Freshwater Fishing, Fisheries Management, and Boating News In This Issue: - 2021 Muskellunge Season Opener Dates
- Lake Sturgeon Recovery in New York - 2021 Update
- Assistance Needed from Lake Ontario Trout & Salmon Anglers
- Statewide Fishing Report
 Muskellunge Season Opener Dates The muskie fishing season starts on Saturday, May 29 in inland waters (40" minimum size) and on Saturday, June 19, in Great Lakes waters (54 inch minimum size- Lake Erie, Upper Niagara River, Lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River.) For tips on how to catch New York's largest freshwater sportfish, visit DEC's website.
Lake Sturgeon Recovery in New York - 2021 Update  There's great news for lake sturgeon in New York this spring! DEC staff and partners around the state are out sampling to continue measuring recovery of this amazing, ancient species. Scientists at Cornell University's Biological Field Station at Shackleton Point captured this impressive 159 pound, 6 footer from Oneida Lake. The largest sturgeon documented from the lake to date! DEC and US Fish and Wildlife Service staff will begin their annual egg take on the St. Lawrence River next week to support New York's stocking program.
All of this talk of lake sturgeon is a good reminder to our angling public to be mindful of spawning lake sturgeon. They are still listed as a threatened species in New York and targeting them while angling is prohibited. If you do hook a sturgeon accidentally, please remove the hook without bringing the fish out of the water if at all possible and release the sturgeon immediately. Never lift a sturgeon by its gills – you could damage their cartilage skeleton. Thanks for your cooperation in recovering this amazing fish!
Assistance Needed from Lake Ontario Salmon and Trout Anglers DEC requests your help with recovering heads from Coho salmon caught in Lake Ontario in 2021. In it's final year, the Coho salmon study is designed to determine the proportion of wild Coho salmon in Lake Ontario and evaluate the relative contribution of fall fingerling and spring yearling stocked Coho salmon. You can find more information about the study and how to participate on DEC's website.
Statewide Fishing Report  Region 1 (Long Island)
Fly fishing on the Carmans River within Southaven County Park may be at it's height right now with mayfly hatches. The river is host to native brook trout in addition to the rainbows and browns stocked this spring.
Freshwater Fishing on Long Island. Region 2 (New York City)
A May 11th black bass and sunfish electrofishing survey of Oakland Lake, Queens found many pumpkinseed and bluegill sunfish over eight inches in length – above average for NYC's lakes and ponds. Black crappie sizes were also in the higher range, but sample size for this species was low. Anglers should try Oakland Lake for catch-and-release panfish fishing before aquatic vegetation becomes over abundant. Freshwater Fishing in New York City Region 3 (Lower Hudson Valley/Catskills)
Late spring is an excellent time to target trout on the famous Beaver Kill or Willowemoc Creek. Public access is plentiful in the "Stocked Extended" reaches on these two Catskill streams. Anglers can expect to encounter one of our recently stocked yearling or two-year-old brown trout and the occasional wild fish. The warmer weather has brought on an increase in bug activity for fly anglers, but for the non-fly anglers, typical spinning gear will work to catch these fish. Fishing in Southeastern NY Region 5 (Eastern Adirondacks)
 Brook trout pond fishing is in full swing with water temperatures warming up and thermoclines starting to develop. Lake Champlain is also warming up which should make the black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) and other warmwater species more active. Fishing in the Eastern Adirondacks Region 6 (Western Adirondacks/Eastern Lake Ontario)
Panfish fishing is getting good in the shallow waters of Chaumont Bay and the St. Lawrence River. Water temperatures are climbing and they are beginning to spawn. Walleye fishing has been decent in Chaumont and Black River Bays although they are moving to deeper waters or into the weed beds. Please remember preseason catch and release fishing for black bass is prohibited in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. Fishing in the Western Adirondacks Region 7 (Central NY)
 The walleye on Oneida Lake are spread out from shallow to deep water so you can pick your preference. If fishing 5 to 15 foot try casting with blade baits or stickbaits. When fishing deeper than 15 foot also try trolling with stickbaits or worm harnesses to cover more water. Fishing in Central NY Region 9 (Western NY)
May 29th marks the opening of muskellunge season on Chautauqua Lake, the top muskie destination in western New York. Walleye action is good along the outside of weedlines during low light periods. Jigging or slow trolling with worm harnesses are top tactics. Yellow perch and sunfish are readily biting around docks, making them great spots for youth anglers. Fishing in Western NY Lake Erie
Warming weather and calm winds led to increased fishing pressure out on Lake Erie over the past week and a half, with many anglers getting on fish. Smallmouth bass fishing inside and outside of the break walls at Dunkirk and Buffalo have produced some big fish and good numbers. Rock bass have also moved inside the break wall at Dunkirk and provide a fun fishing option for those fishing from shore or at the Dunkirk City Pier. The perch bite picked back up last week off from Sturgeon Point and Cattaraugus Creek. The walleye bite has been hit or miss for anglers, although there have been several walleye limits reported out of both Dunkirk and Buffalo. Anglers have also been having success at night fishing for walleye on shallow rocky shoals, although that should be slowing down soon.  Smallmouth bass have moved into the lower reaches of the larger tributaries including Chautauqua, Canadaway, Cattaraugus, and Eighteen Mile Creeks. Catfish have also moved into lower Cattaraugus Creek. Tributary bass and catfish provide an exciting fishing opportunity for those that are not able to get out and fish on the open lake.
Great Lakes Fishing Lake Ontario
Early spring fishing in Lake Ontario has been mixed. Angler reports indicate that Coho salmon and lake trout fishing has been good this spring. Chinook salmon fishing is starting throughout the lake, especially in the western end. However, brown trout fishing has been down. Brown trout are extremely popular in spring, and anglers have reported lower numbers of browns this year. There have been a lot of large brown trout caught, but the smaller sized fish have been tough to locate. These lower catch rates may be attributed to frequent days with cold, clear water in nearshore areas, and frequent east winds. Great Lakes Fishing
Boating Tip of The Week  Memorial Day weekend is often a very busy boating weekend. A little patience can go a long way in making everyone's day more enjoyable at crowded launch ramps. A few things you can do to help is practice backing your boat trailer up at home or in an empty parking lot before heading to the launch ramp. Also, start your boat, if it hasn't been run yet this year. Just remember that outboards are water cooled. You will need a set of muffs (outboard flusher) that you can hook up to your garden hose to do this if you have a large motor. A smaller motor can be started in a garbage can full of water.
Also, help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species by thoroughly inspecting your boat before and after launching. Remember the checklist - Check, Clean, Drain, Dry. | 
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