Freshwater Fishing, Fisheries Management, and Fishing Access News In This Issue: - Calling all Lake Ontario Anglers
- Do You Fish New York's Brook Trout Ponds?
- New State Record Smallmouth Bass
- Lake Erie Open Lake Angler Survey Update - June 2022
- Help Trout Beat the Heat this Summer
- Tackle Tips - Bladed Jig (Chatterbait/Vibrating Jig)
Calling all Lake Ontario Anglers  Now through August 14th you have the opportunity to comment on a draft Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Fisheries Management Plan. The plan outlines goals, objectives, and strategies for Atlantic salmon management for the next 10 years, with an emphasis on improving the survival of stocked fish and increasing the number of adult Atlantic salmon that return to select tributaries to spawn.
The draft plan is available on our website. Comments on the plan should be emailed to fwfishlo@dec.ny.gov. For further information contact Chris Legard, DEC Lake Ontario Unit Leader at the Cape Vincent Fisheries Station at (315) 654-2147.
Do You Fish New York's Brook Trout Ponds?  If so, we want to know! We created a brief survey to better understand what's important to anglers that fish New York's brook trout ponds in the Catskills and Adirondacks.
Angler responses will help inform future management of these remarkable fisheries. Take the New York Brook Trout Pond Angler Survey. The survey deadline is July 29, 2022.
 New State Record Smallmouth Bass We're excited to announce that another state record fish has been established in New York. On June 15th, Thomas Russell Jr. of Albion reeled in an 8 lb. 6 oz. smallmouth bass from Cayuga Lake (Seneca County) while fishing in a Finger Lakes Open Bass Tournament. The smallmouth was caught on a drop shot rig using a soft plastic minnow. After being weighed on a certified scale and getting witness verification, the record-breaking fish was safely released. Congratulations Thomas! More Information:
NYS Freshwater Fishing Records
Angler Achievement Awards Program
Where to Fish
Lake Erie Open Lake Angler Survey Update - June 2022  Angler effort in June 2022 was just below the 20-year average (83,500 angler hours) but more than 32,000 angler hours over the effort seen last June. A large majority of June anglers (72 percent) targeted walleye.
Walleye: Daytime angling effort was the 5th highest in the last 20 years, with 58,800 anglers hours spent (average = 48,677 angler hours). Most (69 percent) of the walleye fishing effort occurred out of Barcelona and Buffalo. Anglers targeting walleye harvested 3.6 fish per boat trip on average, with a catch rate of 0.39 fish per hour, the 3rd highest June catch rate for walleye in the last 20 years, behind only 2018 and 2019. About 7 percent of daytime walleye anglers achieved a six fish limit with an average size of 20.2 inches. Smallmouth Bass: Effort in June (13,300 angler hours) was more than double the bass effort in June 2021, but remained well below the 20-year average (18,400 angler hours). Most (66 percent) of the bass fishing effort in June occurred out of Buffalo. The June bass fishing quality was above average in 2022, with anglers targeting bass catching an average of 19 bass per boat trip with a catch rate of 1.24 fish per hour, the 3rd best catch rate for smallmouth bass in the last 20 years (June average = 1.08 fish per hour). Yellow Perch: Fishing effort was very low in June 2022, with only seven perch angler interviews for the entire month.
 Help Trout Beat the Heat this Summer Tomatoes, watermelons, and sweet corn thrive on hot summer days in New York - trout and salmon, not so much. Summer heat waves impose serious stress and can even cause death. Trout and salmon that are already heat-stressed may not recover after being caught and released. You can help these fish survive the summer by following a few simple tips. Visit our website to find out how.
Tackle Tips - Bladed Jigs (Chatterbaits/Vibrating Jigs)  A bladed jig, as the name implies, is a bass jig with a blade. These baits fall between a crankbait and spinnerbait - more subtle than a crankbait and not as flashy as a spinnerbait.
Profile: they vary in weight from ¼-1 oz. but the most common sizes are 3/8 and ½ oz. They come in several colors but a white, green pumpkin, or black/blue is a good starting point. They are almost always paired with a trailer of some kind. Trailers used are swimbaits, double or single tail grubs, and craw/creature style baits. Typically, the trailer color matches the skirt color. Technique: They are often fished over or around vegetation, reeling fast enough to keep the bait above it. They can be fished faster than a spinnerbait so are a good search lure when just covering water. They can also be fished deeper and around hard structures like rocks, wood, or docks. Tips: - Try different styles of trailers as their action and weight can help keep the bait higher or lower in the water column.
- Add pauses to the bait (i.e. - stop reeling for a split second) to help elicit strikes.
- Monofilament line works, but try fluorocarbon or braided line when using bladed jigs.
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment