Anyone been on Keuka?

[areyounuts]

Have fished Cayuga this year, but will be going to Keuka next week for our yearly cabbage run [sauerkraut time + ]

Has anyone been out and if so, how have you done?

[Second Chance 22]

We fished a club derby there last Sunday. Our boat fished the Hammondsport arm and took 20 to 25 lakers. Best set up was a small green and white spoon fished 100ft down over 130FOW. Fish there seem to be getting smaller all the time- it's really hard to catch one over 25 inches.

Lots of fish near the bluff, however there are ten times as many just south of Marlena Point in 120FOW. One boat reported catching 30 lakers there in 3 hours.

DEC would like to see more lakers harvested from this lake- you are strongly encouraged to take you limit (females if possible).

One boat did take a small rainbow and another one caught a legal landlock.... its been a while since we saw any "off" fish in this lake. Hope this helps.....

[areyounuts]

Great report! Lots of good info.

My friend and I used to rent a slip for the season at Jake's. In the last 4 years we have trailered our boat to the other Finger Lakes for a change. Cayuga is 30 min. nearer for us. We found the ave. size of the fish at Keuka getting smaller. But it still is a good thing when you catch fish

We planned to make the trip a "meat hunt". Besides, a 22in. or 23in. laker is the perfect size for 2 people.

Thanks for the report.

[Netbender]

Second Chance, tell me more about the DEC and Keuka? I too would like to see the Lakers go down a bit, but what will DEC put in at that point?

[Second Chance 22]

DEC is stocking landlocks and browns in Keuka, but they are being eaten by the overpopulation of lakers. DEC nursury surveys indicate that Cold Brook is producing good numbers of rainbows, but again their survial in the lake is limited by laker predation.

Region 8 would like to increase the rainbow population (in Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua) and decrease the laker populations.

Region 8 has submitted proposed regulation changes regarding rainbow and laker bag limits to Albany. If Albany concurs, DEC will announce their proposed regulations late this Fall or early this Winter. This would be followed by a public comment period and I don't think the new regs would take effect until 2012.

In the meantime, you are encouraged to harvest your limit of lakers in Keuka and practice catch and release on the few rainbows, browns and landlocks that you might be lucky enough to catch.

[indian]

Its to bad....10 yrs ago Keuka was known for its large lakers, I went back this year and the biggest I got all year was maybe 28", but we caught boat loads of them. I hope all the C&R fanatics take a lesson from this unfortunate situation.

To much of anything is never a good thing. Doesn't take much to throw a system out of wack. I hope they put a no limit on lakers for two or three years and get this once awesome fishery back under control.

[Netbender]

Second Chance, that is the best news and best idea I have heard in a long time. I have a cottage on Keuka, and would like to support DEC 8 in that program! Indian, we have the same catch history. I have been on the lake for just three seasons, but have 15+ years on Lake O. I understand the value of propoer management of waters.

I am 100% for no limit on Lakers and additional stocking of LL and Bow's.

Let me know if anything comes up that I can help support the effort, I am in!

Dave

[Second Chance 22]

There will be a limit on lake trout which will be more than the current 3 fish limit. It will NOT be no limit.

Stocking additional browns and bows wouldn't do much good right now- there's very little for them to eat, if fact the would probably just end up as forage for the lake trout.

[Netbender]

Understood, it takes a long time and one must go slow when making these changes. I am guessing up to 4 lakers vs 3 for a year or two. Then after the numbers drop a bit, try to stock accordingly with bait and the other species?

Anxious, but time will tell....

Dave