mostlymuskies

Ok Guy's, I announced on my message board & muskie guy's message board that we are in the process of setting up a meeting to start a New NY Muskies Inc. Chapter. So now get the meeting date set so I can post that as well.I believe we can establish a strong membership for the New M.I. Chapter here in NY.In the future I can see Muskies Inc. International helping us with the Bait Fish Fund once it is established as part of the M.I. Chapters Conservation Fund.Time to also start thinking about a M.I. Chapter name,maybe WNY M.I. Chapter 69? Capt. Larry

Chad & Zach, Let me know when a meeting is setup,I'll be there! I would be willing to hold what ever board positon that needs to be filled,I would like to hold Conservation Director or maybe that position and another board position if need be! We need to get the Muskies Inc. Chapter 69 started before the muskie season opens in NY state.We can setup to get membership at the Chautauqua Tourney June 23rd as well! Capt. Larry

Zach,To find your answer to the NY DEC's long term vision for Conesus Lake and if pure-bred muskies can replace the tiger muskies being stocked there we would need to set up a meeting with the NY DEC once we get the Muskies Inc. Chapter up and running.If they would be willing to switch from tiger muskies to pure-bred muskies at Conesus we do not know until we have them at the table for discusion.I do like your idea of stocking the Genesee River,but because it flows into Lake Ontario they would most likely not want to stock Chautauqua strain muskies,they would want Great Lakes strain muskies and there presently is not a hatchery to supply them in NY state,only Wisconcin.You never know what the NY DEC Warm Water Fisheries guys will be willing to do as far as stocking additional Pure-bred Muskies in other NY state lakes until you ask.Just look out of no where they changed stocking at Findley Lake from Tiger Muskies to Pure-Bred Muskies,we need to find out why it was ok there and why not Conesus.

Who knows maybe we can start a pen project on Conesus Lake and raise Tiger Muskie Fingerlings by feeding them up to Ice in before release for a much better survival rate there.We would definately want to make sure we do not loose any pure bred muskie waters and see if we can get a couple more lakes stocked as well.Some lakes like Bear Lake need improved boat launch access and Lime Lake needs a public ramp at the present NY DEC Car Top Launch.The Prendergast Hatchery is the source of all of our Inland Pure-Bred Muskie Stocking,so we need to help them in any way we can.But above all is we need to step up and be heard,they need to know that Inland lake muskie fishermen make up a sizable number of fishermen in NY state and are willing not only to help keep the fisheries we have,but also improve them. Capt. Larry

As a charter member of the NMA I can say that the present muskie season start & stop dates were advicated by the NMA to protect the Niagara River fishery.The Buffalo Harbor & Upper Niagara River have seen a very big drop in muskie size and numbers over the past 7 years.Some of the bigger 50" to 54" muskies died of old age,some possably from VHS,but the recruitment behind those lost muskies was not very good for a number of years,so numbers are way down.The Upper Niagara river is starting to show some young of year muskies present,but not in all the regular spawning habitat.There seems to be a good recruitment of mid 30's inch muskies in the river,but numbers of bigger muskies is still very low.The Buffalo Harbor is having a very poor recuitment,no young of year muskies were found sein netting studies.The Buffalo Harbor & Upper Niagara River need to have the season stay closed in December,accualy there needs to be a push to get the Canadian side to close the season at the end of November and raise sizelimits as well.Chautauqua Lake does have a very limited amount of muskie natural reproduction going on,so changing seasons is a tough sell to NY DEC Warm Water Fisheries guy's in Albany.We may be able to talk them into a 3rd Saturday in May muskie season start for Chautauqua Lake because the spawn is done by then.We may also talk them into extending the season on Chautauqua Lake to December 15th as well.I think any extended season should be total catch & release for those extra fishing days.They will never go for total catch & release for muskies year round,the opposition from bass & walleye clubs would be totaly again'st any move in that direction and they have more numbers of fishermen.First thing is to get the Muskies Inc. Chapter going,work with the NMA as far as what is needed for the Niagara River & Bugffalo Harbor,Habitat Restoration.The main focus for a New Muskies Inc. Chapter should be on making sure that Prendergast Hatchery continues to operate,if we some day loose the hatchery,we loose our whole Inland Lake Pure-Bred Muskie Fisheries.Get established first,do a project like fin clip study on Chautauqua Lake,possibly replanting of cabbage beds in other places on the lake using existing plants.A study can also be done to see why they stocked Tiger Muskies in Conesus Lake over Pure-Bred Muskies.Tiger Muskies are usualy stocked as a short term solution to control populations of bait fish and other panfish species,as the numbers of bait fish and panfish start to decline they stop stocking Tiger Muskies.Because Tiger Muskies do not reproduce,if they do not restock them they will be gone over time and the other fish populations can multiply again.So we need to understand the total control of the fishery.Any water that has Northern Pike present is also not good for hatched musky fry,because they spawn first and those hatched Northern Pike Fry will be big enough to eat the Muskie Fry when they hatch.So any Pure-Bred Muskie program for Conesus Lake if it could be done would rely on stocking of sizable Muskie Fingerlings to have any real survival rate.But first of all we need to have a meeting to see if we can field enough interested people to get a New Muskies Inc. Chapter started,to protect the Inland Muskie Fisheries and work with the NMA in that presuit,along with supporting the NMA in there work as well!

Zach, Welcome back! Lets get the Muskies Inc. Chapter going. I would take a board position,preferably Conservation Director,but I could take Pres. or Vice Pres. for the 1st year to get the Chapter off the ground. Lets get it formed and operational before June muskie opener. Capt. Larry

We need to get the Muskies Inc Chapter 69 going or start an All Esox Club this year. Next year I start collecting social security,I no longer will be able to carry the bait fish funds and tourney signup through my paypal account.Between charter funds collected by paypal and tourney paypal collections ,I will end up earning to much and will loose dollars from my social security.If we can't start a muskie club to hold the bait fish funds,I may be forced to bring the Bait Fish Fund to an end! Capt. Larry