10-2 Otisco walleye electrofishing

[ultralight]

I'm out right now I'm guessing south east side.....lit up like a Christmas tree...r l r

Sent from my VS870 4G using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Xxx]

I'm out right now I'm guessing south east side.....lit up like a Christmas tree...r l r

Sent from my VS870 4G using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Good going, hope you get into the eyes. Best of luck to you, The weather forecast is for rain down here in PA. so they should be on the feed, post your results tomorrow, be interesting to know how you did. Been thinking about spending a week on Otisco before heading up to Ontario for the season.

[315angler]

Ill be out in the early AM good luck to anyone else going out

[justtracytrolling]

Pap,

I try not to fish where guys shore fish as Im mobile and they have limited access, but its awful tough to give courtesy to shore fisherman if they don't flash a light when they see you coming.  Ive had too many close calls because someone doesn't have enough sense to flash a light or leave 1 on.  BTW Im probably pulling 9 lines and big boards so yeah marker lights are a good idea!  I use my spotlight to shine my boards as I approach other boats if I can see them so they can see how wide I am.

justin

[Xxx]

Pap,

I try not to fish where guys shore fish as Im mobile and they have limited access, but its awful tough to give courtesy to shore fisherman if they don't flash a light when they see you coming.  Ive had too many close calls because someone doesn't have enough sense to flash a light or leave 1 on.  BTW Im probably pulling 9 lines and big boards so yeah marker lights are a good idea!  I use my spotlight to shine my boards as I approach other boats if I can see them so they can see how wide I am.

justin

This sand bar jets out 100 yards off shore and who would think anyone would be wading chest deep in the water at 1am. In the state of PA. anyone wading in water after dusk must have a lighted device on their chest or head and a lantern on shore were they entered the water, this guy had nothing, so I was totally in the right and he was in the wrong, he also received paper work from the fish comm. who lives on the lake to go along with his wounds. I also have a v8 for a power plant so it's not like he didn't hear us coming.

Edited October 7, 2013 by pap

[justtracytrolling]

Must have been a sight. You crack me up pap!

Justin

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[CaptainEyes]

I met the DEC crew  last night as they were returning from the main lake side. The results were similar to what they experienced the night before. Plenty of 5-6# walleyes around , many 27'-30" tigers around the north end/ The bigger tigers apparently tend to take off before they can get to them. All in All, I think you'll find that the lake is in great shape.

After spending some time with them asking questions and exchanging info, I walked away with the notion that the walleye stocking is a NECESSITY, not merely a boost to the natural reporoduction that occurs there. ( which BTW is pretty much nonexistent thanks to the alewive population). I don't need to quote them specifically but you get my point.

As we were parting ways, the last thing I asked them " what can we do to help you guys out?" and the exact reply was " fill out the angler diary". I commended them for doing a great job and they were on their way.

 

I just became a participant of the angler diary  this year and now  realize how important it is to them and wished I had done it years ago.

I work in an engineering/RandD field and know that "too much data" is way better than "not enough data". You can always sort through the data you have to get what you want, but at least you have that ability to do so. However, I also know that "no data" is better than "inaccurate data".

What good is it to fill out an angler diary if it is NOT accurate???

The information exchange is a  2-way street. The more information WE as anglers can give the DEC about OUR fishing trips, the better fisheries managers they become. The more information I can get out of the DEC as it pertains to the body of water and fishing I do, the better fisherman I become.

They know how many fish they are putting in each year. Everything beyond that  is statistical analysis for the most part, I believe. You can imagine how difficult their job is trying to manage a fishery. Why not make it easier , by providing them with the data they need ? I would rather see them stock more walleyes because more fish are being caught, instead of quit stocking them because there is no interest. This goes for any body of water and any type of fishing you do where stocking is involved.

One last thing, I think I can speak for Justin as well. If we(because justin and i fished quite a bit together) ,out of all of the numerous walleyes caught, decided that we were going to throw back any walleye over 22", we would be eating fast food and our freezers would be unplugged. Instead we are looking for new ways to prepare walleye for consumption. I like the second way better. I would rather struggle finding new different ways to cook walleye , rather than struggle on how to catch them!

In the meantime, I will be relying on what the fisheries biologists at the dec tell me about the lake I fish, not what somebody on the internet thinks I should be doing as it relates to conservation and fisheries management.

The DEC is more than willing to share info if you contact them and have questions about the status of your body of water and your type of fishing.

I will do more on sharing info with them from here on out.

Now, if I can just figure them out on the ice!

 

Good luck to all wherever your fall bite is!

 

Tim

Tim, that is some good information you and Justin shared... It is a little different than what I was told at the meeting but then again they said they were not going to survey the lake until 2014 for budget reasons. I personally have no issues with keeping fish as I enjoy eating them as well just thought the natural reproduction was better than what has been expressed by a few on here. I also maintain a diary and did meet Ian at the meeting however my questions were directed towards David Lemon.. These kind of discussions can only help solidify the actualities of the health of the fisheries and and Otisco Lake..

 

Good Fishing,

Brent

[jimski2]

A row  boat may not need a steady light but it does need a light like a flashlight to warn approaching boats of it presence. The wading fisherman should also have a light to warn other boats such as a clip on hat light. Trolling boats with side planers should have a light on the trolling board at night or at least spotlight indicating the presence of the side planer. Navigation rules call for a red light on top of a fishing vessel warning others of lines in the water sometimes off the sides and stern.

[justtracytrolling]

Brent,

I didn't think we were overharvesting, but after my/our conversation with Ian and his partner Im quite confident that the lake is mostly put and take which in my opinion means let em mature then harvest. In Otisco we don't have to worry about heavy metals in older fish, and as far as strong tasting when they get big its hogwash....these fish are excellent. Furthermore the size I hear people prefer to eat I simply cant find hardly any that small <22-23.

Justin

[CaptainEyes]

Justin,

  I dont think nor did I ever intend for my comments to be misconstrude that Otisco is being overharvested. I surely dont catch (or fish as much) as you and I normally keep every legal Walleye I catch as well.  I am more interested in if the lake does have natural reproduction and to what degree.  You see, things like that really intrique me... When I go home (to wellsville NY) I go up in these big hills and fish these streams that are no more than 3ft wide for wild beautiful brooke trout that are no more than 4"-6" (and release them) and think man these things are wild and naturally reproduce and I gain a better sense of accomplishment and feeling of the wild outdoors.

 

So, if a body of water is put and take than by all means take all the legal ones we can however, if it does have natural reproduction then maybe we do need to take that into consideration. For my own sanity I did email Ian this morning and asked him to comment on exactly just that so in my mind(no one elses) I can feel good about my conservation efforts.

 

Again, I like these discussions and have learned from them.

 

Brent