Owasco Derby Weekend Recap

[alex1young]

Wanted to start by saying how nice it was meeting and talking with everyone at the marina!  I had 4 friends with me this weekend that even took the day off to come pre-fish on Friday.  We had a great time and managed to run 10 rods on a small boat with only 1 small tangle.  This is my favorite weekend every summer, and something I look forward to all year.  Great job to all the other competitors, and that 1st place lake trout was a stud!

 

Friday:

 

We left the dock at 5AM, and set up on the east shore heading north over deep water.  Fishing was pretty fast and furious as soon as the sun came up with many doubles.  We ran mainly a spoon and stick bait program with 1 flatline, 2 riggers, 3 coppers and 4 lead cores.  Everything but the flat line took fish with small Silver Streaks and Suttons being our best baits.  Ended the day 15 for 25 or so with 1 19 inch bow, a small brown and the rest lakers up to 27 inches.  We struggled with a few drops early on, but as the crew got used to trolling our landing percentage went way up.  

 

Saturday:

 

 Same story as the day prior, left the dock around sunrise, and ran south a few miles then set up heading North.  Fairly slow bite compared to the day before but we managed a few lakers by 11AM.  We trolled past the YMCA camp around 11:30 and it was game on!  3 rods fired at once, and we managed to land all 3 fish...  From 11 until about 1 we landed many other fish including a decent 19 male bow, who was later released.  Finished the day 11-15 with mostly small to average sized lakers and the one rainbow.

 

Sunday:

 

At this point, we are starting to feel discouraged and got a late start as a result of the heavy rain showers.  Left the dock at 6:15AM and ran all the way south.  Set up heading north and after about 2 miles a very lazy take on the 100" cooper...  My rod man is convinced he is reeling in weeds until he gets into the leader.  At that point, we spot a large fish that doesn't appear to be a lake trout.  The fish instantly dives under the boat and nearly gets cut off by the prop several times.  We all start thinking Walleye, and sure enough 2 minutes later a tank of a walleye is netted.  The fish measured 28.5 inches and weighed in 8lbs 9 ounces on the marina's scale.  The fish ended up taking first, and was personally the largest walleye I've ever seen get caught.  Anyway, ended the day with 5 average lakers, 1 very sporty 16" inch brown and the walleye.  All fish released other than the walleye.

 

 

[Nautitroller]

Great job, that's a full weekend of fishing, love that lake and its variety!

Well done!

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[Sully]

Great fishing! That walleye is a tank!

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[justtracytrolling]

Great job, that's a full weekend of fishing, love that lake and its variety!

Well done!

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app

Its a shame the powers at be don't agree....i guess we don't have near enough trout in the finger lakes...the best eating gamefish in Owasco is the only one they won't stock...the walleye are native to the area unlike all but lake trout

[Iron Duke]

Awesome job man!! Way to go !! Glad some of the info we share pays off..

Mike

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[Nautitroller]

There must be some pretty successful natural reproduction for the eyes. Although it definitely needs an eye stocking program. Why did they quit stocking em?

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[Bigfoot]

The walleyes reproduce however alewives eat almost all of the walleye fry so walleye reproduction doesn't amount to much.

 

Walleyes are expensive to raise. Walleyes were native to Owasco, however they died out decades ago after the alewives were introduced. The reintroduction of walleyes was only successful because a local club was willing to raise eye fry in small ponds to fingerling size, where the had a decent chance of survival in Owasco after stocking.

 

DEC/Cornell did a survey that showed that more anglers wanted Rainbows/Browns than walleyes. DEC has long maintained that the fishery can not support quality fishing for both. DEC has no plans to stock eyes in Owasco in the future.

[Nautitroller]

That makes no sense to me, the DEC thinks that all trout species and walleye can't thrive together in Owasco, that's ludicrous! Balance is key and a put and take fishery with walleye would balance that lake nicely. They already grow to epic sizes in Owasco, it would be nice if there were more for the dinner table.

Dunno, just seems like our money goes to a fishery that is controlled by a governmental organization that really has no clue as to what is really going on or what fishermen want. Not the fault of the fishery guys just how information is turned into action and how our money from licenses works for us, or doesn't. The trout fishing is awesome there, the walleye are big but too few and far between.

There should be an easier way to log fish caught in the fingers, how about an App.... DEC. I'm not a guy that will fill out a form and mail it or fax it, I'm sure many of us feel the same way.

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[alex1young]

I've been a proponent of the angler diary app for some time, and I hope the DEC has the funds to make it happen. That said, Walleye are still very prevalent in Owasco but the bite is tough... The fish are well feed and often only taken at night casting or trolling around bait. Don't get me wrong I love the walleye just not in that lake. I'm not a night fisherman and never will with my schedule so just not my cup of tea. Besides an alewive fed walleye tastes worse than any laker I've eaten. I don't want to start a debate, I just know the finger lakes region has great trout fishing and walleye fishing. In my opinion Owasco makes a much better trout lake for several reasons. Mainly the absence of lamprey to help support a healthy trout population, but also the large alewive population that prevents nearly all natural reproduction for the walleye.

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[Nautitroller]

I have heard that about alewife fed eyes that they tasted poor. My only point was that I think that both eyes and trout can thrive in that lake, already happens, but to stop stocking them because of a survey that's wrong,the decision should be more about a balance in the lake between bait fish and predator fish

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Edited June 23, 2015 by Nautitroller

[Bigfoot]

They didn't stop the eye stocking just because of the survey. Walleye, browns and rainbows did NOT thrive together. In fact the brown/rainbow fishery collapsed. Fishing in Owasco is nowhere near as good as it used to be. The first FLTA derby that I fished there (about 15 years ago) had several captains weigh in 3 lakers that weighed over 10lbs each. Maybe a dozen 10 pounders total were brought to the scales. How many this year? One or two?

 

Also, there were to many lakers stocked and growth rates were terrible. You could look at the fin clips and see multiple years stockings that were all 18-20 inches.

 

Owasco is a unique trout fishery.It is capable producing 20lb browns. It's not just another Finger Lake.

 

The fishery is rebounding. Let's not screw it up by repeating the mistakes of the past.

[Nautitroller]

They didn't stop the eye stocking just because of the survey. Walleye, browns and rainbows did NOT thrive together. In fact the brown/rainbow fishery collapsed. Fishing in Owasco is nowhere near as good as it used to be. The first FLTA derby that I fished there (about 15 years ago) had several captains weigh in 3 lakers that weighed over 10lbs each. Maybe a dozen 10 pounders total were brought to the scales. How many this year? One or two?

Also, there were to many lakers stocked and growth rates were terrible. You could look at the fin clips and see multiple years stockings that were all 18-20 inches.

Owasco is a unique trout fishery.It is capable producing 20lb browns. It's not just another Finger Lake.

The fishery is rebounding. Let's not screw it up by repeating the mistakes of the past.

Interesting take, my first trip this spring I didn't catch a Laker under 8lbs they were all huge, I released all but one ( caught 6). And the fish I have marked on my fish finder were huge! So yes I agree we shouldn't make the same mistakes but why can't the fish live together? Typically the eye is a shallow water fish, trout deep.. does the eye eat trout fry ? Probably, does the trout eat eye fry probably, I guess nature will balance itself without our intervention but I guess I am selfish and would like a lake that has great fishing for both species.

I know I don't have the answer but i bet it falls somewhere between harvesting correct numbers and having the right amount of bait in the lake for all species.

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[Zyoung]

^{Bigfoot is real!.....accurate with his knowledge.  Do some research on Otsego Lake and you'll see what DEC prevented from happening on Owasco.  They learned a lesson about how Walleye and Non-Laker Trout get along down in Cooperstown.} 

[justtracytrolling]

I doubt owasco is rebounding from no walleye being stocked as the lake rebounded before the last stocked walleye were fully mature. As for taste I've caught and fileted as many finger lake alewife fed eyes as anyone out there in the last five years and out of the 100 people or so that have ate them i haven't had a complaint.

[lyk2fish]

Alex,

 

I told you how to trim those fillets this weekend. i bet you'll think otherwise after you cook them. Congrats agian on your catch.

 

Zyoung- Otsego was in major trouble before the walleye program started, thats one of the reasons why they initiated it so people would have something to fish for as anglers were complaining about the lack of salmon and browns......... with that lake even pre- walleye, its been a forage issue, even the lakers for the most part are starved hammer handles.

 

Owasco still has nice browns and Bows, every tournament, people catch nice ones.in fact that 9+ pound bow was awesome!  the way you catch has changed, leadcore and copper are now key. the water is much clearer than the days of the high brown catch rates. not saying that they are in high numbers.

 

Alewife are key predators as much as they are prey, they desimate many yoy fish as the Tunison study prooved.

 

As for the walleye, love em......and almost every one that gets caught gets kept....even by trout guys, cant say that for lakers!~

 

The state, with their comments years ago started this battle between bow/brown and walleye. All I ask is do your research before you form your opinion, there are a few studies and thesis papers out their that provide great information....until then, I'll be that night guy nobody wants to be having a blast catching walleye.

 

 

Kevin

[alex1young]

Alex,

 

I told you how to trim those fillets this weekend. i bet you'll think otherwise after you cook them. Congrats agian on your catch.

 

 

Kevin

 

I'm looking forward to eating them this weekend, and thanks for the all the tips!  I rushed out the door and left the fillets in the fridge Sunday so we could make the final weigh in.  

[Reelfanatic]

Nice job!! Great fish!

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[TROUTMAN 87]

Nice job!! Great fish!

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OK Guys after all the discussion about walleyes, trout, stocking or not, etc. how about the actual Derby results. Anyone know? Thanks!

[alex1young]

Not the best photo, but there you go.

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[Reelfanatic]

Some nice bows caught! Good to see! As far as walleye, good eating fish; no doubt! I think population is fine for the lake. Plenty of places to catch em around here. Personally would like to see more salmon, rainbow, brown stocking done in owasco being that water table is very similar to ontario. Lots of potential in this lake.

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[shaneo19]

Has anyone caught any small or medium sized Walleyes on Owasco in recent years?  Just wondering if any at all are making it naturally.

[justtracytrolling]

There are medium sized ones caught that certainly aren't 7 years old. The problem with using caught fish as your measuring stick is the small ones are nearly impossible to catch even if they are there. On Otisco where they have been stocked we see less than a handful of small eyes a season....like maybe 2-3% out of hundreds.

[alex1young]

There are medium sized ones caught that certainly aren't 7 years old. The problem with using caught fish as your measuring stick is the small ones are nearly impossible to catch even if they are there. On Otisco where they have been stocked we see less than a handful of small eyes a season....like maybe 2-3% out of hundreds.

 

I agree, I have never caught one under 5lbs but that isn't to say there aren't smaller ones.  

[BP Swing]

 

DEC/Cornell did a survey that showed that more anglers wanted Rainbows/Browns than walleyes. DEC has long maintained that the fishery can not support quality fishing for both. DEC has no plans to stock eyes in Owasco in the future.

 So whats new? The DEC is so blindsided and so trout happy they forget anglers want walleyes yet they dont stock them in any finger lakes except honeoye and conesus. They were in Hemlock and Canandaigua too at one point till the Alwives crowded them out. The DEC needs to ease up on the trout stuff. Thats what Lake O is for. Too bad about Owasco now.

[justtracytrolling]

Its not the DEC its US!!!! We as walleye guys don't have a

voice. Otisco is stocked also....