Unicorn!!!

[GreasyLuck]

It was a terrible day for kings out of Oswego went 100-600, stayed around 375 for awhile with nice green water no takers but did manage this beauty Atlantic 32” and 13#.

 

 

GreasyLuck

[whaler1]

Great fish!


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[Wassup8687]

Very nice. Congratulations

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[Chowdaire]

Beauty!


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[Trouthunter]

We need more beauties like these out in the lake 

 

[seanc25]

Love Atlantics like that

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[steelhead'r]

On 8/15/2020 at 8:59 PM, Trouthunter said:

We need more beauties like these out in the lake 

 

DEC has been trying for decades with Federal $ and fish to get these reestablished in LO along with lakers. Returns have been very skimpy to say the least.  it is thought that most run out to the Atlantic Ocean and never return. My feelings are save the money and add numbers to pacific salmonids and BT

[Trouthunter]

They should follow what the kids due up at the University of Michigan they have created a super fishery in Lake Huron at the Detour passage

 

[King Davy]

Not sure what they are doing at UM on the landlock program. The 5 Star program is at Lake Superior State University (LSSU). Check out their site and live camera in the St Mary’s. They are getting returns in the several 1000’s. But the St Marys which is the river that drains Lake Superior generally has cold water throughout the summer which creates favorable habitat for returns. UM is probably heading the salmon program that has created a late summer fall and spring fishery on the PM and other noteworthy Michigan rivers.

 

NYS only stocks 60k AS. They do get additional fish from Tunison at Cornell. These fish are still being studied for best results according to strains stocked. There are several that have been tried. Including DEC and USGS capturing returning males and females in the Salmon

And trucking them to Tunison to spawn.

Thus starting to stock fish who are descendants of adults that returned to the Salmon.

 

Last week DEC put a camera in a thermal relief area of the salmon and found a few hundred salmon. Trib creel results from Oak Orchard from Sept last year through April this year resulted in reports of over 2,500 AS caught.

 

I caught many both bright and spawning colored up hook jawed fish that put on spectacular shows on a rod and reel in the fall through the dead of winter.

 

Is the program going to rival the pacific fishery, no and that’s not the goal. With our limited habitat on the south shore rivers the goal is to try and create a river fishery on the few rivers that can support them. There are four of five in that category.

 

They are icing on the cake for the lake fishery. They aren’t the same fighter being pulled on behind a trolling boat IMHO. But they will show you why they are considered one of the greatest game fish around the world when caught in a river.

 

In essence they are trying (and are having success) to create another sport fishing option.

 

 

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[GAMBLER]

17 hours ago, King Davy said:

Not sure what they are doing at UM on the landlock program. The 5 Star program is at Lake Superior State University (LSSU). Check out their site and live camera in the St Mary’s. They are getting returns in the several 1000’s. But the St Marys which is the river that drains Lake Superior generally has cold water throughout the summer which creates favorable habitat for returns. UM is probably heading the salmon program that has created a late summer fall and spring fishery on the PM and other noteworthy Michigan rivers.

 

NYS only stocks 60k AS. They do get additional fish from Tunison at Cornell. These fish are still being studied for best results according to strains stocked. There are several that have been tried. Including DEC and USGS capturing returning males and females in the Salmon

And trucking them to Tunison to spawn.

Thus starting to stock fish who are descendants of adults that returned to the Salmon.

 

Last week DEC put a camera in a thermal relief area of the salmon and found a few hundred salmon. Trib creel results from Oak Orchard from Sept last year through April this year resulted in reports of over 2,500 AS caught.

 

I caught many both bright and spawning colored up hook jawed fish that put on spectacular shows on a rod and reel in the fall through the dead of winter.

 

Is the program going to rival the pacific fishery, no and that’s not the goal. With our limited habitat on the south shore rivers the goal is to try and create a river fishery on the few rivers that can support them. There are four of five in that category.

 

They are icing on the cake for the lake fishery. They aren’t the same fighter being pulled on behind a trolling boat IMHO. But they will show you why they are considered one of the greatest game fish around the world when caught in a river.

 

In essence they are trying (and are having success) to create another sport fishing option.

 

 

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Could Huron Atlantics survive better due to less alewife in their diets?  

Edited August 19, 2020 by GAMBLER

[King Davy]

The atlantics in the St Mary’s running into Huron feed on Smelt, huge caddis and Hex hatches. And they grow into the 20 pound ranges.

 

They’ll feed on different shiners as well. I’ve visited the Hatchery at LSSU. Roger Griel the biologist and professor took 15 years to find a strain of AS that would imprint and return to his hatchery. They are a tricky fish to raise in captivity.

 

While the LO program has gone on for many years it’s been about the last 6/7 that DEC, USGS, and USF&W have gotten their scientists working in conjunction of a program.

 

As we speak this week USF&W and DEC are floating the Salmon River. They are investigating thermal zones of colder water in the Salmon. There are several. There has been several stream habitat projects on the Salmon the last few years directed by USF&W.

 

When they locate and mark these thermal relief sites even in the dead of summer, it may provide opportunity to do some rehab work to create solid holding areas for AS. You have to understand while AS enter the SR as early as April and May, they don’t spawn till Oct/Nov.

 

And King, Coho salmon and steelhead would also benefit especially the early runners while the water is still too warm could also Seek these thermal refuge areas and not die before they spawn or reach the hatchery. Just so I don’t confuse anyone. All our State raised AS for the finger lakes and LO come from our Adirondack hatchery. Altmar does not handle these fish from the egg stage. And then the Cornell USGS program at Tunison.

 

Anyway Instead of having a big slug of fish up near the hatchery in a large spring fed thermal zone. They’re Looking to spread the fish out and truly create a better summer fishery. They already host a wonderful summer brown trout fishery.

 

Like I said three Govt groups doing the science to provide another option for anglers year round.

 

 

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[andycrash77]

Thank You, King Davy,

 

It is good to read a positive post about Atlantic Salmon.

 

I don't understand the AS bashing which goes on here sometimes.  Studies have shown that the Great Lakes are changing. AS are actually putting on weight better than Kings in Lake Huron.

 

Good to hear that NY is taking it seriously.  With the lake getting cleaner and forage bases changing (AS are less particular about dinner), I can foresee a day when AS are MUCH more common.

 

Good Luck and Health to All,

Andy

 

[King Davy]

Thanks Andy,

 

The issue the way I see it is the misinformation always floating around between AS and PS. Lake Ontario tribs are not as capable of hosting AS in a traditional manor like many of the Michigan and Huron tribs.

 

The AS program is not and has never intended to be in competition with PS. They are in a nitch all their own. They were never meant to be a staple species on the lake but rather an opportunity on our tribs. Especially in summer and fall fishing. Yet traditional lake anglers can catch them as well.

 

We do have a handful of rivers that can sustain and support these fish. But conditions have to align with habitat improvements. And they actually are starting to come together.

 

Many seem to be threatened by this program with respects to taking something away from the PS. The Feds are doing all the heavy lifting on AS with support from DEC. As far as the PS being replaced by another species, It never has or ever will unless we have complete forage crash of our alewife population which In my experience of now 50 years fishing LO and its tribs, will never happen as it did in the upper lakes.

 

I say that because In my opinion our DEC has their focus aligned to support the alewife forage base. They stick to what the science tells them about the health of the bait fish population. Thus they haven’t let the forage topple over.

 

There is some pain in those management decisions but as the forage bounces back and it already might have and I believe will... the stocking numbers of PS will also return to target numbers.

 

The more diverse the fishery the better in my opinion. Overall we have the environment that can support all.

 

 

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[andycrash77]

"The more diverse the fishery the better in my opinion. Overall we have the environment that can support all."
 

Thank You, King Davy

 

I anticipate a gradual return of native forage fish with or without our help.  This will in turn favor AS growth/succcess.

 

I love catching Kings. A 20# Coho even better.  I understand spawning waters for AS are minimal and that Kings are favored by leaving the tribs as fry.  So, "Long live the KIngs!"

 

But, also, I hope to land many AS some day.

 

Thanks again King Davy and All the Best to You and Yours!

 

All the Best to Everyone on this site.  (Hee hee, strength in numbers! ;-))

 

Andy

 

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by andycrash77

[King Davy]

Five six years ago DEC while seining for Yoy chinooks found the first wild naturally spawned Atlantic Salmon in the Salmon River in probably close to 150 years.

Anybody who loves sport fishing should think that’s pretty cool. Now does this mean we are going to have a self sustaining population of AS in the Salmon River? Sadly no. It Will in our life time require management from our fisheries groups.

There is no more exciting fish to catch on the open waters of Lake Ontario than Chinook Salmon. And there in lies the only reason necessary to know they’ll never be replaced.

But the other species have their place on both the open water and our magnificent tributaries.


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