DEC Announces "State Of The Western Finger Lakes" Fisheries Meetings

[Netbender]

Anyone going to the meeting tonight?

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[Netbender]

Bigfoot, Good to hear your report on RB's. I was one of the 9 that reported in on the diary and was surprised to see such a low number when I received the annual report. 60 plus makes things a bit better.

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[flyrod2]

Sk8man,

I was hoping to make the long drive for me and attend and it is a whiteout at my house right now, but thankfully you have summarized and started a much needed discussion. I am disappointed though that what you say, not much really took place. Region 8 crew would not do a meeting last year like the R7 crew did because they said they did not have enough time to prepare. One year later and what? My original intent of requesting these meetings which started with the Eastern last year was to pull together concerns for the entire Finger Lake system. Although each lake has some unique challenges many similarities are out there that should be looked at as a whole. First while I do not know the R8 Fisheries crew like I do the R7 I do see a disconnect in the way each region approaches management of the Lakes, but that is systemic in DEC as a whole. I really think it needs to be more cohesive in order to work. Then in each region I see little "teamwork" when looking at all the lakes. Often one biologist has the difficult task of managing each lake and do not have the resources to work as a team on the whole system and they often are lacking the number of biologist needed to really study the lakes as they should. With the help of all those that obviously care about the health of the fisheries I would like to compile  a list of directions we would like to see the Lakes take. What are the similarities and what are unique then attack each. I have the ability to take this through the proper channels at DEC and other groups. If many are interested I am willing to give out my email, compile a constructive list of thoughts, concerns as well as positive directions and then disseminate any and all information I can get from DEC and other resources. I really think that we will continue to follow the same path unless we all get involved, but we need to start somewhere. If I am wrong let me know and I will simply go fishing, otherwise I am very willing to be a part of the solution.

[Sk8man]

Flyrod2 let me first say that the DEC guys did fine on the presentation and they had their Powerpoint stuff together and they appeared very genuine in their desire to be helpful and answer questions on the material presented  as well as other questions that were asked, but as you mention the real heart of the matter is a cooperative effort at the DEC level aswell as with us fishermen being actively involved. The larger issue that was basically just touched on is the budgetary stuff at the State level and lack of staffing at DEC in general and the Fisheries division in particular. There is reportedly $40 million in the Conservation Fund which we sportsmen contributed to those idiots in Albany that is just being held for whatever reason by Albany so these fisheries guys hands are pretty much tied right now from the looks of it. They did also mention that some hatchery improvements have recently been approved for funding. I think your idea is a good one but I think  this money thing will have to be solved before any concrete things can be done in the "field".

Edited February 27, 2014 by Sk8man

[Smells Fishy]

flyrod- I will help any way I can. just got back into really fishing a few years ago after a long lay off right now I do not have my own ride but my friend has a boat and we get out between 4 and 10 or so times a month. so im sure I will not have nearly as much input as others but it is very clear that every little bit will help. hearing only 9 diarys for reg8 last year is crazy. they should make a rule for all FL charters be required to at the least keep a diary, they could easily get a recording device so they wouldn't have to stop and write down each catch

[flyrod2]

Believe me, I am well aware of the funding issues as the boards I am on deal with it all the time, but it still goes beyond that. The diary program which I am on in R7 is certainly a great start, but not the the whole answer. The biologists use catch rates to help them look at the social efforts, but they will be the first to say that catch rates are not a good indicator as a snapshot of the fishery or even stocking rates to a point. It is survival rates that are important. Onieda lake is a great example of that. DEC has a great hold on the total number of walleye in the lake do to intense studies and it has been stable, yet the catch rates are all over the map in past 20 years most often due to availability of bait fish.  They need to be out gill netting for everything possible and developing management plans based on real numbers, diet analyses and so on. That is where the money constraints come in. When the biologist do not have these tools it is often a best guess on what is going on in these lakes. Then you add invasive species, crashes in bait etc and the whole thing falls apart as it has. I think with our support we can make it work and give the fisheries program what they need. The hatchery improvements have been a long time coming and were a separate issue within the Governors budgets. The governor needs to be continually reminded of how many dollars fishing pumps into the states economy.

[Sk8man]

Very good points flyrod2 that is truly where it is at....I'm up for doing anything I can as well....

[panfisher]

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT A BROWN IS A DIFFERENT FISH THEN A LAKER OR RAINBOW THEY ARE A EDGE FISH MEANING THAT THEY LIVE ALONG THE EDGE OF DROP OFF SO IF YOU WANT THEM THAT IS WERE TO FISH  I HAVE FISHED THESE FINGER LAKES FOR 35 YEARS & THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE CAUGHT

Trouthunter.......You are so right about the browns along the drop offs into deeper water in the fingers. That has been my experience as well in Seneca, Canandaigua, and Kueka......Seems like surprisingly good ones have been caught trolling along marked drops from around 30 to 55 feet down when that drop is going from a shelf flat of water (like north of Kashong on seneca or north of woodville at south end of canandaigua) into the depths (100ft or more), right along the angled slope edge of the drop.....And yes, nothing beats good accurate and regular data from as many points (fishermen over time) as possible, to figure out how to best do stuff, including getting the funds to do whatever.

[Sk8man]

Panfisher I know your comments are accurate about the past regarding Woodville etc. but have you actually caught big browns in the last three years there? The Seneca Lake stuff is still happening as stated and one year I even pulled one out that took second place in the Derby there exactly that way (working the drop-offs) but canandaigua is a very different situation lately.

[BSmaster]

My fault.  I didn't make the trip.  I am curious though if anything was talked about regarding...

 

1. Catherine Crk
2. smelt
3. gobies
4. lamprey

[Sk8man]

BSmaster-  They said that there are major problems with the Catherine's habitat having been washed out to a great degree, fewer rainbows noted there now, and they even said that we might want to consider other streams to fish for now for them. The numbers were also down in Cold Brook and Guyanoga Creek (Sugar Creek) at Keuka.

 

They said the Smelt appear to be basically non-existant in the streams at Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua and they are not really sure why. They are unsure whether they are present in the lakes to any degree. Could be related to the phytoplankton and zooplankton being decimated by the Zebras and Quaggas?

 

The gobies have been noted in Cayuga and they feel that it is just a matter of time and they will be in Seneca as well.

 

They primarily treat the lamprey in Seneca by treating Catherine's and the Keuka Outlet delta with lampricides and I believe they said they will be doing so this year when conditions are right. They briefly mentioned the lamprey problems on Cayuga and ssaid that treatment is planned for this year there at the inlet area in Ithaca. They will never be totally eradicated on these lakes but they felt they are under much better control in Seneca.

 

I think these are fairly accurate summarizations but anyone else that was there please pipe in if I am either incorrect or incomplete.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Sk8man

[Keep'n it Reel]

Great re-cap les, sounded right on the money to me! And I do also agree with the need for more data that is the obvious and I guess in a way easiest answer to where and what fish we get, but also with the diaries I feel that a wide variety of fisherman are needed and from my own observations it seems as though the most willing participants are also the same people that are not exactly novices and seem to consistently put fish on the deck, and I am not discrediting or putting anyone down I my self am not a diary member as of right now but I feel their could be a slight maybe confidence problem noone wants to feel judged nor should they be judged, times have changed techniques have changed lures have improved sonars have improved and not all are willing to change with the times and they should not be forced to or guided in any direction but the one they choose. So I guess what I am trying to say is I don't want to see a miss guiding on the diaries!! When mr. rabbit puts up he caught 17 browns one morning and I go and get 1 and sunfish I have to stand behind that info and say was it something I did wrong was the weather different or the fish "gone"!

[Adm Byrd]

I can't believe a guy as old as you could retain all this info from just hearing it once, especially with that directional disorder you exhibit,"where did you park, I'm out front", honest officer I didn't know there was a stop sign there".

Will have to agree with you though, the biologists need more information (staff & money), they probably could learn more about the cold water fishery from the study of the warm waters which they are doing little (none) of.

[Sk8man]

Thanks Bob......I think I might put one of those orange balls on my antennae next time and a "Sheriff donation sticker on the back

[Netbender]

Smells Fishy, just a clarification on my earlier post, the 9 I mentioned was the amount of RB's caught in a single lake. That was all that was recorded in the diaries. Not referring to the total number of diaries turned in.

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[Smells Fishy]

Oh ok thanks superhawk

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[adipose69]

Cuomo is still a douche bag

[Sk8man]