Seneca Lake stocking

[lakebound88]

Hey fellow anglers of seneca lake. I wanted to share some prospecting info for our cherished waterway. Tomorrow, we will be setting 13,500 lake TROUT go in the south end, while we also let another 13,500 go in the north end for the fall stocking. In the spring, I believe there will be another large number of fish stocked as well.

Just figured I'd let everyone know. The future looks promising. I will be one boat on hand. I believe we have enough boats. If you're interested in seeing this, contact me. I can let you in on where and when.

Nick

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

Sure wish those numbers were rainbow, browns and landlocks each along with the lakers

[Sea-IV]

Sure wish those numbers were rainbow, browns and landlocks each along with the lakers

I agree and would think that after all these years the lake trout numbers were up.

[Skidplate]

Do you know why they stopped doing it at Lodi?

[lakebound88]

They will be doing the spring in Lodi. They lost contact to other boats who used to help. I volunteered....

Les, I agree with you, minus the bows. I love the natural reproduction they have. It is getting stronger. I think a better answer for salmon would be to triple the numbers. I tried to convince the state to allow a pen project for salmon

I don't get far..

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

My thinking is that the lake is very big and there are many feeder streams on it and not all of the spawning is at the one at the south end as I stream fished many of the others on both sides of the lake (names left out on purpose ) for many years with very low fishing pressure because few fishermen realized they were present there . The main problem was locals living right nearby who took many of the spawners at night illegally. It could be that the rainbows already in the lake (and streams) could benefit from the addition of some genetically strong rainbows introduced and stocked near the other streams that have water year round. The complaint was that there were few rainbows in Seneca and that the stream at the end of the lake had been severely compromised with high water conditions and environmental factors which compromised the spawning efforts. For years bows have been my "specialty"  and I often fish specifically for them and the one limit is a problem in that regard because even though I release nearly all fish if a bow goes belly up I go back for them and keep them so that pretty much ends the fishing for them because if another does the same you have no choice but to leave the fish and that is wrong. They are a wonderful fish  and it would seem to me that the existing population of them could use some help in proliferating. Adding more landlocks is also highly desirable as they are real acrobats and add a lot to the fishing experience. I wish they would add some to Canandaigua too but the available streams are much more limited for spawning here. Thanks for helping out with the stocking efforts Nick.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Sk8man

[grumpy cat]

Do the salmon reproduce naturally in the local streams around Seneca?

[Skidplate]

They will be doing the spring in Lodi. They lost contact to other boats who used to help. I volunteered....

Les, I agree with you, minus the bows. I love the natural reproduction they have. It is getting stronger. I think a better answer for salmon would be to triple the numbers. I tried to convince the state to allow a pen project for salmon

I don't get far..

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Well that's BS I guess all the cans we have that say fish dump never happened.

[lakebound88]

?

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[lakebound88]

I don't understand your comment and why you quoted me

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Skidplate]

The boats and people are there

[Skidplate]

Sorry I was quoting the first sentence

[Keep'n it Reel]

From what I have been told and read the salmon have a very very very very low success rate when it come to natural reproduction... Although in contact from last year there was a very very small amount of natural fry found so there is hope...... And les you know I have a tremendous passion for the lake and t fishery and for that I strongly agree with the one fish rule us fisherman can be very hard headed and stuck in are ways and next to a full time charter Captain on Seneca lake I would strongly say I am in the top tree of guys with the most trips logged on Seneca lake either being for fun or charters and I can say that in the past few years alone the average size of the rainbows caught have increased and also the numbers caught in the lake and streams both the runs have been very very strong lake wide. Now I'm not pulling knowledge from over 10 years ago because I don't personally have that information I'm going off of my one first hand experiences in the last 5 years that I have been seriously focusing on fishing both the lake and streams...

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Skidplate]

Ok I'm not poop talking you two are bad a$$ on the fingers all I was saying is that the fish stocking has changed some of us local simple folk would like to help again

[Keep'n it Reel]

I'm no bad ass trust me I'm just a kid that goes fishing.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

I guess despite it being VERY unpopular and especially coming from a long term stream fisherman it could have been much more productive to close the stream fishing for a few years so that the redds aren't trampled at least on that one main stream and it makes it easier for enforcement because nobody would be allowed there day or NIGHT. I still remember seeing an 18 lb. rainbow in the ice chest in front of Harman's Sport Shop when I was a kid and realizing even then what a great fishery we had there and I too hope it returns to at least a better one for them than now.

[Keep'n it Reel]

Closing the creeks is out of the question it has been mentioned New York State has worked too hard to gain the access and the right aways for most of the areas and you can't stop a criminal unfortunately you will always have those ones that feel they need to go against the grain and the law. And if the trends of the last few years continue I think you will

See a fantastic rainbow fishery in the next few years maybe even this upcoming season!!!!!! I know I'm excited after the year I had on the lake.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

I have never believed that taking too many rainbows by trolling fishermen has been the origin of the general problem with low numbers being reported on Seneca. The major possible problem in my view was that of stream degradation down near you relative to flooding and the fact that quite a bit of spawning was dependent on it for a particular year class (s) as it is at the south end here on Canandaigua  and possibly the "lifting" of spawners while vulnerable.  I never experienced that reported problem on Seneca or here because I was specifically fishing for bows in the top 70-75 ft of water (on purpose to avoid lakers) while many folks use a much more general approach to fishing and most of the time I was fishing a different part of the lake (northern half) where there are active spawners using the smaller streams and  not dependent on the one down in your area. If the numbers of rainbows have come up as quickly in the lake as suggested it would probably not be because of the one fish rule it would relate to better spawning conditions and less or no flooding of the beds the past few years in my view.  I am not against the one fish rule per se but I think it was prematurely enacted and incompletely thought out and it was inappropriate to extend it to lakes where there is no known problem (e.g. Canandaigua) just for the sake of "continuity".  As you folks reported  after the recent tourney  there isn't a lack of rainbows here at all.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Sk8man

[FishingTheFL]

If there is a contract for the right of way, I don't think that it can change if they shut down stream fishing. Right a ways can stay open for researchers keeping the right a ways contracts good. Like you said tho can't stop all criminals, but there are ways to deal with them. Game cams are and easy start. If your caught on camera at night.... ticket. No point of being in creeks after night... I haven't seen a smelt run since I was 10 or 12.... almost 20 years... I'm sure closing them down won't stop people from illegal harvests... but it will slow them down. Hopefully.

Edited October 8, 2015 by FishingTheFL

[lakebound88]

Dark water. The guy who used to set up the stocking efforts had retired and I believe it was a simple loss of communication as to why they didn't do lodo this year. He said they have done Lodi and roys marina for years. This is the first time ever, that they know of, Lakers being stocked in the south end. It could be a good thing. But like I said, roys is still getting stocked. I'll be honest, maybe get one or two Lakers a year on the south five miles of lake.... Rest are salmon and browns.

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

I believe that a lot of the laker spawning has traditionally in years past anyway happened down near Peach Orchard as well as the north end so it could make real good sense to put them in down there. Hopefully some of the spawning beds have recovered by now from the flooding years ago and the silt deposits on the beds.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Sk8man

[lakebound88]

A few pictures. Was a lot of fun.

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Nautitroller]

Very cool! Did you take them up the lake and distribute them, or do they all go on one spot?

Sent from my C771 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[ifishy]

From my limited knowledge the lake trout population is doing quite well and natural reproduction is up.  I think this affords a great opportunity to stock more silver fish.  I would go one further and even say maybe try coho or dare I say it kings I dont know if the lake could support that voracious of a predator and I know the DEC would never go for it but if its put out there I can always dream

[lakebound88]

They were scattered amongst, from 100 fow to 250.

I have spoke with Dec. They won't even increase salmon stocking (Atlantic) due to the belief that the lake, lacks bait. This lake needed some fish introduced, and note my previous post. There will be more fish stocked come spring....

I'm glad guys have concerns, and I'm glad this has got everyone thinking and speaking their mind, but please remember I volunteered for this to help. This is a put and take fishery, please voice your concerns to our DEC

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app