Kevin J Legg

August fishing has been very good. Lots of fish up river and down. Sent from my iPad using Lake Ontario United

Way to go Mike.

One of the first years I started targeting them in the river we caught many 16-17 1/2" fish. In fact we threw back more than we kept that summer. Seem to remember only one in three fish were keeper size. That was perhaps 8 years ago. I have only caught two shorts this summer.

With all the undersized walleyes in the Ogdensburg area I believe the stocking has been beneficial. That or there is a great deal of natural reproduction occurring. I seldom catch undersized walleyes in the Alex Bay section.

I also think guides are concerned with sustaining the fisheries. After all it's their livelihood. I also know many try to get customers to release their catch. I don't believe they are to blame for the changes in fish populations as most of the issues are the direct result of the seaway and invasive species that have drastically changed the ecosystem although over harvesting may contribute to the problem.

Regardless of the graph bass are not doing well. Just talk to local guides. Steve also confirmed this. Walleyes do eat perch but most I catch are feeding on gobies.

International Joint Commission has purposes plans 2114 regarding water level regulation which would likely help pike spawning.

There is something in the works on changing the way water levels are controlled in the future.

Gobies eating bass eggs, pike have lost spawning habitat, perch? Perhaps gobies or over harvest. Muskies VHS and loss of spawning habitat. I did some graduate studies through Potsdam State right before Steve started his research.

Just got off the phone with Steve LaPan from Cape Vincent Fisheries Research. There have been some tagged and radio telemetry studies of walleyes and as big johnson said they appear to be wanderers. Some fish tagged in Cape Vincent in the fall were found in BOQ in the winter. As far as spawning goes they may be spawning on river shoals and certainly are spawning in some of the tribs. throughout river. He also said it was difficult to track them with transmitters since they are often in deep water and returns on tagged fish were minimal so there isn't a huge amount of data. Fortunately walleye populations in the river are presently quite good while bass, pike, Muskie, and perch numbers are low. He also said releasing the larger fish should help but the really large ones (12-14 lbs) may produce less viable eggs. He said to contact your political representatives if you have issues as it takes legislative action to make changes.