why is the spring king fishing so good this year lakewide?

[Striperhound]

Just reading the reports fish are spread out lake wide, warmer than avg temps for the lake, warm winter, are we seeing a high point in the salmon stock or just a warm winters effects? Why are areas like Oswego holding so many spring kings this year?

What does everyone think?

[GAMBLER]

I believe it has to do with 2 things 1) warm winter 2) good year classes of kings in the lake both wild and stocked.

[fishhunter22]

so will the fall run be great as well?

[GAMBLER]

Stable weather in August for once will make things a little better in the lake. The past couple August patterns have sucked. Depending on the number of 3 and 4 year old kings will determine how good the run is. As of right now, it is looking like the run should be good.

[Fishtails]

I am sure everyone has there own ideas about this. It certainly seems as though we have great numbers this year, so that plays a big role but I think a lot has to do with the mild winter and the fact that lake Erie never froze.

On an average year large numbers of fish will stack up on the west end because that is where the warmest water will be. During an average April, The Niagara river is going to be colder than the lake water and that traps a lot of fish on the Canadian side because it acts as a fence. A lot of fish will head north towards Toronto and the north shore, while others will hang along that Canadian side of the Niagara river and start to disperse in May. A lot of those fish that head north find plenty of food and good temps, so they stay on the north shore until they sniff their way home later in the summer or early fall..

This season, a much warmer than normal lake Erie meant there was no Niagara Fence. so the fish were free to roam anywhere they wanted and I think we are seeing a lot of the fish that normally would have gone to the north shore for the spring and summer have stayed on the south shore....at least for now.

It can all change once the lake sets up depending on the winds, but lets hope it continues all season long

Then again...I could be wrong

[Paul Czarnecki]

I am sure everyone has there own ideas about this. It certainly seems as though we have great numbers this year, so that plays a big role but I think a lot has to do with the mild winter and the fact that lake Erie never froze.

On an average year large numbers of fish will stack up on the west end because that is where the warmest water will be. During an average April, The Niagara river is going to be colder than the lake water and that traps a lot of fish on the Canadian side because it acts as a fence. A lot of fish will head north towards Toronto and the north shore, while others will hang along that Canadian side of the Niagara river and start to disperse in May. A lot of those fish that head north find plenty of food and good temps, so they stay on the north shore until they sniff their way home later in the summer or early fall..

This season, a much warmer than normal lake Erie meant there was no Niagara Fence. so the fish were free to roam anywhere they wanted and I think we are seeing a lot of the fish that normally would have gone to the north shore for the spring and summer have stayed on the south shore....at least for now.

It can all change once the lake sets up depending on the winds, but lets hope it continues all season long

Then again...I could be wrong

Couldn't have said it better myself Rod! WAIT.....I think I did!

[Fishtails]

You might have Paulie, but not to me The thing I got from Jeff though...who I guess musta got it from you, was the fence term for the river , and I have to give you kudos for that cause I can't think of a better term....it's a perfect analogy! I always said you were way smarter than you look.

So thank you for that buddy....but the rest of the north shore theory I came up with all on my own......and you thought I was just a stupid refinisher

BTW...you know we are gonna even things up at the WHI this week, right? You only edged us out on Sunday in St Catherines cause I couldn't get our driver to go any slower than 2.7 and as a result we got littlefi****is. We have Steve back behind the Wheel for the WHI and we'll be on a big fish smackdown so you better be wearing your big boy britches next week. I hear you have a "Top Gun" fishing with you in Wilson, but unless his name is Dagon it may not be enough...lol

You may need a man hug again...

[Paul Czarnecki]

[jimski2]

The kings are stacked up all over the lake and they turn on to feed when their metabolism is triggered by the warmer water temperatures. They are not travelling so far, when they are just waiting for the magic temperatures.

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Definitely a high point in stocks(correct balance), and the scenario written by Rod/Paul? is dead on as far the distribution throughout the western basin.

I think a huge factor in the survival of the fingerling Kings is due to the dedicated individuals on both sides of "the fence". Back in the early 90's when we were first pushing for pen projects(Michigan was leading the way, once again due to volunteers and clubs-not the DNR), we were told by DEC King proponents that even an increase of 20% in the size of the fingerlings at the time of release increased survival exponentially. It goes back to the law of the jungle-"eat or be eaten." Being just a bit bigger meant less predators could eat them or catch them, and the fingerlings were big enough to be predators themselves. In my opinion, the emerald shiner population has a huge impact on the survival and growth rates of the planted and natural Kings. This population is now immense, with lots of tiny minnows there for forage until the Kings can graduate to the Alewives.

I'm not sure how big a role it plays, but on our late trips(early Oct) we sometimes catch "pre skippers", Kings released that Spring. As we carefully extract the hooks from these fast growing babies, we have seen gobs of fleas in their throats, so they are sucking those in as well.

I, as well as many veteran Lake O trollers do not care what the clipping statistics say, we know the uptick in the King fishery is due to the holding pen programs and overall concern of clubs and individuals, who watch over and lend a hand where ever needed. Thank you to all of you! We definitely have a good population of natural Kings, but the percentage of 2 inch fish missed by the clipping trailer is impossible to guage. With flooding, predation, water temp swings, and erratic man-controlled flows in some brood streams, it's impossible and irresponsible to count on the naturals. They are a needed and welcomed bonus, and we are seeing what is possible this year. When Chinnys are in the presence of other Chinnys, they are aggressive and greedy. When they are solitary and full of bait, they make Muskie fishing look easier.

As to will the fall run be good, I would say yes , absolutely. There is a tremendous class of 3yr old Kings so harvest away!

The important thing is that everyone respect the fish and not take them for granted. If they will be consumed, there is no more noble way for the mighty King to go down than in open water of the lake. A bonus for the stream purists, catch record data always shows that in big Chinook years, the trout harvest goes way down, so winter fishing should be extra great as well.

I spent 3 days this week feeding the Kings here in Olcott, and I can vouch that it sure is a good thing we have pen projects, as they were extra small when delivered this year but growing rapidly. If some of you have never fed them, sign up or volunteer, it's quite a sight!

[jimski2]

A lot of the hatchery stocked fish this year are undersized due to some bean counter who found a cheaper source of feed but the growth rates were less with the cheap feed.

[Tim Bromund]

Yeah, but like Vince said, our pen fish are recovering nicely. I took my niece up to feed the fish at Olcott on Saturday and our pen kings are nice and healthy and super aggressive.

[Paul Czarnecki]

Yeah, but like Vince said, our pen fish are recovering nicely. I took my niece up to feed the fish at Olcott on Saturday and our pen kings are nice and healthy and super aggressive.

I love super aggressive kings just like I love super aggressive turkeys and super aggressive deer! Makes killin em easier!

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Paul, spoken like a true, red blooded Erie, Pennsylvanian!

[GAMBLER]

Anyone hear the final numbers of kings to be stocked? Was it as low as they were expecting? Iread in NY Outdoors about the shortage of browns and coho but the article said nothing about Kings.

[Tim Bromund]

I haven't heard the total number Brian, but on a positive note, I'm pretty sure all of the pen projects got their full allotment. I know our project in Olcott did and I'm pretty sure the Oak did as well so I would assume any shortfalls would be in the direct stocked numbers.

Tim