kueka Ciscoe stocking

[patom]

Did the DEC follow thru with ciscoe stocking on Kueka lake this fall? I read that landlocked salmon would not be stocked in favor of the baitfish stocking.

 

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[grumpy cat]

Yes they did. My understanding is they stocked around 100,000 Ciscoes. Also I have been told that Atlantic stocking has not stopped nor will it.


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[bulletbob]

 Those Ciscoes are probably  half eaten through already... bob

Edited November 24, 2018 by bulletbob

[grumpy cat]

 Those Ciscoes are probably  half eaten through already... bob

Maybe. I think the goal is for some holdovers and natural reproduction. One can only hope.


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[Lucky13]

19 hours ago, grumpy cat said:

Yes they did. My understanding is they stocked around 100,000 Ciscoes. Also I have been told that Atlantic stocking has not stopped nor will it.


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From a post from a diary cooperator last March, "From Diary program. “considering the current forage conditions in Keuka Lake, we are temporarily discontinuing these stocking programs.” (Browns/Atlantic). Rainbow stockings will get yearling Finger Lakes strain rainbow stockings in place of fingerlings. A bit larger fish.... "

[Lucky13]

From the Power Point used at the meeting back in the spring. (my bold)

 

Management Actions/Proposals
• Continue monitoring salmonine populations
 Gillnetting (3 yr), Angler diary (annually), spring RT (annually), RT
production (3 yr), Biomonitoring (coordinate agencies)
• Stock Finger Lakes strain rainbow trout yearlings
 Hatchery limited
• Eliminate brown trout and/or Atlantic salmon stocking
• Develop plan to monitor warmwater fishery
• Determine status of walleye population
• Develop forage fish assessment plan
• Stock cisco
 

[Sk8man]

I also keep diary for Keuka and they mentioned in the last summary report they were suspending the stocking of landlocks and browns and will stock yearling rainbows ( which they feel may stand a better chance of not being decimated) (my words). They also mentioned the intended stoicking of ciscos.

Edited November 24, 2018 by Sk8man

[jk1]

Hay I fish there a lot, almost every week.  I was in the diary program but quit because it is hard to keep records in a 14 foot utility boat that one of you guys called the "trailer trash".  I like that name.  Since August we have started to see a lot more alwives in the bellys of the lakers.  About every forth fish has them in their belly.  the fish look healthier, but we have not gotten any over 24 inches.  Numbers have improved from a low point last year.  We also found one 6 inch brown so them must have stocked some browns at least.   Anyway, just saying there is a slight improvement in the looks fo the fish and the bait fish too.......jk

[Sk8man]

Good to hear jk1. It will be interesting to see what happens if we get good ice too. last year we caught some good ones while perch fishing in shallow Itys actually a lot of fun on those little rods with 4 lb test line and little tiny jigs and a little more of a challenge landing them...my son Mark doing it

Edited November 24, 2018 by Sk8man

[grumpy cat]

Hay I fish there a lot, almost every week.  I was in the diary program but quit because it is hard to keep records in a 14 foot utility boat that one of you guys called the "trailer trash".  I like that name.  Since August we have started to see a lot more alwives in the bellys of the lakers.  About every forth fish has them in their belly.  the fish look healthier, but we have not gotten any over 24 inches.  Numbers have improved from a low point last year.  We also found one 6 inch brown so them must have stocked some browns at least.   Anyway, just saying there is a slight improvement in the looks fo the fish and the bait fish too.......jk

I’m certain they stocked Browns in the spring but I will find out for sure.


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[laketrout6]

Status of the walleye  population? Been fishing Keuka since 1962 an have NEVER heard or seen a walleye in the lake. Has anybody?

 

[Sk8man]

I haven't either and I've fished it for about that time as well and I knew quite a few old timers out there including Bill Snyder who owned the main bait shop around there who I knew real well and never heard any of them mention it either. It really did surprise me when I read that statement and just figured it was a mistaken statement that got mixed in.

Edited November 25, 2018 by Sk8man

[Lucky13]

There were Browns in Kueka  before stocking, they raise them at the Bath Hatchery, and occasionally one or two escape.

[Sk8man]

Yep and they have resided in the keuka Outlet since at least the late 50's that I know of.

[grumpy cat]

I stand corrected. I made some calls and understand they did not stock Atlantic’s or Browns in the lake but a few Browns were stocked in the Keuka outlet.


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[jerktroller]

Browns in keuka outlet cannot make their way into keuka lake but I’m sure a few end up in Seneca. My understanding was that browns and landlocks won’t be stocked in keuka for now but they could be again if bait bounces back. That info was from a meeting over a year ago so things may have changed 

[Lucky13]

Quote

 

Actually, the meeting was last May.

[jerktroller]

Oh sorry. Feels like it was longer ago

[jk1]

Sk8man, we have started using our longer (about three feet long) ice fishing rods with 6 pound fire line on Mitchell 308 reels in Keyuka lake only for lake trout.  Just to get more bang out of them, when they hit high up it really makes things interesting.  As I have said before we have not gotten one over 24 inches in a LONG time.  I am sure that there is one down there that eats these little trout but we have not hooked in to it in all these years.  Also it has been three weeks since we have been there due to the weather.........k

[Sk8man]

We had a couple last season that were about 26-27 caught "accidentally" while ice fishing for perch, and had a few smaller than that that were very scrawney too. I too have specific set-ups for the trout both ice fishing and from the boat that I use out deeper and either way it is fun. I'm now wondering if the Ciscos will be hitting on spikes along with the other fish through the ice.

Edited November 26, 2018 by Sk8man

[jerktroller]

I would not be surprised if some Ciscos get caught through the ice. Fairly common in some lakes in Canada. Very tasty also!

[shaneo19]

They should net some alewives from Seneca to stock in Keuka.  There are too many in Seneca right now which I think is having a big impact on the fish/fishing there for all species. 

[Sk8man]

It will be interesting to see how the ciscos work out in Keuka. In recent years folks have suspected that the Rainbow Smelt populations have crashed and they have become apparently non-existant. Rainbow Smelt eat the eggs of Cisco, Perch and other fish and can adversely affect the populations of them. Rainbow Smelt also have thiaminase as do alewives which affects predator fish reproduction when in their diet, so maybe if the lakers don't decimate them right off the bat it could turn out to be a positive step in the long run  for other species as well. Another major plus is the fact that lampreys don't inhabit Keuka, but somehow the overabundance of the long living lakers needs to be balanced once again. Maybe we all should be keeping the lakers jigged through the ice or otherwise caught regardless of end use.  It could probably help increase the populations of perch and other trout and salmon species as well. We've been throwing them back when catching them when ice fishing for perch but I think it may be worth reconsidering that approach.

Edited November 27, 2018 by Sk8man

[NYS_Steelhead_Stalker]

There’s no doubt that the laker population is out of control talked to a guy after ice out one year and he came back to the docks after trolling and said dang ice fisherman caught all the lakers. I laughed out loud and thought to my self that he must be doing something wrong because the lake trout population is insane and they are small and skinny to many fish not enough bait. Feel like that’s also why were seeing them in 15 fow last year trying to fish for Perch not enough bait to much competition the drifters had to go so shallow. 

[Gill-T]

Go shallow to eat gobies and perch.