Freshwater Fishing, Fisheries Management, and Fishing Access News
In this issue:
On July 11, James Britenbaugh of Pennsylvania smashed the 37 year old largemouth bass record by over a pound while fishing in preparation for an upcoming bass tournament on Cayuga Lake, Cayuga County. Caught on a senko, his record-breaking catch weighed in at 12 pounds 6 ounces and measured 25 inches! Congratulations James!
Fun fact: Cayuga Lake is now home to the smallmouth bass AND largemouth bass state records, both of which were released back in the lake.
James’ catch is a great reminder of the incredible bass fishing our state has to offer. Did you know five New York waters made it in Bassmaster Magazine’s Top 100 Best Bass Lakes in the country? The St. Lawrence River (Thousand Islands) is ranked as the best bass water in the nation, and Lake Erie/Upper Niagara River is ranked seventh! Lake Champlain, Cayuga Lake, and Oneida Lake made the list as well, and are in Bassmaster Magazine’s Top 25 Northeastern Best Bass Lakes of 2024. Many waters across the state also offer exceptional bass fishing, and New York continues to be a destination for world class fishing.
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You’re invited to comment on proposed changes to fishing regulations for several trout streams around the state. The draft regulations modify stream reach boundaries or change reach management categories as provided by the New York State Inland Trout Stream Management Plan. Additional changes for streams in Nassau and Suffolk counties clarify fishing regulations and extend trout fishing opportunity on select tidal streams.
The full text and a summary of the proposed regulation changes are available on the DEC website. Please e-mail comments to regulations.fish@dec.ny.gov (subject: "Trout Stream Regulations)" or mail them to the Inland Fisheries Section, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753. Comments will be accepted through September 9, 2024.
Want to know where fish were stocked in New York State last year? The long awaited 2023 Stocking Summary is now available! The list provides a summary of the number and size of freshwater fish species stocked in New York State over the course of a year. The 2023 data can be downloaded and viewed in a printable document format or can be viewed on the searchable NYS Open Data site, with stocking summary lists dating back to 2011.
Refer to the following links to access the stocking summary:
2023 Fish Stocking Summary List (PDF)
Open Data Fish Stocking Summary Lists, 2011-2023
Learn more about DEC Fish Stocking and DEC Fish Hatcheries
Situated in the Town of Hancock, Delaware County, a new fishing access site is available to anglers along the East Branch Delaware River. Located off NY Route 268, the Cadosia site offers parking for 4 cars and a hand launch for kayaks and canoes to explore the Delaware River tailwaters and its premier wild trout fishery. The project was a collaborative effort by the DEC, Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Friends of the Upper Delaware River.
For driving directions, view the Cadosia Fishing Access Site in Google Maps.
For more fishing access sites along the river, visit:
Delaware County Boat Launch Sites
Orange County Boat Launch Sites
Sullivan County Boat Launch Sites
Location: Saratoga County, Towns of Malta, Saratoga and Stillwater.
Size: 3,736 Acres, 23 miles of shoreline, 4.5 miles long, and avg. 1.5 miles wide
Average Depth: 25 Feet
Maximum Depth: 95 Feet
Primary Sportfish: Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, black crappie, sunfish, yellow perch, chain pickerel
The Fishery: According to the 2017 Statewide Angler Survey (PDF), Saratoga Lake is the 15th most-fished waterbody in New York State. The lake is popular among anglers seeking bass and large panfish. Black crappie and sunfish grow fast in this nutrient rich lake, and catching crappie over 12 inches, or bluegill over 8 inches is not uncommon. Saratoga Lake also supports a healthy population of walleye, with natural reproduction supplemented by annual stocking. Although catching them can be a challenge, patient anglers are often rewarded with walleye over 20 inches long.
Access:
Current Management/Research: Saratoga Lake has been a part of the Big Panfish Initiative—a study being conducted to determine if the size quality of sunfish (bluegill and pumpkinseed) and crappie fisheries can be improved through the use of conservative harvest regulations. Special regulations on the lake include a sunfish daily possession limit of 15, with a minimum length of 8 inches. For the past four years Region 5 Fisheries Staff have set trap nets at standard sampling sites throughout the lake to monitor the black crappie and sunfish populations. These surveys suggest that both black crappie and sunfish in Saratoga Lake tend to grow faster and achieve a higher weight-to-length relationship compared to the statewide average.
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