Freshwater Fishing, Fisheries Management, and Fishing Access News
In this issue:
For many, Memorial Day weekend is considered the unofficial start of summer, which usually means more time spent outdoors - hiking, biking, camping and of course, fishing! If you are planning to stay close to home this weekend, here's a list of family-friendly fishing spots near you.
DEC Region 1 (Long Island) - Belmont Lake (Suffolk County), Hempstead Lake (Nassau County), Massapequa Reservoir (Nassau County)
DEC Region 2 (NYC) - Harlem Meer (Central Park), Prospect Park Lake (Brooklyn), Willowbrook Lake (Staten Island), Kissena Lake (Queens)
DEC Region 3 (Southern NY) - White Pond (Putnam County), Wilson Lake (Ulster County), Onteora Lake (Ulster County), Beacon Long Dock Park (Dutchess County), Overlook Park Pond (Dutchess County), Hessian Lake (Rockland County), Morningside Lake (Sullivan County)
DEC Region 4 (Capital District) – Thompsons Lake (Albany County), Washington Park Lake (Albany County), North-South Lake (Greene County), Launt Pond (Bear Spring Mountain, Delaware County), Basswood Pond (Otsego County), Canadarago Lake (boat launch, Otsego County), Gilbert Lake State Park (Otsego County), Goodyear Lake (Otsego County), Cherry Plain State Park (Rensselaer County), Grafton Lakes State Park (Rensselaer County), East Greenbush Town Park (Rensselaer County), Collins Lake (Schenectady County), Iroquois Lake (Central Park, Schenectady County), Looking Glass Pond (Schoharie County), Lawson Lake (Feura Bush, Albany County), Ann Lee Pond (Colonie), Lake Taghkanic State Park (Columbia County), Queechy Lake (Columbia County), Snyders Lake (Rensselaer County)
DEC Region 5 (Eastern Adirondacks/Lake Champlain) – South Bay Fishing Pier (Lake Champlain), St. Regis Canoe Area (Franklin County), Moreau Lake State Park (Saratoga County), Barney Pond (Saratoga County)
DEC Region 6 (Mohawk Valley/Western Adirondacks) – St. Lawrence River (Thousand Islands Region), Chittning Pond (Oneida County), Mohawk River at the Muck Rd. boat launch site (Rome), Bellamy Harbor (Rome) and Locks 20, 18, 16, 17, Cape Vincent Fisheries Station
DEC Region 7 (Central NY) – Casterline Pond (Cortland), Durkee Park (Cortland), Onondaga Lake, Bowman Lake (Chenango County), Mill Brook Reservoir (Chenango County), Nanticoke 7A (Broome County), Nathaniel Cole Park Pond (Broome County), Whitney Point Reservoir (Broome County), Labrador Pond (Onondaga County)
DEC Region 8 (West Central NY) – Eldridge Lake (Chemung County), DEC Region 8 Office (Avon), Mendon Ponds Park (Monroe County), Cobbs Hill Park (Rochester), Powder Mills Park (Monroe County)
DEC Region 9 (Western NY) - Tifft Nature Preserve (Buffalo), Westwood Park (Lancaster), Hyde Park (Niagara Falls), Case Lake (Cattaraugus County), Chautauqua Lake (Chautauqua County), Silver Lake State Park (Wyoming County), Mayville Lakeside Park (Chautauqua Lake)
Mark your calendars - fishing seasons for muskellunge begin on June 1 in inland waters and June 15 in Great Lakes waters and their tributaries (Lake Erie, Upper Niagara River, Lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River) and their tributaries. Muskies are managed as trophy fish in New York, and minimum size regulations of 40 inches for inland waters and 54 inches for Great Lakes waters reflect that. There are some exceptions to inland water regulations, so be sure to check the current fishing regulations for the water you plan to fish.
Popular hotspots for trophy muskies include the St. Lawrence River, Upper Niagara River, and Chautauqua Lake. Other quality fisheries can be found at Waneta, Greenwood, Bear, and Cassadaga lakes and the Susquehanna, Chenango, and Great Chazy rivers.
More on Muskies
Musky Fishing Tips
Musky, Pike, Tiger Musky and Pickerel fishing opportunities
Muskellunge Management in New York
Lake sturgeon typically spawn (reproduce) in late April - early June over gravelly areas (the spaces between the rocks make great hiding spots for the eggs!), so you’re more likely to encounter them this time of year. You may spot one breaching out of the water, a behavior that’s exhibited during the spawning season, or if you’re fishing, you may hook into one (remember, fishing for them is strictly prohibited).
If you do happen to catch a sturgeon follow these tips for a safe and efficient release:
- Avoid bringing sturgeon into your boat or on shore, minimizing it’s time out of the water
- Use pliers to remove the hook quickly
- Support the fish horizontally. Holding it vertically, by the head, gills or tail can cause serious injury.
- Move to another fishing spot or switch lures/technique to avoid re-hooking or catching another sturgeon
The fact that we get to do outreach about lake sturgeon is pretty incredible. Ten years ago you would be hard pressed to encounter a sturgeon, but thanks to DEC, US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), US Geological Survey (USGS), Cornell University, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) and their partners, they’re making a serious comeback after being nearly extirpated in the 80s. Understanding their habitat preference, movement patterns, and spawning sites through field work and research, coupled with a strategic stocking program has helped bolster populations of this prehistoric species in many waters in the state. The ultimate goal is to get these populations to a point where they’re self-sustaining (i.e- don’t need our help) and eventually removed from a “threatened” status in NY.
Recently, lake sturgeon was reviewed for listing under the authority of the federal Endangered Species Act. DEC and our recovery partners contributed data and comments to the federal review that led to a finding of “listing not warranted.” Way to go Team Sturgeon!
Lake Sturgeon - Saving a Great Lakes Dinosaur on YouTube
Lake Sturgeon Restoration in New York
Did you know that inland trout stream reaches in New York are managed according to five management categories? Reach descriptions and category assignments are updated every year to reflect the results of biological surveys, angler use estimates, and public access verifications completed during the previous year. Check out the 2024 Categorization of New York State Trout Stream Reaches (PDF) to look up a particular stream or learn more about inland trout stream management.
As you kick off the boating season this Memorial Day weekend, don’t forget to take steps to protect New York’s waters! Aquatic invasive species (AIS) can spread between waterbodies by attaching to boats and other water recreation equipment. Once introduced, AIS can harm New York’s ecosystems, economies, and recreation. To keep AIS from hitching a ride, always remember to Clean, Drain, Dry!
-
Clean mud, plants, and animals off boats, trailers, fishing gear, and other equipment and discard the material in a trash can or disposal station.
-
Drain water-holding compartments, including ballast tanks, live wells, and bilge areas, before leaving an access site.
-
Dry everything completely for five to seven days in dry, warm conditions. If drying isn’t possible, visit a decontamination station to disinfect boats and other equipment with hot water that's at least 140°F.
Want to learn more about how to Clean, Drain, Dry? Look for boat stewards in blue vests at boat launches throughout the state starting Memorial Day weekend. Boat stewards can answer your questions about AIS, provide a free boat inspection for invasive species, and show you how to Clean, Drain, Dry your watercraft and equipment. View the NYS Public Boat Launch Map to find a boat steward near you.
Boating in the Adirondacks
Please note that boaters operating motorized watercraft in the Adirondack Park or within ten miles of the Blue Line are required by law to possess certification that their vessel has undergone Clean, Drain, Dry procedures to prevent the spread of AIS before launching. Learn more about the certification process on our website.
Location: Town of Beekman
Size: 112 Acres
Average Depth: 65 feet
Maximum Depth: 140 feet
Primary Sportfish: Brown trout, largemouth bass, panfish
The Fishery: Sylvan is a clear lake with extensive deep, open-water habitat surrounded by a narrow band of vegetated shallows. Largemouth bass and panfish are popular targets in the nearshore, while summertime thermal stratification in deeper water supports a managed trout fishery, even during the hottest months of the year.
Access: Public access is available via a DEC hand launch and parking lot off Sylvan Lake Road. The parking capacity is four to five cars. Sylvan Lake is an electric motor only waterbody; no gas engines are allowed.
Current Management/Research: The most recent warmwater fish survey of the lake took place in 2018. Results showed average catch rates of largemouth bass of all sizes, with slightly lower than average catch rates of larger-sized bass when compared with lakes of similar size across New York state. Catch rates of bluegill and pumpkinseed were above their respective state averages, especially for preferred size fish (≥ 8in.), indicating this is a good lake for panfish anglers.
Due to the availability of coldwater habitat in the lake throughout the year, New York state began sporadically stocking salmonids in Sylvan Lake beginning in the 1920’s, with the current stocking policy of 1700 yearling brown trout per year initiated in 1995. To evaluate these policies over time, the state performed trout population and summertime water quality surveys roughly every 10-20 years. Despite some concerns of a narrowing band of summertime trout habitat in the 1990’s, recent surveys in 2022 and 2023 show the lake maintains a robust trout zone (defined as temperatures ≤ 70°F and DO ≥ 5 mg/L) and supports several year classes of stocked brown trout, including several large brown trout aged 3 years or older.
Places to Fish - Sylvan Lake
|
