Lamprey eel serious problem on Cayuga Lake

[salmonidlove]

The only time I've ever witnessed them was at Catharine creek in the middle of April. It was an unseasonably warm spring and they were as far up as the power station. The ugly critters were everywhere you looked - including hanging from trees

As for the inlet, you could probably find them after any high water event in May, within the first couple miles upstream of the fish ladder.

[stinger]

How effective would eel traps be when they run the creeks to spawn? It would have to be a every year event to trap as opposed to lampricide every now & then.

[Splitshot115]

I've seen them above the lower bridge at Myers (Salmon Creek) around Memorial Day, Population doubled that day......

[pokepole39]

if the eals are this thick and i believe they are after fishing the salvation army derby ... and they are attacking cold downrigger weights how long will it be before they figure out what swimmers are ???i remember the days of leaches and having a smoker around when you went awimming ///just a thought but to be honest they seem to attach everything nowadays

[flyrod2]

I would like to add the to already well written comments on the lamprey in Cayuga.

DEC thought they could ride out the 2007 year lamprey as the larval densities were below the previous 2 times they treated the inlet(1986, 1996). It was also based partly on budget issues. These budget issue are misleading since DEC has been running big surpluses since the last license fee increase and the staff cuts. It is the Governors office and the Division of budget who will not release our money. This includes money from the Feds through excise tax. DEC will be putting in for the permits to treat the lake in 2014. When this happens we the sportsman need to be the voice against those who may oppose the treatment. This will put a big dent in the 2011 year class that got over the fishway and any others that may between now ant 2014. As far as the damage done, all of you who spent time on the lake have witnessed it. We can only hope that the lake will rebound and we can see more 10-12 pounders next year.

[Neo1945]

OK what then about Seneca?

[quality time]

It takes many years to grow a lake trout to 12 pounds. The lamprey will target the big fish first since they make better host . They can hitch a ride longer before it kills the host. My guess is we will see and explosion of bait fish in the next few years. The small fish that make it will grow fast because all of the bait and we might even enjoy some better "silver fish "fishing but the lakers will take some time to bounce back. For any good to come out of this they need to keep the lampreys under control. My average weight laker over the last 4 years was between 5 and 6 pounds , This year it was 2 to 3 pounds after mid to late summer. The spring we got many over 8 pounds which we released. I love fishing for lakers and they are one of the few species that are native to the lake. I which that I could have seen the finger lakes before the white man spoiled it. Lake Ontario had landlocks up to 30 pounds and they were gone within 20 years of the white mans clear cutting and dams. Free trade and invasive species go hand and hand.