Dec 5th Fish Report

[Scott Kitchen]

Jo Jo and I spent most of the day (from about 7 AM till around 3 PM) in the cold west north west wind on the Ontario side of the upper.  The water looked nice, about 5 to 7 feet of visibility and a warm emerald green, but the fish did not want to play.  There where white caps in the triangle for most of the day and we did not see another boat at all.  Still nice to fish with Jo Jo for the first time (he brings cookies and sandwiches, yea me!).

[Scott McKee]

I believe this fall saw the coldest water temperatures since 2000.

Capt. Larry D. Jones said:

I'm all for protecting our muskie fishery here on the Niagara River and our Inland Lakes.I also see protecting the fishery early durring spawning as most important.So why not open the season on the Niagara River /Lake Erie on 1st Saturday in July and Close on Dec 15th.There would be more muskies protected with a later start then by not allowing the 15 days in December.Inland waters can not be compared to the Niagara River system that is natural reproduction,there is very little natural reproduction on the Inland waters,most rely on total stocking efforts.The position by the NY DEC is to open Inland waters on the 4th Saturday in May,adding 21 days of fishing,the spawn and egg collections are all done by then as well.JoJo NY does not stock muskies in the Allegany River below the Dam or in Kinzua Res.They stock Olean Creek & Allegany River by Olean,NY with about 2000 fingerlings.The whole Great Lakes system has changed,the water has gotten warmer every year and most of the late fall fishing colder water temps are now when the season is closed.I believe it is time to shift the start later and finish later by 15 to 21 days!

[33sjfo56qd2lf]

As a conservation club we need to promote fishing the rest of the river.  UN1 and UN2 get pounded.  Not that I personally think there is a problem with the fishery.  I am merely stating that "Top Ten", which is a study to show where fish are being caught and there size worked for a few years, but now, it shows new members that UN1 & UN2 are the best areas, when I actually believe that is not true.  I believe those areas get pounded because of the amount of fish reported that come from UN1 & UN2.  The whole river holds fish, but we pound UN1 and UN2.   People read the reports and see 95% of fish caught in UN1 & UN2.  I think we need to promote fishing the rest of the river.  Top Ten and the fish reports promote pounding UN1 & UN2.  If we are a conservation club, would wouldn't promote pounding those areas.

Someone should start a thread called Fish Sanctuaries VS Seasons.  Sanctuaries protect all fish in the sanctuary.  Meaning there would NOT be incidental muskies caught by other anglers bass or walleye fishing because a sanctuary is protected during that time from all anglers.  I have personally seen bass guys catching muskies at Thompson and the front of Strawberry on 5 inch bass tubes in May and early June.   Time barred "SANCTUARIES"  would fix this problem.  We all know it's lack of education the average fisherman has on how to safely handle the release of muskies, that we worry about.  I'm way more in favor of sanctuaries over seasons.  If seasons were abolished, a large part of UN1 and UN2 should be sanctuaries from April 15th to July 15th.  If the DEC did that, it would help the fishery far more than seasons in my opinion.

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

JoJo,Chautauqua Lake was stocked with 60,000 3 1/2" fingerlings on June 21st and 15,000 9" to 10 1/2" extra fathead minnow fed fingerlings in mid October.75,000 Total!

[John Pensyl]

And with that cold water look what happened. The river and harbor both saw schools of huge shad. The head of the river stacked with big fish, look at the release data, most fish were over 40, I know of a bunch more over 45. Were you looking at your graph outside the harbor during those cold water days?? It was an all u can eat buffet and there were big preditors all over! Just because they finally show up to the harbor doesn't mean we will catch them, but it would sure be nice to have the opportunity. I can always hope for a ice covered lake and a cold spring so the harbor temp will be in the 50s at the opener and the beat up spawners will still be hanging around, but I'd much rather catch healthy fish in the fall.

[Scott McKee]

The public outcry from proposing a fish sanctuary around Strawberry would be tremendous. I don't believe the DEC would even consider a move like this.

The Top Ten was a positive way of promoting catch and release angling in response to Hank's yearly Top Twenty kill tournaments.  Nothing more.  We may have become too competitive for our own good.

[John Pensyl]

Who's competing?? I always have a goal to catch my new personal bests each season, but fishing goals should be against yourself. I would rather not report any of my catches, but I can see how the info can help fellow anglers improve their "game" and I was asked to this season, so I did. Like golf, improve your own game and wish others the best with theirs. Our golf course plays the best in the fall, why close everything but the front 9??? More regulations are not the answer, educate people about spawning habitat and how fishing near it can have adverse effects. This is where educating bass and "pike" fisherman in the upper really comes into play. Do any of you really target big fish for a stupid top 10 prize?? If so u can have my hat.

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

The proposed Great Lakes Regulations for Muskies are not set in stone for NY Waters of Lake Erie & Upper Niagara River,its up for Public Opinion in Febuary and one can voice their opinion on its content then.

[33sjfo56qd2lf]

I agree with you Scott.  We have become too competitive.  This is hard to admit, but I am super GUILTY of becoming too competitive.  

Lots of things sent me the wrong signal since I joined the club.  I am going to try to make fishing muskies, for my self, less competitive.   After seeing others responses, I stand corrected on a lot of things.  Especially John Millers responses.  Its our ability to compromise and learn from each other that will make us a better conservation club.

I think we should discuss this stuff at the meeting.  It would make for a great debate.

[33sjfo56qd2lf]

I think that would make a great debate Larry.  I can't wait to see how that goes.

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

In the founding years of the NMA we always had a Big Conservation Project that was a big driving force for the club.From repairing a breach on Strawberry Island,restoration around Strawberry Island,Sizelimit Increases etc..We need to get back to where we started by being more involved in the Conservation of our Harbor and Rivers through direct pure pressure,take on a Habitat Restoration Project! We need a mission that pulls everyone together again! I agree the topic of Season Closing Date should be an open topic at the January NMA Meeting.But I believe that any extension to Dec 15th should be done with a Later Start Date of 15 Days!

[John Pensyl]

My only objective to a later start date in the east river is it still leads to increased pressure on Ontario waters for those first two weeks because we're not going to convince them to change. The ultimate goal here would be to reduce pressure on over pressured waters, closing the east river until July 1st would just increase pressure up there at an even worse time. My vote is for a unified Niagara river season, upper, lower, east and west.

Now if your referring to the harbor, and not the east river I agree 100%. July 1st until Dec 15 sounds good to me. This season provides ample time for the fish to spawn and recover and more time to reach the conditions that may possibly draw them back in the fall . If it is a spawning ground or potential spawning ground for lake Erie fish it should be protected during that time.

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

We need to think the same Open & Close Dates for Ontario & NY for Lake Erie & Upper Niagara River July 1st to Dec 15th!