Lake Durant

[old man]

I just got back from a few days camping here. One would think in a 300 acre lake that gets 1900 tigers every year that a savvy musky guy like myself could at least see one in 26 hours of casting. Such is not the case. Never saw one and it's not the first time by any means. The fishing is tricky here. About 25% of the lake is not fishable due to weeds to the surface and beyond. In the rest of the lake you have about a foot of water to work in over a solid mat of thick weeds. If the dec is stocking tigers here to create a tiger fishery they are wasting a lot of fish. Maybe they stock them here to keep the bass under control or for loon food? Bass on the other hand are another story. I caught so many lmb i almost enjoyed it. Every one on a black whopper plopper.

[EsoxOnly]

Sounds like a wasted trip aside from the view. Should have been on otisco!

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[old man]

Sounds like a wasted trip aside from the view. Should have been on otisco!

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for sure. But my wife needs her Adirondack fix every year. It seems a shame to put 1900 tigers in here every year. The access is not good there. The launch is ok but there is a lot to wreck a boat here and none of it is marked. They should give up on Durant and boost Conesus and Otisco by 950 each. Also,i am not sure what the tigers are supposed to eat at Durant. Never saw a bluegill or perch or any minnow?

[EsoxAC3]

Wonder if its more productive ice fishing for them? So u dont have to deal with all of the vegetation..... One would have to believe some forage to support lmb and tiger.

[Tigerhunter]

I fished up there about 8 years ago. I didn't even put my outboard down because of all the "unmarked" rocks. I was only able to fish it for a few hours but managed a nice largemouth. There is an abundance of small perch in there, we were dragging our jigging rods behind us looking for bait to throw out on a rig. I wouldn't say it is a total waste, I've seen a guy on a different forum catch a fair amount of them in open water. I've also seen some decent ice fishing reports from there. I will most likely never make it up there again, at least not for the sole purpose of tiger fishing that lake, maybe a quick stop between hiking or something.

Old man- I have 2 lakes by me that are the same size or smaller that get a couple hundred tigers each year (one just got bumped up to 1200 I think). I don't put in the time that I should but you'd think I would have seen one there by now.

[Sk8man]

I fished there a couple times in the past and it is beautiful surroundings etc. but the fishing really sucked.I had better luck at Indian lake.

[HybridHunter]

Old Man, get ahold of me when your wife, and you, need your next Adirondack fix.

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[Sk8man]

Oh oh Delta?

[HybridHunter]

No water or tigers in Delta right now.

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[Sk8man]

Ah....haven't been there in awhile....used to be pretty good fishing though. My buddy used to have a place right on the Black River  between Remsen and Forestport next to the bridge on Bellingertown Road. Used to be some nice eyes in Delta then  if I remember correctly .

Edited August 21, 2016 by Sk8man

[NPike]

I’m surprised people are catching Tigers anywhere during the course of the last month by Casting with this extreme heat. You won’t get them by casting on Conesus with surface water temps at 80 degrees. Conesus has deep water and they are getting a few (not may, BTW) by trolling 20+ FOW.

[justtracytrolling]

Casting is still producing plenty on Otisco but not any big fish, 40 plus, that I know of... trolling is very slow but if you hook one it will be decent.

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[NPike]

Casting is still producing plenty on Otisco but not any big fish, 40 plus, that I know of... trolling is very slow but if you hook one it will be decent.

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That’s interesting. I wonder why they bite reality shallow on Otisco and not Conesus (say >= 16 to 17) FOW or less? They are both deep lakes with plenty of alewives. On Conesus BTT the surface temp reaches 75 degrees you can forget about casting for tigers.

[old man]

Old Man, get ahold of me when your wife, and you, need your next Adirondack fix.

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will do,thanks

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[old man]

just wait til this stuff shows up. 420 pieces of gear for only $19.99! I am coming to get you ricky musky.

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[MuskysAnonymous]

If you search "Lake Durant Fishing" in a Google search engine and click images, you will see a sample of some of the large fish caught in Lake Durant. 40+ inches, ~20lbs.  Many are caught ice fishing. You can catch them in Lake Durant on giant minnows...I guarantee it.  Its just like Whetstone Reservoir, you can cast Whetstone for hours, days, and nothing. Use giant minnows, and you can catch 8-10 in a single day.  I seen this 'phenomenon' at a few ADK lakes; cast artificials and it produces nothing. Go back with live bait, the lake is on fire.  Never understood the mechanism behind it. However, I guarantee if you go back to Lake Durant and set up with live bait and wait, you will get giants in there. Kayuta lake is the same way. The Tigers which were stocked in there back in 2008 were caught handily with live bait, trolling and casting was very difficult.  If  you want one more tip, try Horseshoe lake or Soft Maple reservior next. Local guys I speak to on the job are showing me pictures of absolute monsters..47-48 inches just this summer alone in Soft Maple.  Mostly on live bait...however they are truly giant fish.

Edited August 22, 2016 by MuskysAnonymous