flyrod2

11 to 14 inches in most places we have been. There are a few pressure cracks that you need to be careful of that have had water bubble up. If you are out were it looks like no one has been then I would drill test holes just to be safe.

Went last week, south end only in 6'- 7' water. Got 1 10lb northern early no others. Had a 2 bursts of perch for 15 minutes then shut down. 80% tiny ones, kept 18 that were still not too big. Went by lake today it is all locked up. Couple guys on west end south of Auburn out 200 yards today, few guys south end same distance we were last week, Did not look like they were testing the new ice. Ensenore must have same ice as they were on north of there so may check it out. Not sure I want to be the 1st to test it this early.

Sk8man, I could add more to your accurate observations of the lake, enough to write a graduate thesis. I don't think the inlet gets the pressure to damage the redds etc. at least enough to close it. One thing they could do right away would be to clean up the mess in the inlet from the lake to Moravia. Also there is no reason to have a 9" /3fish rainbow limit for the trib. There is no "upstream barrier" on the inlet so these fish can and used to go past Groton. A 1 rainbow 15" would at least give some relief and allow those 9" ones to head to the lake. This past spring we caught and released a few spawned out rainbow females which I have not seen in 13 years so there have been baby step since the ending of stocking walleye in 2006. People need to let DEC know their concerns and ideas, so thanks for the input.

Just wanted to start this thread for and FYI. Many may know there is a survey out from DEC to look at fish preferences for Owasco. I saw no need for the survey, but some wanted it to see if they could get support back for walleye in the lake. DEC said they will not manage lake for both walleye and brown/rainbow(it would be an either/or). The survey to date has shown a poor response rate, but those that have come in is a greater than 65% support for trout fishery. One way or another we can hope this will end the debate so we can move foward and try to get the once great fishery back. We need to understand that the 15+ mile long inlet, with lots of public fishing rights, is part of that fishery as well. An inlet that used to team with very large rainbows. I for one would hope we can come up with positive ideas and solution to get the lake back, even if just modestly, to what it once was. Everyone has seen how fragile the lake near them can be, all the finger lakes have gone through challenging times. I could go on and but, that is my thought for what little it is worth.

Sk8man is spot on with his asessment, which is why I pursuaded R7 Fisheries to have the State of Finger Lakes meeting. The R7 crew work hard to make the best fishery possible and do it with little support from Albany(executive Albany that supposedly support the Hunt/Fish NY). With the 2011 flood the allowed lamprey to escape DEC did miscalculate the number of nests in the inlet(not easy task), therefore thought the impact would be minimal. Unfortunately that was not case and here we are with 2 major escapes (2007/2011). Can't change that, but they are going foward with the treatment as Sk8man said and we can hope it will work. We need to keep in mind that the lamprey are only one of many issues that challenge all of us to keep healthy fisheries on our lakes. It is always those that love to fish the Finger Lakes that have great concerns and look for ways to keep them healthy. There are many other demands on the lakes that effect the fishery(that have nothing to do with fishing) and we need to focus on those as well. Actually letters in support of R7 crew and their desire to treat would be a good thing for Albany to hear, and the fact that we all are interested in well being of our Lakes. Positive letters often work as good or better than negative ones in getting what we want. Keep up the good fight for our fisheries.

DEC has scheduled a treatment for the Spring 2014. Hopefully there will be no flooding so they can eliminate both the 2007 and 2011 groups.

There were some minor changes to the adopted regulation changes to the license structure than the article reports. Fees are correct, except the part where all licenses are good for 1 year at time of purchase. Only the fishing license will be good for 1 full year from purchase. Also note no 7 day fishing only a 1 day for $10 This was not the Governors idea either. After the safe act debacle to pretend to make ammends with sportsman, he just picked it up from CFAB,NYSCC and FWMB boards who were pushing for it. They were pushing for reduction in fees since Cuomo did crazy cuts to DEC staff and programs and the conservation fund was holding huge surpluses of money. Money that Cuomo wanted to raid for other uses. So yes we can pay less for our fishing license, but we are getting less programs and support from DEC.

My understanding from the park manager that Myers launch was dredged from launch to lake this winter. Should make it easier there with low water if concerns at other launches.

correct Hermit! Fish will always produces eggs. This does not mean they will produce viable offspring. Owasco is a perfect example. In the day you could see a steam load of walleye in Dutch Hollow Creek. There was no viable reproduction.(hence why stocking is the only alternative) Again those in the 9 to 13lb range are from a couple years of stocking that was not reported or simply came in from canal. Hermit is correct that there are poor conditions, thiamine deficiencies from eat alwives and so on so the salmonids do not reproduce either. This is why Skaneateles has a natural Lake trout population. No Alwives so they eat perch and their spawn habitat is ideal. Ther are many interesting fish reproduction abstracts out there if interested in the answers.

Lil Jake did a good job describing lamprey issue. They mis-calculated the juvenile population prior to the 2011 flood which in turn led them to believe that the numbers in lake would not be bad. We now know they were bad, but yes that 2007 age class will decline next year. Bottom line, as long as they control the issue in the inlet, they should solve the issue of the 2011 crew. Very little reproduction of lamprey in the lake. On the walleye, what we are seeing and I have caught in fall creek is a particular year class that was put in without permission. Any other haphazard catch come from a now abundant population in the Seneca river that get into the lake on occasion. There is no reproduction in Fall creek by those that do come up in the Spring. Other major topic at both meeting was on walleye in Owasco. DEC has made it clear that they will continue to make it a brown/rainbow fishery or go to a walleye fishery, not both. If it becomes a walleye lake they will discontinue stocking browns and rainbows. Survey coming out in future. Survey will only be a piece of the picture and will not dictate in whole what they will do. Please give them your opinion if you have one. I have the PP presentation as a whole as well as a smaller version with each lake separate. I can try to put them on this sight if people want to see them or PM me. Hydrilla is mostly under control. Main issue is funding and they wanted to take money from fish/wildife. As we all know the issue is in the inlet. Many of the boats that go through there as well as the Treman launch are the big pleasure boat that come from anywhere USA. Far more than fishing boats. That was reflected in a response to the State. Sturgeon are doing well in the Lake. Water level is a canal corp thing with too much input from power plants(my opinion) troughout the river. sorry for long winded reply.

55 people braved the weather. We should have more Q&A time at the Groton meeting as there was a rush to finish before BASS closed. If you can't make it and have an important question PM me and I will try to get an answer.

Get off rt 13 Ithaca at Stewart park at bottom of hill. Take a right at end of ramp from which ever direction coming from. One more right if going south. Boynton will be right in front of you on Cayuga st.. close to exits.

DEC press release on their home page for the 2 meetngs. www.dec.ny.gov Note that our governors office has to approve press releases all his departments do now. This way he can put his name in support of all us sportmen and women. I know I feel better that he endorsed these meetings that a private citizen initiated and not his state departments as he claims. Hope to see many of you at one of the meetings, I should be at both.

I was the one who approached Dave and Dan Bishop at the Cortland office about the need for these meetings. Dave was already thinking the same thing. They were not "prepared" for a meeting either. Dan is putting together a power point as we speak. They just knew it was important to prepare for one. Not sure why the R8 crew could not prepare. My original thought was to have a lake wide meeting, but they seemed hesitant to wait for th R8 guys so we went ahead with the Eastern. We need to put pressure on the Western crew as I think from what I see there are important issues there as well.

The meetings are a definite. DEC will do press release March 7. Time change on the Bass Pro meeting do to store closing at 9:00 Monday, March 18, 6:30 to 8:30 Bass Pro Conference room Wednesday, March 20: 7:00 to 9:00 Groton High School Auditorium There will be time for Q&A session as well. I hope these meetings are well attended If coming to the Groton meeting please check out our 6th grade Trout in Classroom tank with brown trout. Students will have posters up as well. Power Point from last year on our home page. http://www.grotoncs.org/

New_York_State_Fishing,_Hunting_and_Trapping_-_license_restructure.pdf Here is the proposal. It is 2.3mb so hopefully can view. This is just a draft of possible reductions. This will be reviewed by CFAB and discussed for any comments. Although the NYSCC should have input, they are not the ones who have the say in things. Also as it states in this attachment the proposal shows no change in lifetime license, it is not gone. Yes, the Governors office has been a pain in neck with all this, but CFAB demanded the info from them as it is their charter to oversee spending by DEC. Remember, this isn't law, just a draft. Now that it is out we all can voice opinions, but please read it all. If the attachment is not readable pm me and I can get it to you.

Early Notice: State of the Eastern Finger Lakes Meetings – DEC Fisheries staff will hold two meetings in March to discuss the current status of the fisheries in the four Region 7 Finger Lakes (Cayuga, Owasco, Skaneateles, and Otisco), provide information on future management activities on the lakes and tribs, discuss the Angler Diary Program administered on the Finger Lakes, and answer questions from those in attendance. The first meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 18 at the BASS Pro Shop in Auburn(conference,seminar room), while the second will be located at the Groton High School Auditorium(400 Peru Rd Groton NY 13073 (RT38)) on Wednesday, March 20. We anticipate both meetings will start at 7:00 PM and run for approximately two hours. Doors open at 6:30 I will offer to create an email list for anyone who wants on it (bcc so no emails will be given out) sign up at door. If someone was not able to ask question I will relay them to DEC for a response. I can send out the fisheries reports I get every other month etc.

There will be 2 meetings within couple days(weekdays) of each for the Eastern Finger Lakes/Tribs in mid-March. One North end one South end to accomodate without lots of travel. Should have difinite dates, times places in next couple weeks. Will be after the State of Ontario meeting. DEC will put out press releases, newspapers etc, and I will post a new thread here. Still looking to get R8 on board with this as well, will keep posted on that.

Currently there is a potential for 2 meetings in region 7, (north/south). and nothing from R8 so far. We are working on R8 FWMB to put pressure on DEC to have a meeting this year that would encompass the whole Finger Lakes. We feel this is important to have all on board. Regardless R7 DEC is very enthused about having this type of forum meeting. Will keep you posted.