Gill-T

Jerry are you thinking the fish are not there because of conditions (which seems optimal given hard bottom) or because of where they are stocked? If they are not dispersing lakewide as you would think then perhaps we should be talking less about Lake Trout cuts and more about moving stocking locations to other side of the pond to take predation pressure off our pen fish? Why would they choose sand bottom over rock when everything we have been told is they like hard bottom structure? To me it is a bait distribution issue as to why they are on our shore. If the even distribution issue can't be remedied them I am for cutting lake trout stocking.

Jerry I am just gauging interest level in Lake Trout. Most Canadians I know call them "dirty boots".

Work2fish, do you or anyone you know target Lake Trout ie. Put out cowbells or Dodgers/flies?

Nice boat sir!

Jerry, we don't know anything about the North shore Lake Trout fishery because NOBODY fishes for them over there! I am sure they are present as there is no doubt gobies, however, if lakers are truly not present in catchable numbers on the North shore, it probably is proof positive how reliant they are on alewives as there is much more bait on our side of the pond.

I don't put much credence in a few gill nets. Put your boat in at Olcott early this year Jerry. The numbers off Niagara county are borderline rediculous. Out of balance. Weave your magic and have them set gill nets in March and April. I think the Feds would be shocked......shocked.

You guys in charter associations need to get your ducks in a row. If some members are against Laker cuts in certain ports, it will send mixed signals to the DEC. People hear what they want to hear so the DEC may see it as a mandate to keep laker stocking numbers the same if they are hearing vocal charter captains against laker cuts. Take a vote and present the DEC as "For" or "Against" Lake Trout cuts. One voice.

Rick, unfortunately this has become a study in human nature. On Lake Michigan and now on Ontario many charter captains are for cutting Lake Trout .....just not in their home port. This shortsightedness will lead to less profits for those captains down the road as you are not going to get many out-of-staters coming up to fish Lake Trout. Kings create the buzz that drives the machine.

Black face/ white cup mag, purple hologram glow in 28 size, a 28 sized silver with orange crush ladders on both sides

Not so gloomy as you think. The food web is intact and will be for foreseeable future. If you look at catch rates charted by the DEC, despite all the changes in stocking figures and invasive species arrival, the catch rates over the decade were higher than the eighties. In the end it IS about the catching....right? 😉Since 1996 the adult alewife numbers have varied very little.

Tournament conflicts start in May and you want to wack those big lakers to protect pen fish exiting their cages. This does not have to be a big boat tournament. I think it would appeal to every boat because there are so many lakers to catch, the average weekend warrior can compete against anyone (Mother Nature the exception)

Could you imagine the mess at weigh-in??

Proposal: Lake Trout Tournament in Niagara County at end of March.

Bring your scale home and check it by hooking up a 25 lb weight from your weight bench. It is the only time I lift weights these days!

I think you need to check your scale......that King looks every bit 30++

That map is mostly useless unless a cloudless sky. It measures via satellite heat signature.