Wednesday, May 31, 2017

muskie in the St.Lawrence river

Trolling and casting are popular ways to fish for muskie in the St.Lawrence river off Clayton New York. There are public boat ramps to launce your boat. If you are not familiar with the area for musky fishing I would suggest you hire a experienced musky fishing guide. May 2 is the opening day for musky fishing but the best fishing is in the fall going into winter. It can be very cold on the St.Lawrence river fishing for musky so dress warm. More fishing for muskies include the down stream sides of any of the deep water shoals off the islands between Cape Vincent and Clayton.
 
I like to drift the deep water shoals of Clayton using a heavy fishing rig baitcasting tackle spooled with 30-pound test line or stronger and a wire leader,muskie can bite through regular fishing line. If you can find them at the local bait store a 6 to 10 inch sucker hook through the mouth is a great musky killer. I like to use a 1/2 ounce sinker placed about 3 feet above the hook to let the sucker swim around. Using a fish finder find the shoals that are next to deep water the muskies lay along the rock shoals and feed on bait fish like a sucker. Trolling a large sucker  bait is also good for muskie anglers because you can cover more water and increase the chances  of a strike from a muskie. Remember muskies take a long time to grow so its important to handle the quickly and release the muskie back into the river as soon as possible.

Monday, May 29, 2017

black bass remains the most popular game fish

While the St. Lawrence River, Upper Niagara River, and Chautauqua Lake are the most popular hotspots for these big fish, there are other — though less popular — waters across the state that produce good fish. Some of the other quality muskie waters are Waneta, Greenwood, Bear and Cassadaga lakes, and the Susquehanna, Chenango, and Great Chazy rivers.
Muskies are not limited to the waters I’ve mentioned above. There are at least 13 lakes and 19 rivers with muskellunge populations in across the state. The closest water to Dutchess county is Greenwood Lake in Orange County.
The minimum size limit on Greenwood Lake is 36 inches. The daily creel limit in all locations is one fish per day. If the creel limit seems low you should chew on this for a while: Muskies are known as "the fish of 10,000 casts."  Be prepared to go a long time between hookups.
Also opening on June 17, is the state’s black bass season.  
The black bass remains the most popular game fish in the state, with far more anglers targeting them than the No. 2 game fish, trout.

Friday, May 26, 2017

Fishing for muskellunge

The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced the fishing season for muskellunge, or muskie, will open in most parts of the state Saturday.
Fishing for muskellunge in the St. Lawrence River won’t open until June 17.
Muskie is one of the state’s premiere trophy fish, with a minimum length of 40 inches.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Lake sturgeon

Lake sturgeon are listed as a threatened species in New York. Therefore, there is no open fishing season, and possession is prohibited. Anglers are likely to encounter sturgeon during the spring when the fish gather to spawn on clean gravel or cobble shoals and in stream rapids. Sturgeon spawn in New York state in May and June when water temperatures reach 55°F to 64°F.
Anglers should not intentionally target these protected fish. If an angler catches a sturgeon, they should fish another area or change fishing gear to avoid catching another. Anglers who unintentionally hook one should follow these practices to ensure the fish are returned to the water unharmed:
  • Avoid bringing the fish into the boat, if possible
  • Use pliers to remove the hook; sturgeon are almost always hooked in the mouth
  • Always support the fish horizontally; do not hold sturgeon in a vertical position by their head, gills or tails
  • Never touch their eyes or gills
  • Minimize their time out of the water and return the fish to the water immediately once freed from fishing gear

Monday, May 15, 2017

St. Lawrence River High Water

Docks and high water on the St. Lawrence River. But in addition to the loss of property and damage to docks and boathouses, is the loss of income for our Island economy. 

Friday, May 5, 2017

walleye, pike, pickerel, and muskellunge

Saturday marks the beginning of the walleye, pike, pickerel, and muskellunge seasons in St. Lawrence County and around the state.
The St. Lawrence River and Cranberry Lake are two prime spots for trophy pike anglers. The explosive strike of these fish provides for an exciting encounter for anglers that target these sleek ambush predators, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.