9-29 Otisco walleye blitz!

[CaptainEyes]

Good catch Justin.  I would keep them too.  I prefer 20-25 inchers. I would probably let the bass go.  Too cheap to get it mounted and kinda big for eating.  I don't know Tim.  Keep posting fish trips.

 

Put and take fish have to be put and they have to be taken or why bother?  One of the reasons they stopped stocking hybrid stripers in NY is because the catch rate was too low.  The biggest reason they don't is the cost to do so was too much.

 

Joe

I am not getting in the middle on keeping/releasing fish it is a personal choice and how can you blame someone for keeping them they are delicious... However, I have heard a couple different times people stating that Otisco is a put and take walleye fisherie (im not picking on you BSmaster just using your post) and that could not be further from the truth... The lake does have some natural reproduction the DEC only stocks 44,000 1" fingerlings a year with a less than 10% survival rate so do the math. Delta lake which is a true put and take fisherie recieve over 5million fingerlings a year and is around the same size as Otisco.  Also though many anglers choose to release them the Tigers on Otisco are technically a put and take fish as they do not reproduce.

 

The DEC is planning a study on Otisco in 2014 to get a better picture of the fisherie status so stay tuned

[justtracytrolling]

Captain Eyes

Where have you been? Figured I would have heard from you. Been getting any? Its on now!

Justin

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[CaptainEyes]

Justin, I built a new barn this summer and have been busy with that and work. as a matter of fact I am going out of town the rest of this week ..  I am not set up for trolling (i will be next year) so I try to time it when the fish are in shallow and I can throw my stick baits, crank bait.  I didnt think anyone was out last night but I see you were must be you were down the lake farther.  I started a quarter of the way down the lake on the west side didnt catch a thing then moved over to east side and caught 2 small mouths and one eye before calling it a night.

 

Brent

[Xxx]

You don't need pictures with laying on the butcher table to show the DEC

"Jealousy" is a terrible disease,  

[BSmaster]

Brent, (no hostility on my end) is there substantial natural reproduction on Otisco?  I honestly do not know.  I know that it is minimal on Conesus.  Could make the argument that the two lakes are similar.  Maybe they are completely different animals.  I haven't seen Otisco up close.  I have no idea.  I stand by my opinion of a put and take fishery but i am willing to debate keep and eat.  I don't see him up the creek in April with a big salmon net or keeping a few dozen juvies, so to me I am ok with keeping a limit for dinner fare.  I like reading his trip reports and seeing his catch.  Before you can eat it, you have to kill it.  Sorry.  What worried me when I first saw his thread name was "this" A discussion on ethics.  Really?  That is what bothers me.  He has done nothing illegal (that I know of) and yet there is all of this judgement.  He had a banner day in what has been mostly a banner year.  I am happy for him.  All of this judgement is why I do not post banner days.  I catch walleye and keep them when they are legal.  I tend to let the smaller ones go even if they meet the legal length.  My fish - my choice.  (my 2 pennies)

 

Joe

[CaptainEyes]

Joe, You will get no debate here on the keep and eat they are delicious and  I'm all for it as long as they are legal and within the limits. I let one go last night just  because I was getting tired and too lazy to filet it.  I attended a DEC seminar  last February (on otisco lake) and I asked them the question is Otisco a put and take lake and in there opinion they said no we do a minimum stock to give it a boost.  Several years ago they thought the lake was 100% sustainable and stopped stocking it all together.  That is one of the reasons why they are performing a study in the spring to get a better handle on the natural reproduction. 

 

What happened to Conesus?? I just moved from Canandaigua and I can remember going down there in the spring and watching 10lb+ slobs you could walk on there backs spawning the stream.  Doesnt the DEC have a station there they get eggs from or is that on Honeyoe? I forget..

[justtracytrolling]

I was mistakenly under the impression that someone out there might read just how good the fishing is right now and decide to turn the tv off one night and take their son or buddy or wife fishing. If nobody wants to talk fishing im not debating fishery management. Im open with good reports and more than happy to promote the sport of fishing.

Justin

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[justtracytrolling]

Alewives eat walleye fry and conesus also has alewives that wipe out the spawning. Which is why many believe that Otisco is mostly put and take.

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[hermit]

I was mistakenly under the impression that someone out there might read just how good the fishing is right now and decide to turn the tv off one night and take their son or buddy or wife fishing.

 

Just want to say thanks, you certainly got my interest up and I've never caught a walleye.  If Otisco wasn't so far from Ithaca and me not knowing a single thing about walleye fishing I'd probably be out there tonight!  It's cool to see a nice catch so thanks and keep on fishing.

 

Alec

[Xxx]

Alewives eat walleye fry and conesus also has alewives that wipe out the spawning. Which is why many believe that Otisco is mostly put and take.

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Justin don't let a hand full of goons discourage you from posting about the walleye, all summer long it's all about salmon with a occasionally less than informative post about a walleye catch. What about all the salmon killed for prize money? then fed to the local zoo animals, That's OK! you purchased a license to fish and only creel the daily limit which is 3 per. person on that lake, also utilizing the meat to feed your family not the "zoo" If those folks who wish to catch and release should see your governor Cuomo and ask to come up with a conservation license, I'm sure he would be all for it as it would be another source of income for the state and you could satisfy yourself and the pocket dipper government already in place along with the boating certificate. Soon we all can sit on the couch and play video games, because that's the only thing we will be able to afford!

[CaptainEyes]

Alewives eat walleye fry and conesus also has alewives that wipe out the spawning. Which is why many believe that Otisco is mostly put and take.

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[CaptainEyes]

Justin I enjoy your posts and understand that your just trying relay your experiences but you left the door open on this and it's actually good discussion which I can/should start another thread as not to tread on yours however bigger fish eat alewives and they aren't wiped out it's just the food chain. I don't defer much to the DEC especially when it comes to deer management but fisheries is definitely a biologist thing and if they say it's not a put and take lake than who are we as individuals who only take from the lake to think otherwise?

[Roughrider IV]

Congrats on a great evening of fishing, you put lots of hours in, eventually you have a big catch with the time spent figuring that lake out. I commend you for sharing on here all that's needs to harvest eyes on otisco.

[panfisher]

Ha ha hahaha......  Thanx for the clarification Sk8man! And Justin, sorry about that.. .. or should I say Tracy, sorry about THAT ! Hopefully you are each others better halves....which should mean no apologies required either way....... ! Anywhooo, I do appreciate your prowess and it is one reason I love fishing; the feeling of success in trying to understand and master what it takes to "crack the nut" in any situation where you know there may be decent catches to be had in an ordinarily tough fishery. It's just fun!  ......

[jimski2]

Poor walleye reproduction is the result of an unbalanced harvest situation. You must take the perch and other fish that forage on walleye fry and fingerlings to have good walleye numbers. Balance things out as you would a good steward of the fishery resource.

[justtracytrolling]

The walleye reproduction would be fine without alewives, but the alewives provide the forage....with the supplemental stocking that goes on the lake is in great shape.

Justin

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[Sluggo / NY]

Justin.. Great job and pics as usual! I think someone mentioned that the big ones don't taste as good? I think they're fine, maybe just a slight "fish taste".. but they are fish. If you want to try it.. I've got a secret marinade that I also use on baby bald eagles that works great on them. I'll send you the recipe. Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)   

 

Seriously though.. we take the really thick fillets.. poach them.. flake them apart and use them in crab cakes instead of crab. They're delicious!

[yakangler22]

Bingo!!!

[justtracytrolling]

Great fish yakangler! Lets hear your story...dont have to give specifics but id like to hear how that toad pulled you around! We had a triple 2 nights ago that bout broke my net....didnt have time to get each out....love my musky net!

Justin

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[yakangler22]

Thanks justtraceytrolling! It is deff. A biggin. 31.5 inches and 12lbs. I tend to catch a lot of extra large walleye using large spinners rigged with a straight hook and a long twister tail. It was deff. a heck of a fight. The fish actually was trying to bite me. Anytime I would move my hands by his face he would bend in half and SNAP his jaws towards my hands. And I swear to god his eyes were the size of a pool ball !!!!

[Big Dave]

justtracytrolling  Nice catch the other night.  Wish I had my small boat ready to take over there.   Used to go up after work at 1:30  In the morning.  My wife and I would have a picnic supper and cast of the rocks along the road.   Lots of fun in the dark.

[justtracytrolling]

Big Dave,

Ive had reports of fish caught along those rocks since labor day. I have little experience there as I always try to leave shore fishing areas alone from the boat. I think its mostly baitfishing, but ill bet an f18 or f13 rapala would work.

Justin

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[LarryC]

This is a great thread!

I am all about catch and release, unless the fish is injured or won't be successfully released. Ill generally keep one fish for the BBQ a year. I used to keep fish I caught but realized that after a day of fishing I was exhausted and didn't want to clean and cook it. It would end up in the freezer, then the garbage.

Every fisher person has the right to keep within their legal limit, and its nobody else's business. If the conservation authority thought a certain lake or stream was being harvested too much then they would imply new catch and possession limits.

So me being a 99% of the time C&R guy, I have no problem with the OP and all the walleye he kept. Nice pics by the way, looked like a great day!

If you want to complain about over harvesting, then complain about the Indians and dip netting, not some guy keeping his legal limit.

[Xxx]

This is a great thread!

I am all about catch and release, unless the fish is injured or won't be successfully released. Ill generally keep one fish for the BBQ a year. I used to keep fish I caught but realized that after a day of fishing I was exhausted and didn't want to clean and cook it. It would end up in the freezer, then the garbage.

Every fisher person has the right to keep within their legal limit, and its nobody else's business. If the conservation authority thought a certain lake or stream was being harvested too much then they would imply new catch and possession limits.

So me being a 99% of the time C&R guy, I have no problem with the OP and all the walleye he kept. Nice pics by the way, looked like a great day!

If you want to complain about over harvesting, then complain about the Indians and dip netting, not some guy keeping his legal limit

No other word could have expressed the content better!!!