CaptainEyes

The amount of exposure and foot traffic the lake has received this winter is incredible. Aside from the few "fish of a lifetime" we really don't know how many legal fish have been kept. I'm all in favor of increasing the minimum size limit to 40". I am also puzzled by the fact the current through the ice norlunge world record chose to keep a 40" fish? Maybe it was bleeding and could not be safely returned.

The second week of July on Otisco you really are at the end of the night bite and it becomes even more difficult with the weed growth. However, trolling becomes a favored option and my suggestion is to contact Justin Okrepki at www.otiscolakeguideservice.com he is all set up for trolling and will do everything he can to put you on fish.

Justin thank you for sharing and caring that is great information. Justin and I discussed this to great lengths the last time I was on his boat and we are on the same page in our concerns over the lack of stocking. We also discussed that we didn't believe every single fry is eaten by alewives so it's good to know that albeit a small percentage that in fact some natural reproduction exists. Thanks again for sharing this important information. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Due to the alewife predation on the walleye fry Otisco is considered a put, grow, and take lake very few legal fish are released but thanks for the vote of confidence!

I appreciate your input as an angler on Otisco. My original post was simply to bring awarness to the fact that Otisco will only be stocked every other year and though we dont know what effect it may have other than It will recieve 35,000-44,000 less every other year common sense says it has to have some effect. If you have been fishing the lake for 20 years than you can remember in the early 2000 the DEC stopped stocking all together and the lake became a lake of 10,000 cast and took several years to get back to where it is today. As far as the brown trout stocking program - the DEC never stocked the trout as they were donated by a local sportsmans club however they were manged through the traditional laws. Though Otisco has limited fishing access (2 launches and 4 shore) opportunitites it is only 5 miles long and is limited as to where fish are regularly caught. Perception of whether it is fished hard is one persons opinion as I feel it does get fished pretty hard especially within the last couple of years that anglers have been posting on this site. Though it may not be shoulder to shoulder the spring/fall fishing will fill up the shore and line the points with boats. In the summer you will see several boats each morning trolling for the eyes and in the winter there is a bunch of us that fish it hard but to little success. Besides the ice fishing months if I am out there I do expect to catch my limit of walleye and frequently do. I for one have very little faith in the DEC's fish/deer management practices and with the elimination of walleye stocking all together in lakes such as Owasco and lakes such as Otisco that are now every other year I have to wonder where are they being stocked???

Except for a few year period in the mid 2000's Otisco has traditionally received an annual stocking. As far as angler popularity, between word of mouth and LOU Otisco has more than earned its fare share of eager anglers. AGAIN, the reason for my post was to bring awareness to the Otisco fraternity that we will no longer receive annual stockings and if this makes you as mad as I am please let the DEC know! If you would like to discuss the differences between Otisco and other walleye fisheries, whether the every other year stocking will have a positive or negative effect please start your own thread. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I am sure those that participated in the angler diary have had time to read and digest the 2014 summary (sent out by Ian) and most notabbly the rumors of the DEC going to a every other year stocking program were confirmed. As a tax payer and angler on Otisco Lake I am very unhappy to learn that the fish marked to be stocked in Otisco will be swimming in other waters. It is especially frustrating since lakes such as Delta and Oneida that recieve millions of walley fingerlings every year are unafected. I have already sent an email to the DEC expressing my concern and frustration with their decision and I ask that if you are concerned that you too let them know. Please note: I did not post this to start a debate on whether or not the every other year stocking program will have a negative effect on the fishing because none of us know's. The only fact's we have is that natural reproduciton is minimal to none and instead of recieving 35-45,000 every year it will now be every other year.

Not much to report. The lake level was down a good 3ft most of the fall making fishing from a boat tricky. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United