Gill-T

Nice boat sir!

Jerry, we don't know anything about the North shore Lake Trout fishery because NOBODY fishes for them over there! I am sure they are present as there is no doubt gobies, however, if lakers are truly not present in catchable numbers on the North shore, it probably is proof positive how reliant they are on alewives as there is much more bait on our side of the pond.

I don't put much credence in a few gill nets. Put your boat in at Olcott early this year Jerry. The numbers off Niagara county are borderline rediculous. Out of balance. Weave your magic and have them set gill nets in March and April. I think the Feds would be shocked......shocked.

You guys in charter associations need to get your ducks in a row. If some members are against Laker cuts in certain ports, it will send mixed signals to the DEC. People hear what they want to hear so the DEC may see it as a mandate to keep laker stocking numbers the same if they are hearing vocal charter captains against laker cuts. Take a vote and present the DEC as "For" or "Against" Lake Trout cuts. One voice.

Rick, unfortunately this has become a study in human nature. On Lake Michigan and now on Ontario many charter captains are for cutting Lake Trout .....just not in their home port. This shortsightedness will lead to less profits for those captains down the road as you are not going to get many out-of-staters coming up to fish Lake Trout. Kings create the buzz that drives the machine.

Black face/ white cup mag, purple hologram glow in 28 size, a 28 sized silver with orange crush ladders on both sides

Not so gloomy as you think. The food web is intact and will be for foreseeable future. If you look at catch rates charted by the DEC, despite all the changes in stocking figures and invasive species arrival, the catch rates over the decade were higher than the eighties. In the end it IS about the catching....right? 😉Since 1996 the adult alewife numbers have varied very little.

Tournament conflicts start in May and you want to wack those big lakers to protect pen fish exiting their cages. This does not have to be a big boat tournament. I think it would appeal to every boat because there are so many lakers to catch, the average weekend warrior can compete against anyone (Mother Nature the exception)

Could you imagine the mess at weigh-in??

Proposal: Lake Trout Tournament in Niagara County at end of March.

Bring your scale home and check it by hooking up a 25 lb weight from your weight bench. It is the only time I lift weights these days!

I think you need to check your scale......that King looks every bit 30++

That map is mostly useless unless a cloudless sky. It measures via satellite heat signature.

Justin, salmon fitness and alewife fitness as measured by "plumpness" (can't believe that is a term used) is excellent. Smaller salmon sizes is a result of having lived thru two harsh winters where feeding is suppressed (not due to a lack of bait). Again, there is no lack of bait in the lake NOW. The problem perceived is on the horizon with the hole in the alewife population. Again this is a temporary blip (unless that volcano erupts in Iceland and we will be ice fishing for salmon) that will probably go mostly unnoticed. We probably will end up with 38 lb salmon again at top of LOC. Extra 150,000-200,000 King salmon stockings have been planted numerous times in recent years by Canadians when bait levels have supported the increases (public is unaware of this fact) because neither side wants to ever have to destroy fish. If the DEC is worried about meeting egg quota, Andy Todd gets a phone call and the Canadians set aside extra stockers as contingency. Even if not needed, those fish usually get thrown into the Niagara. Therefore, raising stocking figures is not unprecedented. I am also a little leery their position but I looked across the table at the two fisheries managers and believed that THEY believe there is a problem that needs adjusting so I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt (until proven otherwise). With three of the most sophisticated research vessels at their disposal gathering data I now at least feel they have a better handle on things.

At the last meeting LePan stated Lake Trout cuts are on the table but will have little effect as they are slow growers. Lake Trout plants next year won't start eating Alewives until four years down the road.

I have a feeling they will be stripping fish in the lower reaches this year

Brian, I told Steve LePan it has to go both ways. I warned if we didn't see increases in King stocking with better alewife numbers the public will fry him given the paranoia already out there. I think he understands this to be true. We ask our lake managers to manage the lake so I am willing to allow the cuts without too much yelling. With the hole in the alewife population I would be questioning their leadership if they didn't consider the cuts. I also realize my perspective as a West-end fisherman is slightly skewed because we never have a shortage of bait. With the warming trend starting anew and the plankton community healthy this is a temporary blip. I also think we are going to be king heavy from natural reproduction from 2013,'14 so if they are going to make cuts they have to do it this spring.