LongLine

Recreationally, on riggers: I use Blacks; 15 Lb copoly line; mostly clean spoon with siwash hooks (that are dangerously sharp) on 7 1/2 ft rods. I tighten them just so I can get a bend in the rod. A shaker or a wad of gobbers (fleas) will release them.

The Great Lakes Commission says there are 395 Cubic miles of water in Lake Ontario. That's over 432 TRILLION gallons. On March 19, the outflow of the st Lawrence was 6,860 Cubic meters per second. That's roughly 1.8 Million gallons per second. Approximately 700,000 gallons flow over Niagara fall every second. (Obviously other rivers also feed the lake) The Micron usage is a drop in the bucket. The question should not be the quantity of water but the quality of the water. I.E. Is it as clean as the water they are withdrawing? I'd also ask what temperature will the water be that they put back?

Snag hooks don't discriminate. Are you saying it should be okay to snag a walleye or a sturgeon? I'd rather the salmon have the chance to finish the spawning run.

There are obviously things one can't see with a camera/drone. I.E. how long a fish is, etc. But it could show if one is snagging or if one is standing with a bunch of egg gutted fish, or if one is illegally fishing in a fly-fishing only zone or where fishing is prohibited. Range of a typical survey/agriculture drone is 12-18 miles. Toy drones claim 1 1/2 mile range. I would think a C.O. near (on top of?) the Driving Park bridge could get a really good closeup view of what's going on down in the gorge, in just a few minutes.

If they see a CO and run, would they run if they know a drone can follow them and get plates? i agree there should be stricter fines and that they should be mandatory. No lights or siren doesn't necesarily mean they're in a hurry to get to the doughnut shop. Other than no-fishing zones, what is there?

Given that we know there are fishing lawbreakers that don't get caught, the rise of technology and the low number of C.O.s, couldn't the DEC install some "blue light" cameras at fishing hot spots? Like the city uses on streets in high crime or accident areas. Perhaps power them with a small solar panel? Seems like everyone has a ring camera. Or maybe a C.O. occasionally fly a camera equipped drone over the river, scanning both sides. C.O. would save some ground pounding. Follow a criminal to his car? Perhaps some signs stating that the river is patrolled by DEC drones? How many drivers don't slow down when they see signs on the road about "speed monitored by radar." NYS Thruway photographs license plates. IMO, those that pass a Trooper on the expressway deserve to have the book thrown at them. IMO, a lot of psychological value there.

IMO, fishing in that shallow of water should be illegal.

I made salt comment based on previous posts and some googling: (1) Happened 2014-2015. That was an extremely cold and snowy winter. (2) Happened recently. (mid/late February) Studies have shown the Oswego River is most contaminated at this time of year particularly from road runoff. (3) Gill Lice may be an issue. Studies from Norway fish farmers found the natural aquaculture cure to lice is abundant fresh water. (4) Deformed gills: Can be genetic but also caused by "environmental toxins such as nitrate and chlorine." Nitrate = fertilizer and chlorine = salt. The chlorine part is why fish stores tell you not to use untreated tap water in aquariums. I.E. it affects their gills, leads to deformity and death. (5) DEC frowns on road salt. (6) Anadromous "Steelhead". Yes, Chambers Creek strain, (Skamania not stocked since 2021) but raised at SR since '80's. Can this many generations diminish salinity tolerance? (I don't know.) We call them "Steelhead" but Annual reports call them Rainbow Trout. (7) Are there really more numbskulls fishing the SR this horrible winter year than last? Or can't the fish tolerate it as much this year?

I realize that. However, what happens if in freshwater for a few months then get "hit" with a slug of salt? This appears to be a recent thing & didn't happen last year which was a much milder winter. Did the fishermen become a bunch of "thugs" all of a sudden?

Food for thought: Given the high snowfall, cold temperatures and then more snow...Have the towns/residents around the SR been using more road salt this year? Is the SR tested for salinity? DEC has been advocating less road salt usage for a couple years. Why? The runoff is detrimental to freshwater fish. They're more stressed when salinity changes. If already stressed, chances of survival is reduced no matter who catches them. Additionally, studies have shown that gill lice require some salinity to survive.

DEC wants input. DEC Proposes Changes to Coolwater Sportfish Regulations Public Input Sought Through April 13, 2026 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced the release of proposed changes to coolwater sportfish regulations that will help protect fish while spawning, increase the reproductive capacity of walleye in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin, and eliminate unnecessary special regulations. “The proposed regulation changes for walleye, pike, pickerel, and tiger musky reflect DEC’s commitment to adaptively manage New York’s fisheries resources and to simplify regulations wherever possible,” said Commissioner Lefton. “We encourage the public to review the proposal and provide feedback.” Highlights of the proposed regulations include: Changing the closing date for walleye, northern pike, chain pickerel, and tiger musky from March 15 to March 1 for both statewide and special regulations; Changing the start date of fishing-prohibited regulations to protect spawning walleye on sections of select streams from March 16 to March 2; Eliminating unnecessary special harvest regulations for walleye in 33 waters; and Changing the size limit and daily creel limit for walleye in Jefferson County waters of Lake Ontario to two fish per day with no more than one longer than 24 inches. The proposed regulations are responsive to fisheries managers’ and anglers’ concerns that the current fishing season closing date may not adequately protect spawning walleye and northern pike into the future, as a warming climate changes water temperatures and shifts spawning times. Establishing an earlier fishing season closure will help ensure that spawning aggregations of these species are protected. There are also several walleye waters currently managed under special harvest regulation (18-inch minimum size limit, three-per-day possession limit) to help establish, restore, or improve walleye fisheries. A subset of those waters does not meet that objective and the draft regulations propose to convert back to statewide regulations and a 15-inch minimum size, five-per-day possession limit. In addition, the walleye fishery in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin (Jefferson County) has declined, and DEC is proposing a more protective harvest regulation intended to increase spawning stock biomass and increase the capacity for natural reproduction. The full text and a summary of the proposed regulatory changes are available on DEC’s website. DEC is interested in anglers’ viewpoints and encourages public feedback on these proposals. Comments will be accepted through April 13, 2026, and should be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line “Coolwater Sportfish Regulations,” or sent by standard mail to: Inland Fisheries Section NYSDEC 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233-4753