One end of each set line must be attached to the shore and the other end of said set line must be anchored to the bottom.
(7) Only dead bait or worms shall be used to bait set line hooks. Use of minnows, dead or live, is prohibited.
(
A set line shall not exceed 500 feet in length. Hooks must be spaced at least 15 inches apart and such hooks shall not be larger than number 4-0 except as specified below.
(9) In Oneida Lake a set line shall not exceed 1,500 feet in length and shall not have more than 300 hooks. Hooks must be spaced at least 15 inches apart and such hooks shall not be larger than number 7-0.
I had licenses for set lines about 20 years ago. A different license is needed for each body of water the line is set in. At that time they were $3 each. Don't know what they are now.
