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Conesus 5/10/2014 Walleye


RWhite

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That is AWESOME.....I've never had luck on Conesus casting (have caught a couple trolling at night).  You mind general direction?  South, East, West??

 

Any preference to color and assume at NIGHT.

 

THAT IS ONE HELL OF a catch there.

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Thanks. I called the Avon Dec and they said they are doing a population study on the lake. I guess they tagged 900 walleye. So if you catch one please call 1-585-226-5343. They think the population is down. However I caught four that night one only had a tag, and I'm sure all the other walleye weighed in the tournament that night didn't have tags. So my guess is there's still plenty of eyes there waiting to get caught :)

White_instincs @instagram

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There figuring 7500 eyes which is down from the 15,000 in 2002 when they did the exact same survey. I went out shocking one night two weeks ago abs out of the 37 eyes we caught 3 of them were tagged. That was just one night tho. A lot more tagged fish showed up then I was hoping for. They only stock the lake every other year now. For about 8 years up until 2002 it was stocked every year. It doesn't come as a surprise the population is down.

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There figuring 7500 eyes which is down from the 15,000 in 2002 when they did the exact same survey. I went out shocking one night two weeks ago abs out of the 37 eyes we caught 3 of them were tagged. That was just one night tho. A lot more tagged fish showed up then I was hoping for. They only stock the lake every other year now. For about 8 years up until 2002 it was stocked every year. It doesn't come as a surprise the population is down.

.

What was the biggest you guys shocked two weeks ago? Anything over 10lbs?

White_instincs @instagram

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Nothing over 10 no. When we shocked the creek at the beginning of April there were some that were prolly over 10.

. the past two years I've heard rumors of state record walleye that was shocked there. With your contact with the dec is it true?

White_instincs @instagram

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They only shock the lake every 5 years I believe. I've heard those rumors to. Don't quote me but I don't think they have weighted any fish over the state record. I would not be surprised if there's a few swimming around that are that big tho. Those fish are so old and so lazy the chances of hooking them are slim IMO. Lol the other day I heard "the dec shocked 2 state record pike in the inlet this year" lol they didn't net a single pike and didn't weigh a single fish in the inlet. Rumors spread like wildfire. It's like the telephone game. "The dec shocked some big walleye today" ten people later "the dec shocked state record pike and walleye today!!!!" Take everything with a grain of salt.

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The region 7 guys said that the reason they didnt stock Otisco a few times was due too lack of success.  Basically if the DEC is unaware of the amount of walleyes that are caught and unaware that we are fishing for them they arent going to spend as much money on stocking.  Because walleye guys are secretive and they arent out there to count us they stock the waters where they feel the fish will be utilized.  They make a lot of decisions based on catch rates, and when the most successful guys dont participate in the angler diaries the numbers say the stockings arent successful.  Ive heard guys on Otisco say that they dont want the dec to know the fishing is good for fear the dec wont put the fish in because we have enough.  I believe the opposite is true.  If you like the walleyes participate in the angler diary program!!!!!!!!!!  This is a managed fishery not a self sustaining one....they need the info.  BTW mine has been easy to keep so far...wish the alewives would get started!  We had a 12lber caught on Otisco last week, but its 1 of only 5 i know of so far....

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Justin your absolutely right. I spoke with a biologist in region 8 recently about the walleye in Conesus. I said numbers are down, now what's the course of action to get more walleye stocked? He said there really isn't one. The hatchery can only produce so many walleye every year and they are spoken for. He said the only way Albany would approve more walleye stocking is if he can prove there's a bunch of people angling for walleye and the last creel survey they did showed very minimal about of walleye fishing in the lake. Also he said that knowing Conesus is over run with alewife doesn't help because it's well known it will never be a self sustaining population and that's the goal of every stocking program.

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I know there are plenty of guys fishing for walleye, and I know there are plenty of people reading this forum yet nobody speaks up.  Sportsmen need to do a better job educating themselves and realize how fish management resources are allocated.  You can bet Otisco will get its fish....I make sure the DEC knows how successful thier stockings are and do everything I can to increase the catch rates for the lake....like sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This thread needs to be moved to the walleye forum so it gets read by the individuals that need this info!

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I think it is hard to conduct an accurate population survey on any fish by a catch survey. Any fisherman knows some years are better than others, and most don't want to use techniques outside there comfort zones. One year you smash them on this lure the next you can't get them to touch it. Just because they aren't biting doesn't mean there not there. However a solid stocking program would insure a solid population, and tournaments would organize a solid base of anglers where you can get solid data. You throw a good pot of cash and someone will show you what kind of fish are in these lakes.

White_instincs @instagram

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I agree its impossible to conduct an accurate population study, but its not impossible to show the state there is a solid base of anglers targeting finger lakes walleye.  Thats all we have to do to get fish...if the number of participating anglers in the angler diaries targetting eyes in the fingers was to double or triple in 1 year we would make a hell of a statement.  We need participation and numbers to have a voice that cannot be ignored.

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Posting your trips and sharing info gets more guys out there too which in turn promotes the fishery. If successful anglers try to keep the fish to themselves in the end they will have none. Fish are stocked for the masses not just a couple individuals. Does anyone know the numbers from last years diary on conesus? We had 257 walleye caught on otisco and 18 participants. Ive seen more than 18 people targeting them this year already...

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I was thinking about the low success rate of the walleye reproduction and wondered if it was possible to protect  the spawn by creating a temporary break that the alewives + could not transverse over.  This break would be in place after the bulk of the spawning walleye were past but before the alewives + would run upstream.  This break would have to be high enough to restrict fish from jumping it but allow fish to leave the spawning area.  This would kinda be a makeshift fish hatchery.

 

I have seen digger dams restrict the migration of suckers and thought this might work for walleye.  If this approach is feasible it might even be cheaper than hatchery methods over a number of years.  Flood control is an obvious concern but I think it can be engineered to not be a bigger risk than normal.

 

Just something I was thinking about after visiting Conesus Inlet this year. 

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