Chautauqua Musky - What do you think of an all year season?

[Nalod]

I was reading last night a great forum topic over at Mostly Muskies (Larry Jone's site). It was all about if we should have a musky season that is open all year.

The topic was created to see how many people would be interested in a season like this and what it would take to get it to happen. The interest was very high, but it sounds like NY is not for it because of the costs associated with the change.

I learned a ton about Chautauqua Musky through the posts in the topic...like no natural reproduction, how PA and OH has already adopted to a style like this, that the hatchery at pendergrast gathers the musky eggs from other lakes, and the associated costs to making changes.

After reading the article, I started to think of my thoughts on something like this. I personally would expect another 5-10 trips down to Chautauqua if the season was extended. If I would calculate costs of gas, tolls, food, purchases from the Happy Hooker, and more, it would be a good sum of money brought to NYS businesses. This is just for 1 person.

I figured I would carry over the conversation to this board (even though the final verdict sounds like Albany has no interest in this idea) to get another set of opinions from many guys that fish Chautauqua.

--Joe

[NitroMusky]

I think its a great idea (as you may have noted from my comment on Larrys original post), and he did a great job of trying to propel it forward through a well supported argument but it looks like moot topic.

I will be heading to PA the first sign of soft water.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[zach]

i am all about it but think that fish attempting to spawn should be left alone if there is any evidence of them sucessfully spawning. instead of year long how about making it open earlier and end same as canada's end date? high size limit or how about a catch and release early season like they do for bass? end of june is torture to wait for and i will soon be begging nitro for any pa fishing information come open water. nitro- what lakes do you hear most about for early season that aren't a 1,000 mile drive?

[NitroMusky]

zach my understanding is that depending on the year and water temps muskies could still be spawning into june, so I think there might be a better chance at an early season C+R than moving up the opener, if spawing is to be protected. im not for icefishing muskies, (seen too much potential for non-muskie panfishers to accidentally catch and harvest out of spite for them eating the panfish) so I wouldn't want an open season on the ice in any stuation. not sure if that could be excluded??

I cant dig out my earlier post on details of cowanesque from my mobile but that lake is no further a drive than waneta... just gotta pay the PA $$...there are a few others just a bit further too. first thaw and im there!

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[BlueEye]

I applaud Capt. Larry’s efforts in bringing this idea to light. The benefits of the proposal seem obvious (i.e., longer fishing season, more money spent in Chaut. County & NYS, less money leaving the state, increased license sales, more hotels booked, etc.) and I am in full support of any effort going forward with this proposal.

The idea of a longer fishing season combined with catch & release certainly minimizes the risk to the fishery itself. The extra days/months that the lake remains open would in my opinion not add a significant amount of fishing pressure to the lake. Certainly not to the extent that the lake experiences during the summer months.

I also don’t see the proposal as being economically unreasonable either. The stocking levels of the lake would not need to be changed if the catch & release only was implemented during this time frame. The only cost seemingly associated with the proposed change would be the cost to print/re-print the legislation. The regulation books get reprinted every other year anyways so it would be simply a matter of changing the wording therein.

Does anyone know who the head of the Chautauqua County Fish Advisory Board is? I have recently met with Fish Advisory Board representatives from Jefferson, Oswego, Cayuga, Wayne, Monroe and Niagara County (Lake Ontario's Sportfishing Promotions Council - LOSPC) and would like to help Larry out if possible in finding out the best way to move forward with such a proposal.

I am also interested in any RISKS associated with Larry’s proposal. If you can think of any risks associated to the state, county and fishery as a whole to extending the musky season on Chautauqua Lake to open water fishing year round, please post. I would be oppose to targeting muskies during the hard water season as the risk to hurting the fish increases dramatically. In single digit temps, a fish out of water can be damaged very quickly.

[mostlymuskies]

I have not totaly given up on trying to get an extended season on Chautauqua Lake.At the present time the DEC Warmer Water Fisheries People in Albany,NY are not going to budge from the season we have now.First thing said is the cost to reprint all NY Fishing Regulation Books with the change would cost more then money that would be recovered by having an extended season.It will be a tough battle to convince them other wise.Most of the Rental Cottages around Chautauqua Lake are old and not insulated to handle the cold weather of December or early April,water line freeze up etc..

We may need to make a different aproach to the NY DEC and ask for a 3rd Saturday in May Catch & Release Season to the 3rd Saturday in June.But then again the cost to print all the new type in the NY Fishing Regulations will come up agian,so we would have to show that out of state fishermen and local fishermen would spend enough money by taking part in May Muskie CPR fishing to have possitive dollar flow to the area.

Capt. Larry