The Fishing Line - November 5th Edition

Freshwater Fishing, Fisheries Management, and Boating News

In This Issue:

• Lake Erie Open Lake Angler Survey Update - October 2021
• New Fishing Access Site - Oquaga Creek
• DEC - Your "Go To" for Fishing Regulations
• Have You Taken Advantage of NY's new Catch and Release Season on Inland Trout Streams?

Lake Erie Open Lake Angler Survey Update - October 2021

Angler effort on the New York portion of Lake Erie typically declines dramatically in October as the weather changes, boats are put away, and people turn their attention toward other outdoor pursuits. However, the warm weather produced a higher-than-average number of anglers on Lake Erie this October. While summer anglers focus mostly on walleye, fall conditions produce excellent fishing opportunities for a variety of species; this year was no exception.

Walleye
The walleye bite typically slows down this time of year, but walleye effort was more than double the average for October, with nearly half of the effort based out of Buffalo Harbor. Anglers targeting walleye harvested 1.2 walleye per boat trip with a catch rate of 0.17 fish per angler hour, which was the 5th highest in the last 20 years for October. The average length of a harvested walleye was 20.6 inches.

Smallmouth Bass
Fishing efforts in October were above average, with almost all the bass angler efforts based out of Buffalo Harbor. Following a slow September bite, bass anglers saw a marked improvement in fishing action in October with average catches of 10 bass per boat trip at a catch rate of 0.86 fish per angler hour (October average = 0.81 fish per hour).

Yellow Perch
The best yellow perch fishing in the New York waters of Lake Erie typically occurs in the spring and fall months. October perch fishing effort was slightly above the 20-year average, with the bulk of the effort based out of Cattaraugus Creek. Fishing quality was about average in 2021, with anglers catching about 26 perch per boat trip at a catch rate of 2.55 fish per angler hour (October average = 2.52 fish per hour). About 5% of yellow perch anglers achieved a 50 fish limit with an average size of 12 inches.

October was the final month of the annual Lake Erie angler survey. A brief summary of the 2021 survey results will be released next month. Complete results will be available this winter in DEC’s Lake Erie Unit Annual Report.

For more information about Lake Erie Fisheries Management and Research visit our website.

New Fishing Access Site - Oquaga Creek

DEC Region 7 Operations, Real Property, and Fisheries programs recently completed the acquisition and development of a parcel of land along Oquaga Creek on State Route 41 in the Town of Sanford, Broome County. DEC purchased the entire 1.7 acre parcel which includes 900 feet of stream frontage. A six car parking area was constructed to facilitate angler access to the creek and is the third of four planned parking areas on Oquaga Creek. This property is at the north end of an existing stretch of Public Fishing Rights easement, extending the 4.2 miles of permanent public access on the creek. Oquaga Creek is stocked annually with 2,650 brown trout.

DEC - Your "Go To" for Fishing Regulations

The internet is a great place to find information on fishing, but anglers should be aware that fishing regulations posted on some websites may be outdated or inaccurate. DEC is your official source for fishing regulations, and we recommend you use the New York State Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide (PDF) (available where sporting licenses are sold) or DEC's website to find out about general or water body-specific regulations. You can also contact any of our nine regional offices or email us at fwfish@dec.ny.gov for any fishing regulation questions you may have.

Have You Taken Advantage of NY's new Catch and Release Season on Inland Trout Streams?

If so, we want to know! Share your experience and pics to: fwfish@dec.ny.gov. 

Thanks to recently implemented trout fishing regulations, anglers can now take advantage of year-round fishing opportunities through a catch and release trout season on inland streams from October 16 - March 31, using artificial lures only.