where are the salmon

[Jose]

fishing 3 days (8/31_9/2) in and arount the plant, 1 for 2 with almost no marks on the scanner.  are they running late or just not any?

Jose aboard the happy hooker

 

[Trouthunter]

GO WEST YOUNG MAN

[ontherise]

If grasshopper says go west, you must indeed go west.

[pvelyk]

Based on what I have been seeing and getting on the boat by west you must mean Washington and Alaska.

[CaptDennis]

Based on what I have been seeing and getting on the boat by west you must mean Washington and Alaska.

Yep I feel the same way lol

[Grey Wolfe]

DEC should rethink about their stocking program. September 6th, one salmon gets weighted in, 5 steelhead, and 4 browns. And the biggest salmon is only 31-11#.? Just a few years ago we were all hoping to see a 40# in the LOC. Lake ontario is a sport man lake and the business are going to hurt if something is not done to get it back the way it was.

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[Xxx]

We all thought the same thing when the stopped the snagging, it hurt some but not as many as we thought. The people come from all walks of life to fish the best fishery in the world. Now you don't see near as many ambulances when you go fishing. That's a good thing!!! Be patient the fish will come.

[bandrus1]

DEC should rethink about their stocking program. September 6th, one salmon gets weighted in, 5 steelhead, and 4 browns. And the biggest salmon is only 31-11#.? Just a few years ago we were all hoping to see a 40# in the LOC. Lake ontario is a sport man lake and the business are going to hurt if something is not done to get it back the way it was.

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My buddy and I said yesterday that we r staying closer to home and fishing the finger lakes more next year

[john1947]

Outside the derbys I rarely see a boat down where i fish Years ago the harbor had over a dozen boat and they used them.Today everyone is on the computer little time for real fishing.Same goes for sailboats.

What realy bothers me the most is parents allowing their kids to spend endless hours on the net,sort of a cheap babysitter.No time for fishing or family.

Some day they will regret the choice

[regulator]

Is there an ongoing-updated report available from the Altmar hatchery, that tracks species, numbers, and life stage of current fish in the holding tanks? We went to the hatchery after a very uneventful 6 hour trip on Mexico Bay, and the half dozen or so tanks that were filled, were chock full of 3"-4" fish. I'll study the 2014 stocking report more closely, but it seems if the stocking targets are being met then the expected return of adults would substantiate those efforts. Between the problems with invasives, lamprey's, birds, etc.. the fishery has adapted and thrived. Now two back to back winters of near complete ice coverage must have played a huge part in overall numbers. Time will tell. If we get back to some normal winter weather and typical ice coverage and water temps, in three short years we could be living the good ol' days again.  

[Patriot]

Fishing out of Oswego is less than good. Fished yesterday from 3 until dark and could count the fish I saw on my ten fingers and not even a release. I heard fishing was better down by the nuke plant.

[Gill-T]

The last two years will become a blip on the screen IMO.  Two of the coldest winters (2013,2014) on record. Previous years 2011, 2012 were the end of one of the warmest decade on record.  The result of the warm decade was an explosion of bait and an unusual large increase in Gizzard Shad as they need warmer water.  2011, 2012 had spring time Gizzard Shad die-offs with confirmed VHS.  If you read how this virus spreads and is really active in 50 degree water, are shed in the urine of fish and stay viable in the water for days......you realize that our pen-reared fish were being bathed in VHS as these die-offs in south shore ports coincided with when the pen-projects were going on.  Add the gauntlet of the DEC tagging trailer experiment, cormorants etc etc. and you can make a good case for where the salmon went.  Good news is we NEEDED those cold winters to knock Gizzard Shad back to their low numbers.  There have been no die-offs the last two springs.  IMO you will see a return to more normalized fishing next year but more likely in two years.  

[skipper19]

The last two years will become a blip on the screen IMO. Two of the coldest winters (2013,2014) on record. Previous years 2011, 2012 were the end of one of the warmest decade on record. The result of the warm decade was an explosion of bait and an unusual large increase in Gizzard Shad as they need warmer water. 2011, 2012 had spring time Gizzard Shad die-offs with confirmed VHS. If you read how this virus spreads and is really active in 50 degree water, are shed in the urine of fish and stay viable in the water for days......you realize that our pen-reared fish were being bathed in VHS as these die-offs in south shore ports coincided with when the pen-projects were going on. Add the gauntlet of the DEC tagging trailer experiment, cormorants etc etc. and you can make a good case for where the salmon went. Good news is we NEEDED those cold winters to knock Gizzard Shad back to their low numbers. There have been no die-offs the last two springs. IMO you will see a return to more normalized fishing next year but more likely in two years.

Very true what is being said. I would add that over the past few years we humans have become much better predators as well. Advanced electronics, better intel, and open communication where and when it's peak time to fish.

There have been many salmon caught in the 2 year class and that seems as if it will recover some by next season, but on the other hand those 2 year class fish became a lot of creel take. It could be a couple years yet before the high point of adult salmon come back. Some of it will, just by the fact of discouraged anglers not showing up on the lake as much. Also some of those anglers have been targeting other species. I think it will have a natural reset IF the stocking of pacifics continues to be peak output. Just some thoughts of mine...Mark

[Sk8man]

After 40 years of fishing the Lake O salmon I would offer the following advice to the folks who might be considering giving up after a short run there. These phenomena have always been cyclical and for various reasons (bait availability both plus and minus, hatchery problems, viruses, various potential predation factors, water levels, tough winters, the effects of invasive species etc. etc. The key word here is cyclical and the lake has always seemed to be in a "catch up" mode  in that regard.....but it eventually happens despite all the "gloom and doom" scenarios. Back in the seventies folks couldn't unload their properties on the lake fast enough or cheaply enough because of the Mirex scare but a few years later things were back again.  One of the things I've experienced firsthand on both Seneca and Ontario is that these tough lean years can serve a valuable function as well as being frustrating and that is that it can make you better fishermen if you persist and don't give up. It forces you to become more resourceful, to pay closer attention to detail, to become more tolerant of longer times taken to catch fish, and above all patience which in this day and age is becoming a rare virtue. Everyone now expects instant answers and solutions to complex problems and this current state is one of those situations.....it rarely happens in real life.  The current bait levels of alewives continue to concern me but I also remember that in the past when levels of them get out of control there comes a massive die off smelling up the beaches so it make take something like that for the lake to be able to "auto correct" too.

[Gill-T]

Les, I didn't see an excess of bait this year.  I think we lost a good portion of the YOY alewives over the winter because the overpopulation of adult alewives ate them out of house and home.  Adult alewives can eat things that the smaller alewives can't or won't.  Studies in Lake Michigan show that 30% of adult alewife diet are comprised of the flea species, while YOY don't eat fleas.  We have also have seemingly lost our Emerald Shiners.  The skippers this year are smaller than normal as a result.  As you say.....it is cyclical.  The balance of predator vs prey is always cyclical so things will normalize if we are patient.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Gill-T

[Sk8man]

Gill-T great info you've given us to think about. I do know that earlier this season there we noted some very large amounts of bait present which now don't appear  but that may be for many reasons I'm sure. Guess we just need to hang in there for the long haul.

[Firechief48]

Back in the late 80's and early 90's fishing was great and at a peak then slowly fell off only to come back up again 5 years ago and now is falling off again. People are spoiled when fishing is great and expect it every trip. Enjoy the lake and the experience it will be back up

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[Rich D]

Deff no shortage of bait on the east end, which has been here all year. Also could be a reason we are not catching the numbers due to so much bait here.

Capt Rich

NY Guide Service

Lake Ontario Charters

Salmon River Drift Boat trips

Waterfowl Hunting.

[Gill-T]

Thanks Rich.  I fished Sodus at end of July and marked very little bait over a weekend so I just assumed the East end had its typical low bait census compared to the piles of bait we fish over here on the West end.  It probably is better for the food web as a whole to have the bait spread out over the entire lake.  I caught lots of skippies off the Niagara over the weekend that give me hope.

[chinook35]

In for a penny , in for a pound . I have fished Lake O for many years ,and the last 2 are by far the worst I have ever seen . I will continue to fish out this year ,hoping the majors materialize . I fished 6 days of the LOC derby and landed some fish , but the biggest fish weighed just  20 lbs. I remember years past when fishing solo , I was able to catch (and release ) 5-6 20 lb. + king salmon . I guess my take on these last 2  down years is an unwillingness to upgrade equipment  ( sonar ,fish hawk  etc.) until the fishery improves (if it does at all ) . Next year I will take a wait and see attitude . Normally I am on the water in mid July , but next season I will wait for reports of fish being caught before I venture out . The cost , in time ,boat fuel and maintenance ,cost of tackle ,fuel for truck , food and  BEVERAGES , just don't justify going salmon fishing . I hope , with all my heart , things improve .

[steelfire]

Hopefully the winter outlook is right! Maybe the Lake won't freeze over this winter.

 

Enlarge

 

Typical precipitation departures from late fall (Nov.) through winter (Mar.) during a moderate to strong El Nino.  (NOAA/CPC)

Here's some good news for the winter. Hopefully the Lake won't freeze over this year!!

 

 

Enlarge

 

Typical temperature departures from late fall (Nov.) through winter (Mar.) during a moderate to strong El Nino.  (NOAA/CPC)

 

First, keep two things in mind throughout this discussion of potential impacts:

1) El Niño is not the sole driver of the atmosphere at any time. Day-to-day variability in the weather pattern, including blocking patterns, forcing from climate change and other factors all work together with El Niño to determine the overall weather experienced over the timeframe of a few months.

2) No two El Niños are exactly alike. The intensity matters for impacts.

El Niño's clearest impact on northern hemisphere weather patterns occurs from late fall through winter.

Looking at past moderate-strong El Ninos, here are the upshots for temperatures and precipitation from late fall through winter in the U.S.:

- Wetter: Southern U.S. from California to the Carolinas then up parts of the East Coast

- Drier: Parts of the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, Northwest and Northern Rockies

- Cooler: Desert Southwest, Southern Plains, northern Gulf Coast

- Warmer: Northern tier of states from the Pacific Northwest to the Northern Plains, Great Lakes, and Northeast

Note these are impacts that are typically expected, but they aren't always the rule.

Edited September 7, 2015 by steelfire

[wallguy]

We fished out of Oak this weekend. Worst trip ever. Never boated a mature in the 3 boats we had fishing very hard every day. Few steel and shakers. Think 13lb was the big fish. 32 line to the peir head. 5 hrs from ohio and a whole lot of money. Im still sick over it all. Oh well . we fun anyway and its not all about the fish we know.....But they sure F@%ing help!!!

[Fishtails]

Chad, the bait was here during the Pro Am in Sodus thick as it was all year,. It was piled up in the brown trout waters. Can't remember seeing more bait than I did this year.

In the end, maybe we needed a couple years like this ? I had a west coast buddy who fished with me. He said on the Pacific side they are happy with one salmon. Two or three is very exciting to them. He caught 11 with me and couldn't understand why I kept trolling while battling a fish. Lol. He thought we were spoiled and greedy.

He may have been right.

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[Rich D]

Exactly Rod, I have seen this type of attitude in the S R now for the past 6-8 years. Last year we had some issues and if guys were not catching double digit fish they cried. We are very spoiled!!!! Like your buddy said, they are glad to get 1 fish a trip!!! We have world class fishing right here, and as everything else in life it goes through cycles. We have to take the good with the bad, and not expect to crush fish every time we go out. We will see good years again soon, just need to ride the coaster till we get there. Get out, enjoy the scenery and the company of whom ever you take fishing and be happy we are able to do that!!

Capt Rich

NY Guide Service

Lake Ontario Charters

Salmon River Drift Boat trips

Waterfowl Hunting.

[CaptDennis]

I just can't stop. Fishing is good, fishing is bad, I'm still fishing! There are always those really good days mixed and hours without a fish make that fish just that much more priceless.