atlantic question

[kingslamon22]

one good reason nobody catches good numbers of atlantics is because nobody targets them. sure traditional salmon strategys have taken their share of atlantics, and the fingerlakes have comparable strategys. although highly adaptable, atlantic salmon have more complex diets. so why dont we catch more out on the big o if they are stocked?? maybe becasue they consume the spiny water flea more readily than other salmonids. this is 100 percent true in the ocean. why not on the big o?? i have been reading up on this stuff to target them. natural reproduction was almost non existent in past years due to malnutrition causing unsatisfactory egg production. explosions of smelt and spiny water flea have helped to acctually reinstate natural reproduction of the atlantic strains by adding correct balance of vitamins, supporting egg production. maybe they have a chance and maybe there needs to be some hours spent on new studies of migration movements and feeding habits then we can assume that the lake can take off on its own again. then target them easily. i have caught a descent trout while fishing for kings in fall, that puked up some fleas. i thought i dragged him through a cloud but after reaserching fleas, maybe atlantics favor them over the alweife forage base. could this be?

[GAMBLER]

We do not catch many Atlantics because the numbers stocked are low (in NY waters). The Canadians are dumping a lot of Atlantics on their side of the pond. All of the Atlantics I have caught are in really rough shape (ie deformed fins). I'm not sure how good the survival rate is of these fish. The Canadians are not showing much of a return of the stocked fish. If you read the Spoonpullers site about Atlantics, you will see the MNR is stocking thousands (600,000+) since May of 06 and had very very low returns (some years single digit number in returns).

[LongLine]

NYS has put in 50K every year for quite a while. 1/2 have been going off Hamlin, The rest off the SR.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Dance the Tides]

NY State is trying to switch strains from the "Lake Clear" strain to the "Sebago" Strain. The Lake Cear strain has shown a tendency to run downstream and doesn't stop. In most NY lakes, including Lake O, that is a one-way trip to the Atlantic Ocean. Supposedly, the Sebago strain hits the lake and says there. The first stockings of Sebago strain Atlantics are going into Lake George this year, so a decision will be made in the next year or so. However, last year there was documented reproduction of Atlantics in the Salmon River for the first time in recent history. Interestingly, Lake Champlain in 2009 had the best Atlantic fishing in many years. Ironically, most of the fisherman felt is was because of the presence of Alewives.

Spoonpullers Board had a discussion last year regarding the stocking of Atlantics vs. Kings and most of the board members voted for Kings. I believe that another issue is that Federal dollars are available to aid in the "restoration of native species". Since Atlantics and Lakers are historically native to Lake O, some (how much?) of the cost of stocking these fish is subsidized.

Paul

[Richard Bullen]

Without too much fanfare are you guys saying that the Kings and Atlantic salmon are following the flea or photoplancton drifts ie current line dark water light water??

[kingslamon22]

no im saying that the recent return of a small run of atlantics is due to the comeback of smelt and the presence of spiny water fleas. they negate the vitamin deficiancy that restricts survival rate of eggs. maybe thers more living in the lake that cannot be caught conventionaly but still have somewhat of a deficiency. there may be another way to catch them. and we may not see them running rivers if there eggs never ripen. is there an accurate count? oneida lake has also had some stocking of some small numbers in several tribs as well. they do not stay in that lake because of temperature. catch rate may not be accurate and the river count may not be accurate either. thats what im saying and im also saying it for food for thought.