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. 

Jaw deformities seem to be common in Otisco. Not sure why but I have caught several with them.

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.

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Alex1young great question! I cannot confirm this as I am going from my memory banks of what I read/heard a year or two ago but I what I do feel confident in saying is the response was very very low.

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To piggyback off Justin's comment, many anglers and hell even hunters feel their voices are not being heard or respected by our know it all DEC. In fairness to them they really receive few calls, letters, and emails from anglers until an unpopular decision is made. I believe in Owasco's case the DEC only surveyed 12 anglers to make their determination. I feel your pain and agree we have enough trout streams and lakes in our region and to me it appears the DEC's goal is to make Otisco a predominantly tiger-musky lake. However, you can always email Dave Lemon and his staff at region 7 and they will respond to your email, does it help? I don't know but it sure can't hurt!

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Stocking every other year, means more catch and release, you'll survive.

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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!

Otisco has been my primary lake for 20 years now since I live only 20 minutes away and after thinking about it some of you may be surprised what I'm going to say.  As already mentioned, the lake has very limited public access, from shore fishing access to boat launches.  Fishing pressure for walleyes is not that impressive unless you like to fish the causeway, which is occupied just about every night during the spring and fall.  The winter walleye fishery is nearly non- existent and in the summertime, only the die hards are fishing for them.  The quality of the fish is so good that I am not concerned about the quantity. One otisco walleye has as much meat as 3 oneida 16"ers like the one I got last week.  With this being said, as of now I do not think an every other year stocking program will hurt but that remains to be seen.  Very few people that fish here expect to get a limit of 'eyes when they come out.  I have always called this lake the "lake of 1,000 casts" because that is sometimes how many it takes for a fish.  If you shine a flashlight at night along the shore to about 50 yds. out this time of year you will see why it takes so many casts to attract a fish to your lure.  It does surprise me that they are cutting back on walleye stocking even after they have decided to eliminate brown trout stocking in the lake as well, due to labeling it a warm water fishery.  The DEC is aware of fish populations since I see them shocking it just about every year and if they feel the numbers are healthy then so be it.  If the reason is simply politics, then that is BS and I will surely jump on the bandwagon and send my share of letters.  Oneida gets constant fishing pressure but also has ample resources for natural reproduction so I do not support additional stocking at Otisco's expense.  If they want to do something to help that fishery, get more officers patrolling the water and checking legal fish limits.  The harvesting that takes place out there by certain individuals would make any sportsman cringe.  I am not trying to start an argument, but offering a different perspective from what I have been hearing on the topic.  

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.

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I would think that the DEC has to keep Oneida stocks up just due to its popularity of a well established walleye lake, and Otisco just doesn't have the walleye popularity yet. But with the more guys turning in the fishing diaries maybe this will shed some light on Otisco and they will grant the lake a yearly stocking!!

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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.

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Congratulations on a nice deer! The only factual aging of a deer is by its teeth. Antlers will never provide you an accurate deers age. I have seen deer that are 5.5 that you swear we're only 2.5 and vice versa. You can learn to age them on the hoof by studying their stomach sway and shoulders. I will provide you with a guess on this deers age of 2.5 but I could be wrong if you get him mounted your taxidermist should be able to accurately age him if not their are places you can send the jaw to.

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Sounds like the fall bite is mimicking the spring bite in that they really aren't turning on until after 2am. Good luck tonight!

Great post Justin nice to see the top water nite nite is back on

Good night JTT. I didn't even give it a thought to the nite bite still on... Do you have a phone number yet?

Excellent information Johnnywalleye!

Excellent post!!! I only have one experience with braid and it landed a nice eye!! If Tim and Wayne are going to leave their boats docked all summer and fish with you I know somebody that will use them. Lol

Great post! Sounds like the brown trout bite is on!!!!

Justin thanks for another great outing. Wayne great meeting you had a blast and look forward to fishing with you again ...

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Great weekend of fishing... Thanks for the info I'm gonna try getting out tonite for a few hours...

Prob a smart decision. This coming weekend will be the busiest weekend of the summer. We won't even go out however, after that it's just the normal busy weekends that if you get on the water by 5am you'll get 5 or 6 good hours of fishing.

Good your prepared For it. I think you'll have fun and should be able to catch some eyes and possibly a big norlunge.

Otisco is 5.4 miles long and 3/4 mi wide at its widest point. And these jet skiers sometimes have no regard for fishing boats.

Patriot, I hope you enjoy the lake as much as I do.. My advice if your coming for just the day is.... Get here early real early. Otisco is a small lake and it will be rockin and Rollin with boats, jet skis. Etc by 10am.. Let me know if I can be of assistance in your fishing prowles