Monroe County Lake Trout Stocking

[GAMBLER]

For years, the Feds/DEC have not been stocking lake trout in Monroe County waters with Lake Trout.  I am not sure of the reasoning.  With the stocking cuts, and the possible steelhead creel cuts, the lake trout are going to become more important to the Charter Captains and Rec anglers that fish out of the ports of Monroe County.  The last five or six years, laker fishing has been tougher and tougher.  With great king fishing, they have been left alone and not beat up at all.  I think it is time to make some noise and get the stocking of lake trout brought back. 

 

[whaler1]

I like gobies more


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[GAMBLER]

1 hour ago, whaler1 said:

I like gobies more


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You're dead to me Billy! 

[whaler1]

They should stock more rocks before lake trout!! Better fight, less slimy and taste much better!

According to Webster’s Dictionary the definition of disappointment “rigger goes off only for one to realize it’s another lake trout”

 

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[Gill-T]

Hmmmmm..........more lake trout = higher Gambler Rig sales.  I think we know what is going on here Brian 😂. 

[chinook35]

🤮


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[GAMBLER]

1 hour ago, Gill-T said:

Hmmmmm..........more lake trout = higher Gambler Rig sales.  I think we know what is going on here Brian 😂. 

The DEC boosted my sales by cutting king stocking!  I'm just asking for them to bring the stocking back to Monroe County.  With king stocking cuts, the lakers are going to save the day for most charter captains and rec guys.  Over the past couple of seasons, the numbers seem down from what they were 3 or so years ago.  With the pressure off of them the past three seasons, they should be loaded up good.   I used to be able to leave port on any given day all season, hit 120' and troll East and never run out of fish.  Now I have to put more time in searching for concentrations of lakers. 

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

5 hours ago, GAMBLER said:

For years, the DEC has not been stocking lake trout in Monroe County waters with Lake Trout.  I am not sure of the reasoning.  With the stocking cuts, and the possible steelhead creel cuts, the lake trout are going to become more important to the Charter Captains and Rec anglers that fish out of the ports of Monroe County.  The last five or six years, laker fishing has been tougher and tougher.  With great king fishing, they have been left alone and not beat up at all.  I think it is time to make some noise and get the stocking of lake trout brought back. 

I don't think you will see it. Lake Trout stocking will be emphasized where they are seeing natural reproduction--even if it is very poor. The Lake Trout restoration effort really has little to do with Sport fishing opportunity, they are said to have "intrinsic value". Brian, don't hold your breath waiting to be asked what you think anytime soon. 

Truth be told, Lake Trout, Walleye, and Cormorants are the obstacles to stocked Salmonoids making it their first year. Their predation on the stockies is well documented.  

BTW, the Feds stock the Lake Trout. 

Edited December 11, 2019 by Capt Vince Pierleoni

[Gill-T]

I will torpedo release my spring lakers towards the East Brian. 

[GAMBLER]

Just now, Gill-T said:

I will torpedo release my spring lakers towards the East Brian. 

[JakeyBaby]

They should stock more rocks before lake trout!! Better fight, less slimy and taste much better!
According to Webster’s Dictionary the definition of disappointment “rigger goes off only for one to realize it’s another lake trout”
 
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Now that's funny!!! [emoji1786][emoji1787][emoji1787]

[Sk8man]

13 hours ago, whaler1 said:

They should stock more rocks before lake trout!! Better fight, less slimy and taste much better!

According to Webster’s Dictionary the definition of disappointment “rigger goes off only for one to realize it’s another lake trout”

 

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OMG I'm still laughing at that one. Good one Bill

[Missdemeanor]

I asked the DEC ,earlier this year, why hasn't there been a Lake Trout stocking in the central basin recently....recently meaning the past 8 years. I was told Lakers are not doing well there.
Hmmmm..... Could be.

Lake Trout from this year...

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[BP Swing]

Im with you Gambler. Love the Lakers especially on jigs or stopping the boat and fighting them instead of dragging them. They fight awesome and dig the bottom. No issues here.

[Yankee Troller]

On 12/10/2019 at 4:24 PM, GAMBLER said:

With great king fishing, they have been left alone and not beat up at all.

 

#fakenews

 

There are many lazy captains between Rochester and Sodus that will not drive a half mile over Lake Trout to catch a Salmon. LOL

[Lucky13]

It needs to be remembered that Bob O'Gorman, before he retired, made a presentation on Lake Trout at a SOL meeting where he showed data that indicated that because of predation,  (as Captain Perlioni points out) lake trout stocked at a density of less than (I recall, but it could have been higher)  50,000 per site, didn't survive to adulthood.   The more that were stocked at a site, over the critical number, the more that could escape the predators.   At that time, Bob indicated that while numbers stocked would remain at numbers they were introducing, the number of stocking sites would be reduced to try to get a significant survivor population.  As Vince also points out, sites that made the cut were in areas where they had found evidence of natural reproduction.  They might also come back on the argument about no LT stocking in MC, by saying that they shore stock browns and Randolph strain (domestic) rainbows in two Monroe County sites, and if they increased lakers, they would have to reduce those stockings.   Then it would be a choice of which bread and butter you like, because brown fishing in the spring in MC is about as good as it gets on the Lake.

[Charlie P]

Having a rigger go off and finding out it's a Laker is the same as when they turn the lights on at closing time and the 10 you've been hitting on turns out to be a 5.

Edited December 14, 2019 by Charlie P

[whaler1]

“Look real close ‘cuz strobe lights lie”


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[Missdemeanor]

I don't buy into the whole stocking cuts theory at all....
If the DEC was so concerned that the predator /prey ratio was way off... Why were they going to introduce more predators of alewifes into the lake this year?
Here is the story... Pen Rearing fish in general can increase survivability 2:1 for kings and as high as 7:1 for Steelhead.. That is using the science and studies done... So here we have the proposal to Pen rear the Atlantic Salmon that were usually direct stocked... So using the the "Science" , at least twice the number of Atlantic's would survive...and maybe as much as seven times ... Basically more predators being put into a system that is allegedly low on prey ... That doesn't make sense to me so forgive me looking at all the science about predator / prey ratios with a jaundice eye.
I'm glad the guys in the little Salmon River turned down the opportunity at pen rearing Atlantics.Great move until the Alewife "rebounds"and our king stocking numbers return to normal.
Maybe then Lake Trout can be revisited.

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[shawn393]

25 minutes ago, Missdemeanor said:

I don't buy into the whole stocking cuts theory at all....
If the DEC was so concerned that the predator /prey ratio was way off... Why were they going to introduce more predators of alewifes into the lake this year?
Here is the story... Pen Rearing fish in general can increase survivability 2:1 for kings and as high as 7:1 for Steelhead.. That is using the science and studies done... So here we have the proposal to Pen rear the Atlantic Salmon that were usually direct stocked... So using the the "Science" , at least twice the number of Atlantic's would survive...and maybe as much as seven times ... Basically more predators being put into a system that is allegedly low on prey ... That doesn't make sense to me so forgive me looking at all the science about predator / prey ratios with a jaundice eye.
I'm glad the guys in the little Salmon River turned down the opportunity at pen rearing Atlantics.Great move until the Alewife "rebounds"and our king stocking numbers return to normal.
Maybe then Lake Trout can be revisited.

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I couldn't agree with you more. None of these moves make any sense to me. I am more than a bit sceptical about about their claims of baitfish #'s. I seen crazy amounts of bait most of the summer on my screen

[Missdemeanor]

It's not science Shawn.... Our observations don't mean diddly...

I couldn't agree with you more. None of these moves make any sense to me. I am more than a bit sceptical about about their claims of baitfish #'s. I seen crazy amounts of bait most of the summer on my screen

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[Sk8man]

One of the things that has been in the back of my mind for awhile regarding the stocking issues is dietary diversity of the various trout and salmon species and considerations relating to it. The trout and salmon species vary radically in their dietary habits and preferences and despite the current focus on alewives; each species offers a different level of "threat" to the alewife base with associated differences in time frames i.e immediacy. For example, the Pacific salmon being the roaming and free-ranging non-bottom-feeders they are (genetically) feed nearly entirely on saltwater derivative baitfish such as the alewife. Previously (when they were available) Atlantics fed on the rainbow smelt (which is related to Capelin a close relative in the smelt family which serves a primary source of food for the ocean goer Atlantics. In fresh water  It takes an Atlantic about two to three years (smolts) before their organs are developed enough to ingest baitfish. Until then they feed on insects and small invertebrates, plankton, and crustaceans found in streams and nearshore areas as well as insect hatches of caddisflies, mayflies blackflies and that sort of thing. Atlantics exhibit pronounced diet diversity throughout their lives (4-7 yrs usually) and may be a reason why they are out deep with the steelies in the summer when all the insects are available out there.  The Pacific salmon are faster growing with shorter life spans but during most of their life they feed pretty much exclusively on alewives in Lake Ontario. Point is that Atlantics don't have much immediate impact on the alewife baitfish base for 3 or 4 years. They are also thought to be quite vulnerable to stress or injury when caught and released and are known to be very susceptible to many viruses, bacteria, and fungus so it isn't surprising that they don't seem to fare very well in the current lake environment. I guess I should also state that the Kings are my ultimate favorite Lake O fish and it is rather discouraging to think that being as vulnerable as they are because of their dietary focus they could be particularly affected by a decimated alewife population if that is or becomes fact.

Edited December 14, 2019 by Sk8man

[Fat Trout]

4 hours ago, Missdemeanor said:

I don't buy into the whole stocking cuts theory at all....
If the DEC was so concerned that the predator /prey ratio was way off... Why were they going to introduce more predators of alewifes into the lake this year?
Here is the story... Pen Rearing fish in general can increase survivability 2:1 for kings and as high as 7:1 for Steelhead.. That is using the science and studies done... So here we have the proposal to Pen rear the Atlantic Salmon that were usually direct stocked... So using the the "Science" , at least twice the number of Atlantic's would survive...and maybe as much as seven times ... Basically more predators being put into a system that is allegedly low on prey ... That doesn't make sense to me so forgive me looking at all the science about predator / prey ratios with a jaundice eye.
I'm glad the guys in the little Salmon River turned down the opportunity at pen rearing Atlantics.Great move until the Alewife "rebounds"and our king stocking numbers return to normal.
Maybe then Lake Trout can be revisited.

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Just curious ...and only curious...did they turn down atlantics or whatever would be pen reared?  I was talking with Bob at Salmon Country and from what I understood the Pen thing degraded into not enough help and he just didn't have the manpower to do it. He was telling me how long it took to wire tie the nets to the pen etc.   I don't even remember how it came up, probably because I saw the pen sitting there and asked him.  He was telling me something to the effect that those that might have helped had more interest in other things ie browns than steelhead or others.  I could be off, only asking again out of curiosity.  I realize that volunteer effort is insufficient generally speaking everywhere and usually falls on the shoulders of a very few. Admittedly, my knowledge is piece meal.  

Edited December 14, 2019 by Fat Trout

[Trouthunter]

Then why do the Atlantics do so well in the waters in the Detour Passage of Lake Huron the University of Michigan has the best stocking program anywhere maybe New York State could learn something from them 

[Missdemeanor]

The United States (NY) has been Stocking them for a while now... Canada for as long as I can remember... The fish just haven't taken the foothold....Im hearing excuses like "This particular strain"..ect... Doesn't matter what fish they stock, if the bait doesn't show up where the trawls are done, and they cut stocking of other species... Don't add more predators...

Then why do the Atlantics do so well in the waters in the Detour Passage of Lake Huron the University of Michigan has the best stocking program anywhere maybe New York State could learn something from them 

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