Why is Tiger Musky Fishing more productive in Otisco than in Conesus?

[muskiedreams]

I have been very curios about answering this question and finding out if something can be done to improve tiger fishing in Conesus. It could have a little to do with number of anglers targeting them but I think it is more than that. There are quite a few locals who target walleye at night early in the season but I have never heard about them catching tigers while targeting walleye like at Otisco. Of course those guys seem to be somewhat quiet.

The only stocking records I could find on the DEC site is from 2014. 11,000 8 inchers for Otisco and 9,500 8.5 inchers for Conesus. One thing I noticed that I was curious about, is that there was no listing in the Onondaga County table for walleye at Otisco. The Livingston County table showed 65,000 at 1.5 inch for Conesus. Does anyone know anything about that?

Back to the question. Does anyone have any thoughts on why Conesus is not as productive? Are there any other differences between the lakes that could help explain why this is so. Is there any census or study data available from each lake that could shed some light. I am just thinking that it would be nice If something could be done to try to improve the tiger fishing there. It is deeper and much larger than Otisco. Also, it has pike and not pickerel and Otisco is the opposite. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

I am wondering if maybe stocking them larger there would help. Maybe it could be done by pen raising. If so, maybe a program could be done by involving SUNY Geneseo students or local anglers..

Does anyone else have any thoughts or ideas on this subject? Maybe we can bring this up to the Region 8 DEC office for consideration and get their thoughts on the subject.

 

Since I can't go fishing now I might as well talk fishing. Sort of like Talking Dead. By the way, I don't watch Talking Dead or Walking Dead.

[Ronix 51]

Steve my guess would be an additional predator species in conesus (pike) help do more damage on tiger fingerling survival, Conesus is larger, has a lot more available habitat, and perhaps has less people specifically targeting tigers so angler catch rates might not depict what's actually going on under the surface. Plus it's hard to target tigers and avoid pike catches there as well.

 

These are just guesses though

[shawn393]

I have never fished otisco. Are alewives present there? I know in conesus it is pretty tough to catch summer walleye because they suspend and gorge themselves on alewives.Does the bait population have something to do with it?I used to fish conesus a lot and have caught thousands of pike compared to only 6 or 7 tigers. i'm no expert on tiger behavior 

[muskiedreams]

Do you think it might be worthwhile to stock larger fingerlings and do you think pen raising also might help them to acclimate to their new environment so they can be more successful at avoiding predation? Also , do you think this is something that would be worth bringing up with the DEC. If so, who do you think we should talk to? I have no idea what they have done in regard to monitoring the tiger population or if it is something that would have to be done before considering a change.

 

It sure would be nice if Conesus tiger fishing could be improved.

[GAMBLER]

Do you think it might be worthwhile to stock larger fingerlings and do you think pen raising also might help them to acclimate to their new environment so they can be more successful at avoiding predation? Also , do you think this is something that would be worth bringing up with the DEC. If so, who do you think we should talk to? I have no idea what they have done in regard to monitoring the tiger population or if it is something that would have to be done before considering a change.

 

It sure would be nice if Conesus tiger fishing could be improved.

I would rather see more effort go into the pike population before they do more with the tigers.  Conesus is nothing like it was years ago. 

[muskiedreams]

That is more something that would have to be done with management which might involve changing regulations such as size or creel limits. They don't stock pike in NY. Over harvesting might be a big factor but another question might be if there are any issues with the spawning/nursery ponds south of the lake.

[justtracytrolling]

is probably a number of factors...

First we get 11-13 inch Browns stocked and I watch the tigers tear em at daybreak for a couple weeks after they are stocked every summer

Second I've been told by 2 different region 7 biologists that the alewive population is insane on Otisco for size and numbers...supposedly better than the other fingers

Third I've been told otisco receives the best and biggest fingerlings each year

Lastly the stocking density is far lower in cones us

The reason there is no walleye data for 2014 is we didn't get any....conesus was moved to every year stocking and we went to every other year

[justtracytrolling]

Also method of stocking differs...they scatter stock conesus by pontoon in open water up till last year...Otisco puts em in the weeds in 2 spots where they imprint and those 2 spots are where everyone fishes for em

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[justtracytrolling]

Ronix is right also...unless somebody puts major time and money on the water AND open posts the trips its hard to say what gets caught. If I didn't post and didn't get esox only posting after he spent a couple days on my boat how many big tigers has anyone heard of out of Otisco. BTW there are a couple other guys that do well that I know that wouldn't share if there life depended on it. Now if we had 50 anglers on each lake doing a diary and fishing every weekend we would have some stats to compare...

Sent from my XT1080 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[muskiedreams]

Wow I didn't know about the walleye stocking.

 

The walleye stack up like sardines in the Conesus inlet at the south end of the lake. I don't know if for sure there is actually any natural spawning success but I think there is. I have heard that there are a few other smaller creeks they run up too.

 

Is there any natural spawning success for walleye happening at Otisco?

 

According to the 2014 stocking info for tigers that I mentioned above, Otisco got 11,000 at 8" and Conesus got 9,500 at 8,5" (1/2'larger) but Conesus is probably at least 5 times the size of Otisco.

 

I have heard about tiger stocking programs in Ohio where they stock them at 12 to 14 inches. I believe that is the baitfish fund that Mike Money  started. From what I understand, they had determined that it greatly increased the survival rate.

 

If they scatter stock the tigers in open water at Conesus, it seems like the majority of them would end up as pike food and bird food. That just doesn't make sense to me. There are many good weed bed areas that would make more sense to stock them in. Unless they are also concerned about the largemouth eating them.

[Ivan]

OH doesnt raise or stock any tigers. All pures. They do feed their muskies minnows at the hatchery, and they are getting nice fingerlings.

Edited January 9, 2016 by Ivan

[old man]

Conesus has a good population of above average size pike that slaughter the stocked tigers.

[old man]

my best Conesus pike bait; a 4" redeye painted to resemble a tiger

[Xxx]

ImageUploadedByLake Ontario United1452308906.181586.jpgmy best Conesus pike bait; a 4" redeye painted to resemble a tiger

Well that ought to tell ya something, the jacka$$es are lazy they just pump the fingerlins in at the boat launch and the stripers and muskies have a feast for a few days, "walleyes&Browns" our lake is 7 miles long we offered to boat them around for the PA. Fish Com. but no. Total waist of money!!

[justtracytrolling]

Pen projects probably would help. As far as predation goes everything eats them as they float like dead sticks. The tigers themselves gorge on them. They need weeds and gotta protect them from herons too...we do a good job keeping predation down by babysitting them at night

[justtracytrolling]

Steve

The walleye reproduce fine...the alewives eat almost all of the fry

[GAMBLER]

I agree the pike creel should be dropped. 5 is WAY to many. 1 or two would be a lot better. Definitely a one pike limit on the ice and use a slot limit in the winter. I do enjoy eating pike but I let the big girls swim.

[justtracytrolling]

I think 5 is too many for anything other than panfish. Properly managed for pike, ny could have many trophy waters at NO cost to anyone. The fish are there and don't even need to be stocked just change some rules...no brainer and something about everyone should want and support.

[muskiedreams]

I think in Canada, the limits are a lot more strict. You aren't allowed to transport any more than a day's catch, even if frozen. I think they even have rules about how many fish you can have in your freezer at any one time.

Edited January 9, 2016 by muskiedreams

[Ronix 51]

NY definitely needs to reconsider their creel limit on pike...I would like to see a slot limit myself to protect the larger fish that seem to become very vulnerable during the ice season. 5 fish over 22" is outdated IMO.

[muskiedreams]

It is just some waters that the min.size for pile is 22". The statewide regulation is 18". That is what pickerel should be. Even at 22" you aren't going to get much meat. A pike has to be well into the mid 30s before it has shoulders.

[mostlymuskies]

NY Chapter 69 M.I. needs to write a legislation for changes to Northern Pike Catch Limits and Size Limits and send it to me to take to Erie County & Chautauqua County Federation of Sportsmen's Club's. From there we will get other Federations in NY State to sign on and then send the approved Legislation up to the NY State Conservation Council for their aproval to send on to the NY State Legislature for Committee, that includes the NSDEC.Much easier to get changes this way,just takes a while to get thru NY State Legislature.Sometimes we can also get a couple NY State Assembly Members to endorse it and it will move thru quicker.But to get it done that is the system for at l east any chance at all.

[mostlymuskies]

Sorry,I will be down the Rupinuni River and up the Rewa River 97 miles from anything,out of Internet range by early tomorrow morning,so will not be able to help with this until the middle of March when I return.

Edited January 10, 2016 by mostlymuskies

[Mr.Esox]

Cmon MI folks don't you have an answer or opinion ?

[Ronix 51]

Cmon MI folks don't you have an answer or opinion ?

To which topic?