kev

Not surprised that the Canadians would have an imcomplete or ambiguous regulation rule guide. I swear that country is just getting dumber and more backward by the day. Major ports with no docking or fuel, a ridiculously inept customs check in system (if you've tried the ArriveCan process you know what I mean), overly aggressive marine patrol boats, maintaining outdated Covid restrictions etc.-- its sad to see such a beautiful country declining so rapidly, they just can't get their act together up there. Tourism is down 86%, and what was supposed to be a summer of recovery is now another missed opportunity for Canada. So I guess that's the long answer for why I'm not surprised there is no minimum size for pike listed. Nobody seems to have a freaking clue about anything up there.

Not sure about Kings but I caught a laker near Chippewa Bay once and I just talked to a guy that caught a 36 inch brown a few weeks ago under the bridge near Ogdensburg.

Good for you EJT, wish there were more sportsman like you out there, its frustrating watching these bass boat clowns hammer these spawning hens with no regard for the consequences. I think part of it is lack of knowledge, and the other part is simply indifference. Either way, the DEC needs to stand up to this, move back the bass opener (they actually made it earlier this year if you can believe that) and start posting officers at boat launches to lay out the rules and ethics that we all need to live by to sustain our fisheries. I believe the governor should get involved and make a law that ALL bass tourneys are catch and release as well. Some do it already, make it the standard. We already know the technology has far surpassed anyone's idea of fair chase, at least allow the breeding fish to remain in their habitat.

That was the case before (vax required) but not any more. A rare example of logic demonstrated by the Canadian government, who has been slowly allowing their country to become vastly overregulated and is struggling with massive cost of living increases.

Water is about a foot above normal right now. 20 inches up from where it was last year but that was a low year. Luckily the 30 day forecast only adds a few more inches to where it is now, and dry stretches like we are seeing today are always good. Outflows at Massena are cranked way up and the whole Montreal/Ottawa river problems downstream seem under control this spring so that really helps to keep the floodgates open at the dam. Remember the river will still surge 6 inches with a ripping SW and drop a few inches with a North blow but overall it looks like we will avoid 2017, 2019 repeats.

As far as the St Lawrence goes, I can tell you that the levels around Alex Bay are now down about 6 inches from the peak last week. Currently we are reading 248.0 over IGLD (that's the International Great Lakes Datum, it's referenced to sea level in Quebec near the mouth of St Lawrence). The rate of flow at the Massena Dam is cranked up, and the Ottawa River has crested which is all good news for us upstream because we need to unload all this water. The variations in water level seem less sensitive now to wind speed and direction, believe me we're watching it daily as our cottage is inches from the doomsday scenario. As others have mentioned, debris is a serious issue, watch your wakes and remember the river is still only 50 degrees even if the air feels 80. In other news, I talked to a fisheries biologist today who said the spawning this spring for almost all species will likely be the strongest on record, from baitfish to muskies.

There is about 2.5 feet of water in the north end of cndgua inlet. The depth from the boat launch out to the lake is pretty consistent, so if you were going to have a depth problem you'd know immediately. Dont need to worry about going off the end of the launch w your trailer at the north launch because its such a friendly incline. Stay on the east side of the channel as you pass the inn on the lake gazebo heading out, the west side has a few high spots.

That last one is an unbelievable whitetail. I hope you reported the poacher who would take an animal like that illegally, what a shame. As far as chasing ghosts go, i say as long as it motivates you more and gets you out there in your stand, its a good thing, even if the specific deer you've seen on camera (or better yet, in person) is dead or has moved on to another area. I guess the big downside is overhunting an area where you've seen a giant on camera and not hunting your other spots with fresh stands. My buddy spent the last two years hunting a specific 150-160 class buck in mendon that he only saw at night on camera, and probably would have done much better mixing it up a bit with some other spots. Once the rut is on, the next buck you see very well could be from the next county.