NY Great Lakes Muskie Season Changes

[mostlymuskies]

The NSDEC wants to have Uniform Dates for the NY Great Lakes Muskie Season,they are now leaning toward Dec 15th Closing for all the NY Great Lakes Waters with a 54" Sizelimit.The next NMA Meeting on March 5th is very important,we need to have enough fishermen there at the meeting supporting Dec 15th to make this final.This will be better for the Whole Upper Niagara River & Lake Erie Fisheries,spreading out the fishing pressure from just the Canadian Waters across both the Canadian & NY Waters,less stress overall! Also the 54" Sizelimit just about makes sure every muskie swims back home!

 

Capt. Larry

Edited February 28, 2013 by mostlymuskies

[old man]

where and what time?

[wet the net]

Is there any discussion about starting the season earlier accross the entire state?

[Ronix 51]

Is there any discussion about starting the season earlier accross the entire state?

 

Do you mean both inland and great lakes waterways? There is no way that they'd open the season earlier in the great lakes waterways where there is natural reproduction occuring.

[wet the net]

I would be happy if it was inland lakes only.

[mostlymuskies]

  The last I heard the NSDEC is leaning toward Opening Inland Muskie Waters on the 3rd Saturday in May and Closing Nov 30th.The Closing date may be able to be Dec 15th depending on the Great Lakes Waters if they close on Dec 15th.

[zach]

looks like Nitro, Solgrande and myself will be there.

[mostlymuskies]

This Tuesday March 12th go to the State of Lake Ontario Meeting and voice your opinion on the Great Lakes Muskie Season!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013: 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at the Carlson Auditorium, in the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science building (76-1125) on the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) campus, Rochester, Monroe County. The meeting is co-hosted by RIT and the Monroe County Fishery Advisory Board

[BP Swing]

Larry,

 

Was that at typo or are they seriously considering opening the season on the 3rd sat in May in inland lakes as you mentioned??? Sounds like a bad idea to me as I doubt they would be done spawning by then. Tigers ok but not pure.

[Ronix 51]

BP,

 

its not a typo. They're considering a change in the inland opener because there is next to zero natural reproduction occurring in inland waters. There may be spawning activities occurring but VERY little if any at all recruitment to the fishery. They're the same strain of fish in ohio and PA which have year round seasons.

Larry,

 

Was that at typo or are they seriously considering opening the season on the 3rd sat in May in inland lakes as you mentioned??? Sounds like a bad idea to me as I doubt they would be done spawning by then. Tigers ok but not pure.

[Tigerhunter]

So what is the best way to voice our opinion on this now that we are past the 12th?

[BP Swing]

Hmmm....not sure if this is a good thing or not. Better for more angling opportunity but even if the fish are not reproducing, they would be more vulnerable and predictable location wise (Shallow and on the beds). Which would lead to more catch and release mortality but at least the water would be colder for releases. Also how many inland places are there? Not that many. Another concern is what about the rivers like the susky and Allegany? Those waters have natural reproduction and have been producing fish for years. Chautauqua ans Waneta are stocked so if they say they are not reproducing then I guess it is so but they produce good fish every year so why mess with a good thing? BP

Edited March 19, 2013 by BP Swing

[Tigerhunter]

I am not sure about the Allegheny but the Susquehanna is open the same as Tiger/Pike because it is "too difficult" to distinguish between a pure and a tiger from what I understand.

[Ronix 51]

Im not sure if its a good thing or not either, im pretty unbiased on the matter. If it opens earlier im ok with it and if it doesn't im ok with it, I still enjoy pike and tigers as well.

 

They may be more vulnerable as far as location but they tend to be much less active during these times due to all the energy they are putting forth to spawn, so maybe handling of fish wouldn't be as much as we think? It's hard to tell.

 

The allegheney and susquehenna are different since they both have PA waters that are open year-round as far as I know...I think they keep those seasons as is to avoid any potential confusion? Maybe its because NYS doesn't want to spend the extra cash to re-write and print the regulations more clearly (it is that kind of state unfortunately) I know regarding the chemung/susqi they havent changed them just because the fishery hasn't appeared to have suffered from it.

[zach]

Makes me wish I had a river boat. 

[mostlymuskies]

Back in October,2012 the NY M.I. Chapter 69 was contacted about NY Inland Muskie Season Changes by the NSDEC Region 9 Office,they wanted our imput on starting & ending dates and size limit.The board of directors sent in a recomendation for 1st Weekend of May Start & Dec 15th Close with Sizelimit of 42" for all waters currently having 30" Sizelimit.We were countered by the NSDEC with Memorial Day Weekend to Nov 30th with a 40" Sizelimit.We sent a 2nd letter after a Membership Vote to the NYDEC recommending the 3rd Saturday of May to Dec 15th and 42" Sizelimit.The NYSDEC was concerned about Dec 15th because of possible Ice on some northern lakes that have muskies and they did not want to encourage Ice fishing for muskies.The NY M.I. Chapter 69 countered the denial for extension to Dec 15th by the NSDEC by telling them they could put special regulations on those northern lakes that might freeze by Dec 15th and close those waters on Nov 30th.So as of now the NYSDEC is staying with Memorial Day Weekend to Nov 30th and 40" Sizelimit.This will go up for Public Review on the NSDEC Website www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27068.html sometime in April we believe.When up for Public Review you will individualy have a chance to voice your opinion via email.If everyone asks for the 3rd Saturday in May there is a posability the NYSDEC might agree to one week earlier Opener then Memorial Day Weekend.Everyone should ask for Dec 15th as well,tell them that by the Inland waters being open until Dec 15th this will spread the muskie fishing across all NY waters,take some pressure off the Great Lakes Waters for those 15 Days of December. When the NSDEC puts the Inland Muskie Season Proposal up for Public Review I will post it here.We will also ask that more muskie fingerlings be stocked as well because of the extra days of fishing pressure.But most likely the muskies will be all done going through the spawning ritual and will be in post spawn period and may not feed well at the end of May!

Edited March 20, 2013 by mostlymuskies

[Tigerhunter]

Very informative....thanks Larry!

[BP Swing]

I would be most concerned with the 40" limit. Too small. It should be at least 42" on all waters. A 40" Musky has not reached it's potential. I will voice my opinion to raise the size limit. I can see no reason why anyone would need to keep a 40" musky for mounting or eating. I would like to see even a higher limit like 45" on inland waters and 54" everywhere else. As far as the inland waters go, how many are there in NY? Not many...Chatauqua, Waneta, Lamoka, Bear, Cassadaga, Black, and what else am I forgetting that has pure strain? Black has St Lawrence strain in it so Im not sure how they would handle that, still connected to great lakes via Oswagotchie R. Plus the Susky and Allegany has their own regs I guess. Im not sold on the early season cause there has to be some natural reproduction isnt there? Theres always tigers to fish for in May anyways. It would be cool I admit though but not convinced it wouldnt hurt the fishery. 

[mostlymuskies]

Your missing Findley Lake(purebred stocked last three years),Allegheny River(Olean section),Grassy River,NY State Ditch,Olean Creek and a couple other smaller creeks. Sizelimit is now 30" on all Inland waters except Chautauqua Lake,40" is better then 30" ,but I would rather see 42" or higher!

[mostlymuskies]

Chautauqua County Fishery Advisory Board and Chautauqua County Federation of Sportsmans Clubs have Voted to send a letter to NYSDEC  Region 9 supporting 3rd Saturday in May Opener and Dec 15th Closing of Inland Muskie Waters with a Sizelimit of 42"!

They will also send letters to NYSDEC  Region 6 supporting Upper Niagara River & Lake Erie July 1st Opener and Dec 15th Closing dates for Muskies with 54" Sizelimit!The NMA will Vote on their position on April 2nd as well.

[HD Fatboy]

Chautauqua County Fishery Advisory Board and Chautauqua County Federation of Sportsmans Clubs have Voted to send a letter to NYSDEC  Region 9 supporting 3rd Saturday in May Opener and Dec 15th Closing of Inland Muskie Waters with a Sizelimit of 42"!

They will also send letters to NYSDEC  Region 6 supporting Upper Niagara River & Lake Erie July 1st Opener and Dec 15th Closing dates for Muskies with 54" Sizelimit!The NMA will Vote on their position on April 2nd as well.

That would be real nice if this went through!

[mostlymuskies]

Look for a post coming soon with a Link to NYSDEC Public Review Page,that is when everyone has to comment on these changes to make sure they happen.

[mostlymuskies]

Last night the Niagara Musky Assoc. counted Votes to see what the membership wanted the club to tell the NYSDEC for Great Lakes Muskie Season Changes.They Voted for July 1st Openner and December 15th Closing dates for the NY Waters of the Upper Niagara River & Lake Erie.They will write a letter explaining their position and send to NSDEC.I will take the voting outcome to the next Erie County Fishery Advisory Board Meeting for a vote and letter sent to the Erie County Exec. Also will ask for a vote from the Erie County Federation of Sportsman's Club's at the next meeting and have a letter sent to the NYSDEC as well.

This should all be up on the NYSDEC Website for Public Review very soon!

[mostlymuskies]

The NSDEC now has pulled the Great Lakes Season Changes Proposal off the table! After 5 months of driving everywhere I could be heard,getting Federation votes etc.. to get an extention on the Upper Niagara River & Lake Erie to Dec 15th,they just pull the option from the table.We had very strong support,even the NMA came in with a July 1st to Dec 15th season change proposal.Now the only thing going through is the 54" Sizelimit change.I hope at this point they do not scrap the Inland Season Changes as well! I'm very sorry for everyone else besides mysellf that spent so many hours on this issue,took all the flak & abuse from others,lost friends and sleep at times,all for nothing!

[Ronix 51]

sorry to hear that larry, i know how much you've been doing to get the word out...did they say why?