DEC stocking Ibay.

[W.W.IV.]

I took a ride to Ibay this morning to see what the lake looked like. Talked to a pier fishermen, he had a 5-6lb brown and had a big one break him off, not to bad. Walked back to the parking and saw the DEC truck back up to the east side bridge abutment and unload a bunch of rainbows,looked to be about 8-10 " long. don't think the gulls will bother them,they never even showed up.

[Jolly II]

Thanks for sharing the info. 8-10" stockers from the hatchery are pretty decent size. If that's the size hatchery fish that they've been stocking the last 6-7 years, plus the bigger pen reared fish, that would explain why the steelhead fishing in the lake has gotten as good as it has.

Seems like before that the hatchery steelhead were only half that size, and more than likely became an easy meal for birds and fish, hence the poor steelhead fishing in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Hopefully that size trend will continue.

[W.W.IV.]

I think the increase in steelhead pop. is due to the net pen stocking, the cormerants and gulls arn't eating up half the stocking before they have a chance to spread out and survive. I think the bows the DEC dumped in the river were big enough to make it.

[GAMBLER]

I think the increase in steelhead pop. is due to the net pen stocking, the cormerants and gulls arn't eating up half the stocking before they have a chance to spread out and survive. I think the bows the DEC dumped in the river were big enough to make it.

And the change in regs from a couple years ago.

[Jolly 1]

Would like to add a note or two on those rainbows that were put in the Irondequoit Bay Outlet.

Those were 10,000 domestic rainbows (which I believe are from Finger Lakes brood stock) and not Pacific Steelheads. They look the same, difference is in their spawning habits and parentage.

Those rainbows were intended to be stocked off Lake Road (near Salt Road) in Webster on private property directly in the lake at the old Joe Abraham site. Two reasons for putting those rainbows there: directly in the lake so they are not imprinted to any tributary and away from fisherman who can do a job on them just catching and releasing. The lake was too rough with northwest wind and putting them directly in the lake would have many of the fish washed up on the rocks.

The guys from the hatchery truck called Avon DEC for an alternate site and the decision was made to put them in at the IB Outlet. I think a better place would have been Hughes Marina just east of Pultneyville where the stocking site is protected from north west winds and Mrs. Hughes and Cec keep an eye on anyone trying to fish for them.

I was to meet the hatchery trucks at the Joe Abraham site but was not able to be there.

Tomorrow, Friday May 14th, I will be meeting two trucks from the Altmar hatchery that will have 22,860 brown trout. Conditions should be good for putting those directly in the lake.

I have been helping DEC with brown and rainbow trout stocking at this site for more than 30 years. My son, known as Jolly 2 (aka Chris Jolliff) used to watch and help before he was old enough to go to school. Chris is 37 now.

It's a great place to put the fish in as long as the comorants aren't around and most have passed thru by now.

Jolly 1.

[Just Fishin']

Thanks for the info, and more importantly, thanks for being a longtime steward for the fishery we all enjoy.

[W.W.IV.]

Thanks for that info, Jolly, when they dumped the bows there wasn't a bird or a fishermen around, I'm thinking they may have gotten a good start. .

[Jolly 1]

W.W.IV,

That's good that the gulls and fisherman didn't see them.. Hope they get out in the lake and start feeding and get BIG so us guys can catch 'em.

Thanks for the info.

Jolly 1