The Fishing Line – November 17th Issue

Freshwater Fishing, Fisheries Management, and Fishing Access News

In This Issue:

• Tips for Releasing Your Catch
• Upcoming Fishing Season Closures
• Giving Thanks to Family, Friends, and Fish on Thanksgiving!
• Hatchery Highlight – Chateaugay Fish Hatchery
• DEC Fisheries Staff Spotlight – Megan Beckwith, Fish & Wildlife Technician 2

Tips for Releasing Your Catch

Steelhead season is in the full swing on New York's Great Lakes tributaries, and with more and more anglers choosing to release their catch, we thought it'd be a good opportunity to include some tips to consider the next time you're out on the water. It's also worth noting that these recommendations apply to most sportfish you plan to catch and release, not just trout and salmon!

• Land fish as quickly as possible – don't fight the fish to exhaustion.
• Avoid laying them on sharp rocks or dry surfaces.
• Handle fish carefully to avoid injury- be sure to avoid contact with the gills.
• Leave them in the water, if possible. If you are using a landing net, consider using a rubber net, as they are easier on the fish's body than the traditional nylon mesh.
• If you're going to take photos, be snappy. Fish don't like lengthy photo shoots.
• Hold fish sideways, not vertical, to avoid internal injuries.
• Consider using barbless hooks. If hooked deeply, don't try to remove the hook. Clip the leader instead.

Steelhead Fishing in Lake Ontario Tributaries 
Steelhead Fishing in Lake Erie Tributaries 

Photo courtesy of Vince Tobia

Upcoming Fishing Season Closures

The last day of the harvest season for black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) and open season for (inland) muskellunge is November 30. Muskie season for the Great Lakes extends to December 15. For many counties there's a catch & release black bass season (using artificial lures only) that begins on December 1. However, fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass, including catch and release, is prohibited outside of the closed season (December 1 - June 14) in Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Franklin and Hamilton counties.

Special regulations exist for some waters, so be sure to check the Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide for exceptions.

Giving Thanks to Family, Friends, and Fish on Thanksgiving!

Have you considered adding fish to your Thanksgiving menu? Based on historical archives of the 1621 “first Thanksgiving” meal, the Pilgrim settlers and Wampanoag Tribe likely shared fish, shellfish, venison, and waterfowl (ducks or geese) instead of turkey. Turkey didn’t gain prominence at the dinner table until after 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving as a national holiday to help unify the country amidst a civil war. Whether you’d like to emulate the original “first Thanksgiving” meal or help reduce the tryptophan effect after eating the traditional modern-day turkey, then going fishing is the perfect activity during this holiday!

Before ice fishing season gets underway, trout and salmon are usually the more popular fish to pursue. Keep in mind that trout in inland streams are currently catch and release only, but fishing for these species in many lakes and ponds across the state offer the opportunity to catch fish for your feast!

You can find places to fish on the DEC website, or locate a spot near you by using the HuntFishNY mobile app “Tackle Box” feature. As usual, review the freshwater fishing regulations for the latest open seasons and catch limits before venturing out.

Happy Fishing and Happy Thanksgiving!

Highlight Hatchery – Chateaugay Fish Hatchery

Location: 134 Fish Hatchery Road, off US-11, Village of Chateaugay, Franklin County

Visitor Hours: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, 7 days a week, year-round

Species Raised: Brook, brown, rainbow, lake trout, and splake (a hybrid cross between domestic brook trout and wild Finger Lake strain lake trout)

Overview: Constructed in 1934, the Chateaugay Fish Hatchery is the northernmost DEC hatchery situated in the Adirondack Mountains. The hatchery originated in 1924 as a field station near Boardman Brook; however, due to an unreliable water source, it moved to its existing location along the Marble River. Nearly 96,000 pounds of fish reared from this hatchery are stocked in waters of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton, Herkimer, and St. Lawrence counties.

The main activities that take place here include:

• Raise and stock lake trout (eggs collected from wild lake trout in Raquette Lake).
• Raise and stock brook, brown, splake, and rainbow trout (eggs supplied from DEC’s Bath and Randolph Fish Hatcheries).
• Raise and stock Temiscamie hybrid brook trout (a cross between a domestic brook trout and a wild Canadian-strain brook trout).

Fun Fact: Temiscamie-strain brook trout are stocked exclusively in the Adirondacks because of their resilience to the higher acidic conditions found in the mountains lakes and ponds.

Learn more:

DEC Fish Hatcheries
Guide to Brook Trout Fishing in the Adirondacks (PDF)

DEC Fisheries Staff Spotlight – Megan Beckwith, Fish & Wildlife Technician

Remember when you were in grade school, answering the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Scrawling in large uneven letters, I always answered “Marine Biologist.” My interest in aquatic sciences was sparked ever since I went to my first aquarium, obsessing over the colorful fish in the tanks. My handwriting has improved drastically since then, but my passion for the underwater world persisted. I was accepted into SUNY-ESF in 2011 and majored in Aquatic and Fisheries Science with a minor in Marine Ecology. Although my focus has shifted from marine to freshwater fisheries since childhood, I’m sure my past self would not be disappointed in my current occupation.

After graduating, my first experience working with the DEC was as a seasonal job recording Lake Ontario salmon data from fisherman in Oswego. In 2017, I applied for a Fisheries Technician position in Ray Brook which focused on brook trout management in the Adirondacks. My current duties involve gill netting and electrofishing ponds and streams, sea lamprey control, building barrier dams, creating bathymetric maps, fish stocking, egg takes, and lake reclamations.

When I’m not on the clock, I enjoy hiking, CrossFit, and playing Dungeons & Dragons. I am lucky enough to work in some of the most beautiful places in the Adirondacks, but I sometimes wonder if I will ever become desensitized to the mountainous backdrops, meandering rivers, and lush green forests.

I’m certain that day will never come.