Sunday, November 16, 2014

Muskellunge

Muskellunge
The current statewide regulations for muskellunge call for a 30-inch minimum length requirement although that requirement is 40 inches for Chautauqua Lake and the rivers and streams in St. Lawrence County. The proposed regulation would set the statewide minimum length requirement for muskellunge at 40 inches.
The current minimum length requirement for muskellunge in the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River is 48 inches, but the new regulations call for a 54-inch minimum-length requirement on those waters. That 54-inch requirement is presently in effect for Lake Erie and its tributaries.The traditional muskellunge season has opened on the third Saturday in June, but the proposed regulation calls for opening the season three weeks earlier on the last Saturday in May.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Loons on the East Coast

Like many of us other season river rats, loons migrate to the river (and other northern lakes) each spring. Loons on the East Coast migrate from the southern Atlantic Coast ranging from Florida to the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to their excellent swimming abilities, they are also very agile in the air having been clocked at over 70 mph in flight. The one serious challenge for loons is getting from the water to the air. They are able to swim so well because their legs are located far back on their bodies. But this makes it difficult for them to lift-off in flight. In fact, they need anywhere from 30 yards, to a quarter mile, of a watery runway where they can flap their wings and run across the surface of the water to gain enough speed to take-off. No wonder the river is such an ideal location for them. Loons that migrate across interior North America will find large lakes and rivers to land on (and take back off from) on their way north and south each year.  One other down side to having their legs located so far back on their bodies is that loons are extremely awkward when trying to walk. That makes them virtually helpless on dry land. Occasionally a migrating loon will accidentally land on a wet parking lot or small pond mistaking it for a lake. Without the necessary open water needed for takeoff, the loons will be stranded. I’ve read of numerous rescues down by wildlife experts who will come and capture a stranded loon and carry it to a large enough body of water for it to be able to take off and continue its journey.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

minimum size for muskie statewide from 30 to 40 inches

Extending Great Lakes tributary regulations upstream on the Genesee River from the Route 104 bridge to Lower Falls; increasing the minimum size limit for walleye on Honeoye Lake from 15 to 18 inches; increasing the minimum size limit for muskellunge in Lake Ontario, the Niagara River and St. Lawrence rivers from 48 to 54 inches and increasing the minimum size for muskie statewide from 30 to 40 inches while starting the season on the last Saturday in May, up from the third Saturday in June.
There are myriad proposals affecting fishing tackle, like permitting the use of floating lures with multiple hook points on all Lake Ontario tributaries with the exception of the Salmon River. The definition of a floating lure would be clarified to read any “lure that floats while at rest in water with or without any weight attached to the line, leader, or lure.’’

Monday, September 29, 2014

microplastics

Researchers have discovered microplastics across the bottom of the St. Lawrence River, the first time these pollutants have been found in freshwater sediment.Scientists from McGill University and the province of Quebec published their discovery this month in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.The microbeads they found usually come from personal care or cleaning products that wash down the drain and pass through sewage and treatment plants right into bodies of water.“We were surprised to find such concentrations at the bottom of a river,” McGill professor Anthony Ricciardi, who supervised the study, told the National Research Council. “It was previously assumed that floating microplastics are flushed through rivers to the sea. Now we have evidence that rivers can act as a sink for this pollution.”
While the environmental effects of microplastics are not well known, the surfaces of these plastics attract chemicals that can be transferred to animals that eat them.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Muskellunge Release program

Releasing a larger proportion of bass caught by anglers is an approach that can be used to reduce mortality of adult fish and allow more bass to survive. The bass population in the River will benefit if anglers restrict their take of fish to only those, which they will consume that day, while releasing the rest. A shore dinner of fresh cooked St Lawrence River bass remains one of the signature dining experiences of the 1000 Islands. Fishermen are being encouraged to release the larger bass since they are the most prolific breeders in the fishery. Save The River, the Upper St. Lawrence River’s environmental organization which has run a successful Muskellunge Release program since 1987, was challenged a couple of years ago by two of its donors to develop a similar Bass Catch and Release(C&R) Program.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Bassmaster Tournament Trail

After a summer hiatus, the Elites are back in action on the St. Lawrence River, July 30-Aug. 2, out of Waddington, N.Y. The St. Lawrence has been a frequent stop on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, hosting 16 previous tournaments, including the 1980 Bassmaster Classic and an Elite contest. In 2013, the Waddington event broke the Elite Series attendance record set months earlier in Orange, Texas, with more than 34,000 fans participating over the four-day event.
The St. Lawrence is a world-class smallmouth fishery and ranked 11th among the 100 best fisheries in America. Brandon Palaniuk earned his blue Elite trophy in 2013 with 88 pounds, 12 ounces of smallmouth bass, an average of 4.4 pounds per fish.

 

Monday, August 18, 2014

1000 Islands Harbor Hotel

On 9 July, 2014 Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the opening of the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel in Clayton, NY, with the following remarks - Today, the North Country is gaining a tremendous asset to attract tourism and generate economic activity in the region.The 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel will help draw and retain visitors to the North Country for years to come, and I am proud that the State was able to play a role in bringing this important project to fruition. Tourism is a major driver for the Upstate economy, and this is another example of how we are working to grow the industry and create new opportunities for New Yorkers in the region."

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Caiger's and target bass

Bass season in Ontario now opens the third Saturday in June, and Banditelli said that anglers who targeted the smaller channels had outstanding success using topwater baits in general and soft baits such as YUM Frogs in particular. One factor that makes topwater fishing so effective in kayaks is the ability to slip undetected by drifting into the heavy cover and making short casts that decrease the chance of hang-ups on the retrieve that often create strikes at the kayak in the final turns of the retrieve.
Anglers who regularly fish out of Caiger's and target bass in the channels soon learn how effective using spinnerbaits are in locating and catching bass. Newcomers usually give up on these baits because of the amount of weeds that are snagged, but the secret of success is to use a horizontal presentation - almost as if jigging - and to crimp the barb to reduce snags.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Bass Season Opens June 21

The third big opener of the fishing season occurs next weekend. Next Saturday, June 21, marks the opener of bass season and from the St. Lawrence River to the Hudson River anglers.Fisherman often suggests dragging green pumpkin tube jigs over rock piles since the smallmouth are often still bedding in deeper areas. If they are chasing schools of baitfish your best bet might be using a drop shot rig. they recommends a six pound fluorocarbon line, size 1 drop shot hook in black nickel finish and one-quarter ounce weight depending on wind,. Use any fluorocarbon knot and run the tag end back through the hook.
guides recommends using Berkley Gulp minnows in three inch size in smelt, emerald shiner or black shad patterns. Don’t buy crayfish since they won’t be a significant part of the bass menu until July. Bass are feeding on minnows at this time of year.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

landed a monster muskellunge


"To maximize our fishing we ventured out to Ogdensburg about 15 miles from Black Lake on the St Lawrence River and on our last day of vacation the magic happened!
"All through the week the northern pike and bass (large and small) were biting any Rapala stick bait we tossed into the water. And as they say, big water means big fish.
"An hour into fishing, I hooked into the fish of a lifetime! Surprisingly only a 10-minute fight and using the biggest net my local Gander Mountain sold, we landed a monster muskellunge.
"Stretching the tape, she measured a whopping 55 inches long with a girth of 24 inches. No scales available but muskie says a fish that size would weigh approx 40 pounds and be 15 to 20 years old. (The state record, set by Arthur Lawton back in 1957 on the St.Lawrence River, weighed 69 pounds and 15 ounces.)

Sunday, April 20, 2014

St. Lawrence River Walleye Association’s

The St. Lawrence River Walleye Association’s Opening Day Walleye Derby is a two-person team event, and the winning team will be determined by the total weight of its four largest fish. Eligible fish include three walleyes between 18-23 inches and one walleye more than 23 inches.
Derby organizers ask that fish over 23 inches be kept alive so that they might be released after being weighed in. Non-releasable fish will be subject to an 8-ounce penalty.
Interested anglers can register ($50 per two-person team) at JC River Run Bar & Grill in Waddington on Friday, May 3 from 6-7:30 p.m.
On-site registration ($10 penalty fee) will also be available prior to 5:30 a.m. on the day of the event. Too, participants who are not members of SLRWA will be assessed a $5 re-stocking fee. The derby is a 100 percent payback affair (minus $200).
The Waddington Boat Launch at Whitaker Park will serve as the starting point for all participants, and the launch will also serve as the weigh-in station. Fishing boundaries extend from the Ogdensburg International Bridge to the top side of Robert Moses Dam in Massena. Fishing hours are from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. Weigh-ins will be conducted at the boat launch from noon until 3 p.m., and awards will be presented at the nearby JC River Run Bar and Grill at 3 p.m.
In addition to cash prizes for the winners, numerous door prizes will be awarded.
In efforts to raise funds for its walleye stocking program and to promote St. Lawrence River walleye fishing, the St. Lawrence Valley Sportsmen’s Club is hosting its eighth annual SLVSC Walleye Derby on opening day. The event is an open-boundary one, and fishing hours extend from midnight until 4 p.m. Winning fish will be determined by weight.
Interested anglers can register ($20) in Ogdensburg at Hosmer’s Marina, Myer’s Pub, Vinn’s Tavern, and Fish’er Chips and in Lisbon at Sandy’s Bait and Tackle. Eligibility requires that all anglers in the boat be registered for the derby, and the minimum length for eligible walleyes is 21 inches. Weigh-ins will be held on the waterfront at Hosmer’s Marina from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. The waterfront weigh-in site allows anglers who wish to do so to release their catch.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

How to visit and enjoy Niagara Falls on the Niagara River

How to visit and enjoy Niagara Falls on the Niagara River
 Niagara Falls is a amazing place to visit and  view! You  well be amazed at the beauty and power of Niagara falls.
 You can either get a tour pass with a shuttle ride to Niagra or if you know where your going just park in there lots on Goat island and go from there. There are shuttle rides you can take to save on some of the walking. One thing you will learn  is to take water and snacks because it will take most of the day to visit Niagara Fall and Horseshoe Falls
The snack stands are expensive and the bugs are out in force so you need to take some treats with you. In downtown Niagara you can stop at the many tour offices before you get to the falls if you want to buy discount tickets and shuttles back and forth to Niagara Falls.
Cave of the Winds is great you take a elevator down to the bottom of the falls. They give you a poncho to wear and sandals you will get wet from the spray. Once there you walk to the bottom of the falls and the wind and power from the falls is amazing you have to go there for the thrill and you will get soaked from the water.
 They also offer the Maid of the Mist boat cruise which will take you to the whirlpools and bottom of Niagra falls.
The water flow on the American side of the falls is much less in strength because of Goat Island,  whereas Horseshoe Falls has no obstruction to divert it. The view of Niagara and Horseshoe falls is breathtaking. Be prepared to get soaked and keep your cameras covered.
 Whirlpool Rapids is down river a bit and you can take a power boat ride through the rapids its great fun.  At the bottom of Niagara falls, the water travels 15 miles over many gorges and whirl pools to enjoy.
The guides will tell you of the great history of Niagara falls and how they were formed.

Lake of the Isles on the St. Lawrence River

You can fish for bass in the Lake of the Isles on the  St. Lawrence River   St. Lawrence River has outstanding bass fishing for residents and bass fishinermen.When you visit this part of New York make sure you fish the Lake of the Isles. The Lake of the Isles in upstate New York is one of the largest inland bay fishing spots on the St. Lawrence River. This lake area is
 unique in the area because of its limited excess to the St. Lawrence River.
  There are large beds of lily pads and weed banks  with very clear water that offers fine bass fishing. The area is also out of the strong winds that blow up the waves and make it tough to fish for bass,  the shoreline areas are full of down trees and tree limbs,this creates great conditions for spawning and catching largemouth bass. There are smallmouth bass,bluegill,northern pike,pan fish and yellow perch all in this area.  Lake of the Isles holds large populations of these game fish., and it has a great reputation for its largemouth bass population. Many trophy size bass have been taken in the Lake of the Isles including the St. Lawrence River largemouth bass record. Lake of the Isles brings in pro fishermen and new fisherman from the Thousand Islands region after the season starts around June 21st.

 Many anglers  also like the  Lake of the Isles for its excellent year round fishing for pike and all types of pan fish. To get to the area for recreational fishing you can boat  from De Wolf Point State Park or Alexandria Bay New York. It can be reached by boating around Wesley island and heading south east up the river. If you not familiar with the area just ask someone at the boat docks and they will give you directions. If you decide to visit the area to fish you should try to fish on the weekdays as the weekend tend to bring out the party boats and it makes the bass to finicky with all the boat traffic.