Ok already, I really am truly sorry for the long summer delay between updates. It is just that I get so busy from April through September doing that fishing thing that the frequency of my blogs suffers. Anyhow, I know this is a rather flimsy excuse, so color me guilty. In any event as someone once said, "I'm Baaack!" 2009 was a decent year for fishing with great brown trout action, and a good salmon season that produced generally larger kings than in years past. That plump, pesky exotic invader known as the Round Goby is being gobbled up by the brownies resulting in sizeable football shaped fishing targets.

This is probably the only good thing associated with the Goby as they are truly an exotic specie nightmare. The shipping industry battles hard for status quo regarding ballast water exchange regulations. As long as present ballast regulations remain in effect, exotic invaders will continue to infiltrate the Great Lakes. 

     I moved the "Dixie Dandy" back to the Little Salmon River around September 1st as cold, cold, water blew into the Oswego area turning those waters into a icy cold no mans land, or should I say a no fish land. In any event fishing was spectacular in front of the Salmon River with Chinooks and Cohoes on the attack most every day. Keep in mind that this area receives the largest planting of stocked fish as the only NYS Salmon rearing facility sits some 13 miles upstream of the lake. In all probability I will follow the same plan in 2010, which will be to start the season in Oswego and depending on fish movement, sliding back to my Little Salmon River mooring at the B&B Landing for the month of September.  Please keep in mind that this cleverly designed plan is entirely dependent on the whims of Mother Nature. It will all depend on how the winds blow.

     The Columbus Day arrival started the egg taking process at the Salmon River Hatchery in Altmar, NY.  Good fish returns resulted in planned egg quotas being achieved for both Chinooks and Cohoes. The eggs are now in the incubation stage and will transform into smolts over the winter to be raised and released into the lake in 2010. (Once they have spent a few weeks in the net pens adjusting to non hatchery life.) For the third year in a row the Chinooks will be given an adipose clip,  (last fin on the back) to identify them as stocked fish. Catch a mature salmon with no adipose clip and you can bet it is a salmon spawned in the wild. We will soon have a scientific handle on just how many wild spawned fish make it to adulthood. This is important information necessary for biologists to properly manage the fishery. Prior to arrival of our technically advanced fish marking system wild fish population estimates were non existent. With the guesswork replaced with empirical data, even better fishery management will result. The "crackerjack" NYS DEC Lake Ontario Fishery Team continues their excellent work. 
     Recently, I completed my sixth USCG License Renewal. Things have changed quite a bit since my first application over 25 years ago and the 911 tragedy has had much to do with it. The Captains license is now referred to as a credential and rather than a piece of paper it is in the form of a booklet that reminds me of a passport. It contains my now required Transportation Workers ID photo, which requires fingerprints to be on file, and other pertinent information. This is a good thing and will have nothing but a positive effect on the charter industry especially for those who play by the rules.

     Now that I have finally updated my blog and added 2009 photos to my site www.lakeontariofishing.net I will provide more frequent updates regarding our fishery. Really I will! So tune in often and of course let me know if you would like to fish with us in 2010. Thanks for reading the Captain Experience Blog.

For nearly four decades the magnificent Lake Ontario fishery has been managed efficiently through employment of a methodology that is based on yearly stocking of hatchery reared  trout and salmon. Each new season brings a planting of some 1.6 million fingerling Chinooks, approximately 200,000 yearling Coho, 600,000 steelhead yearlings, nearly 500,000 brown trout yearlings and about 500,000 yearling lake trout. In addition around 200,000 Atlantic salmon are also stocked on an annual basis. This is why year in and year out we have enjoyed consistantly good fishing.

I certainly hope the current management approach will continue. Sure some years are better than others due to nature's whims, but in general we are provided with excellent fishing opportunities second to none and it is why we can say that our fishery remains world class. Make no bones about it; the reason behind the good fishing is the stocking program. It is steady, consistent, controlled and as a result, very productive.

     Since fishing preferences vary greatly according to the likes of the myriad of anglers it is not surprising that some anglers really do not give a hoot about the salmonid fishery and would prefer other species to prevail in Lake Ontario such as the burbot. Many "green" people would like to see the lake returned to pre human settlement status. Sort of a return to the days when if you fished and you caught a cold you probably died. Ah yes the good old days.

     The last few years have seen tributary streams benefiting from clean water efforts and we have seen a huge increase in the number of wild salmon, especially in the Salmon River. Through use of a state of the art fish marking system, stocked salmon now have an adipose fin clip which will differentiate them from naturally spawned fish that of course have no clips. Soon we will know just how the wild fish are contributing to the Chinook biomass if at all. Scientists need to know if any of the tiny stream born wild creatures reach adult hood in the open lake waters. Right now that is the $64,000 question.

     Already some are suggesting that wild fish are better and we should discontinue the stocking program, to which I say bull feathers. Ever hear of the recent salmon situation in fertile northern Pacific waters? Salmon fishing out west is in deep trouble.  I welcome the wild fish but be advised that if we depend on a totally wild fishery we will soon see boom or bust fishing opportunities. It will be nothing like what we enjoy today. If wild fish are making a serious contribution to the numbers of adult salmon, (some biologists currently question their current impact,) their presence must be factored into stocking numbers and perhaps stocking numbers will need to be adjusted, but not eliminated. It should be steady as she goes so that our wonderful fishing history will continue. Keep an eye on this one.

Corp just to name a few once healthy employers. With the recent announcement that Magna Corp (formerly part of Chrysler Corp.) will soon close its E. Syracuse, NY facility, yet another major employer bites the dust. Take that Mr. Puny Economy. 

     Every election year I hear the political mantra being touted that "If you vote for me, I will create jobs. I have a plan and I will deliver".  Well don't hold your breath, as NYS continues to tax, and spend, NYS jobs continue to disappear. I for one am still waiting for the jobs to show up as promised in those campaign sales pitches. This is not about jobs for me, hell I'm well into the AARP mode, but jobs for the working willing who are certainly suffering. These guys and gals get elected, so they must be convincing someone to listen to the job promises. It doesn't appear to me that they have delivered on the age old campaign hoopla, unless they meant they would create jobs in China.

     So what is my point?  Why bring this up on my fishing web site? Read on my friend, read on. The Lake Ontario fishery is a revenue generating machine that requires minimal financial spending in relation to the revenue it provides. It has been estimated that the lake fishery generated over 75 million in annual revenues in 2008 and the Salmon River Fishery was responsible for another 27 million. That adds up to over a 100 million green smacker industry that is unique to New York State and this does not include revenues generated by tributary flows other than the Salmon River.

     Fishing tackle, boat sales, and visitor revenues help fuel our economy.  The infrastructure called Lake Ontario exists thanks to a friendly glacier and will never move to another location, unless that glacier passes by once again. The south shore of Lake Ontario lays mostly in NYS and with proper care will serve up great fishing and substantial revenues as long as we continue to manage the "company" efficiently and intelligently. In fact we could probably even increase the revenue generation without too much effort. In a nut shell, the lake is a fabulous resource. If you build it they will come, except in this case it is already built. Pretty nice isn't it?

     The customers of the "business" purchase fishing tackle, boats, boat accessories, licenses; they eat at local restaurants and sleep at local motels. They buy fuel for their boats and cars; they buy food, drink, and snacks. They buy gifts, go to movies and a whole gaggle of other things to numerous to name here.

     Like it or not our fishery is a revenue generating machine that contributes to our statewide economy. If a 100 plus million dollar NYS based industry even hinted that they were considering leaving the state the elected overseers would jump to offer incentives of all kinds to get that industry to stay put and that is not a bad thing. It is however somewhat ironic that when our Governor finally tries to cool the state's boiling fiscal cauldron, as well he should, we look at the successful fishing industry and cut fishery bureau jobs and increase user fees. Truth is stranger than fiction, isn't it!

     While budget woes continue, the short funded DEC Fishery people are managing the effort to get the job done with less people. It appears that as usual the users of the fishery will accept fee increases if those increases are used for DEC support and not things like tattoo removal or bridges to nowhere, a couple of outrageous pork favorites.

     Let it be known that if you enjoy the Lake Ontario Fishery you are stimulating the economy. When you go fishing, even if you do it only once in a while, you are stimulating the economy. When you purchase fuel, when you place a line in the water with that recently purchased lure, you are stimulating the economy. As you are fishing, when you sit back, relax and chomp on that huge sub sandwich, that you recently purchased, you are stimulating the economy. When your brand new rod nestled in your expensive downrigger pops free and starts to buck and the reel screams with the peeling line attached to a mighty king, you are stimulating the economy. As you enjoy the exciting battle to bring the bruiser fish to the boat, well that's a stimulation of a different color. Only recreational and charter trollers will know what that is like. As I have said in the past, it's great to be a Lake Ontario troller. It is also very stimulating.

Starting in early April the action begins along the shoreline and in the confines of the Oswego Harbor. Using light line, light rods and warm clothing makes for some of the best fishing experiences one can find. Once hooked, the unpredictable browns can provide plenty of surprise filled action. Will the fish jump for the sky or swim to the depths, you never know till it happens? Will it prefer a shallow running lure or one down rigged to deeper depths, or will both presentations work? You just never know.

     Brown trout fishing is usually characterized by fast action where multiple hookups are quite common. A wide range of presentation techniques are used and this makes for some interesting situations. Catch one fish on one rod reel set up and the next fish on a totally different configuration and then on to still another type of presentation. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

     Brown trout are wary, crafty creatures that do not wander too far from where they began their lives in the lake. They usually hang out together which affords the angler the multiple hookup probability. They will gobble up stick baits, spoons, spinners, tinsel flies worms and minnows just to name a few types of hook candy. This reminds me, about a time when I caught a brown on a young angler's Gummy Bear candy worm. True story, and if I remember correctly the color was green with a few white sprinkle "do dads". After catching that fish we would have used more gummies, but by that time we had eaten the entire bag. 

      If I seem excited about brown trout fishing it is because I really am. I feel it is a fishing scenario where the puzzle must be solved many, many times during a fishing outing making the experience really intense and thus magnificently rewarding.

     One final thought, the last three NYS record brown trout were caught in Eastern Basin waters within four to five miles of one another. Hundreds of huge browns have been taken since the current record fish was landed and I might add that the current record fish was caught aboard the Dixie Dandy, and in case you are not aware, thatsa my boat. The next potential record brown is cursing out there getting bigger and bigger. If you want to catch it, well then you have got to go fishing

      So if you want a trophy brown I think you know where you should fish. Perhaps that guy should have said "go east young man".  In any event it is still great to be a Lake Ontario troller, as long as it is somewhere on Eastern Lake Ontario.

 Sitting in my cozy warm truck watching the giant seas pour violently over the harbor seawall, I actually began to think about spring and the excellent brown trout fishing that will certainly occur partly because of the mighty Oswego River and the huge protected harbor area that is the home port of the Dixie Dandy.

    Most times during April, May and often in June, we do not have to travel too far to find the lakes now famous schools of football browns. Spring conditions mean fast moving river currents carrying plenty of nutrients to the open waters of the lake. The huge flow provides warmer stained water that acts like a magnet to hungry browns. Simply put it is a huge advantage to fishing out of the Oswego area. Even though I own a summer place on a dandy tributary that provides good spring fishing, several years ago I decided to move my boat to Oswego and I never looked back. I am convinced that for me and more importantly, for my valued customers, it was the right thing to do.

     The beauty of the harbor location is the fact that in itself is like a mini lake. It has currents, structure, differing bottom types and almost always warmer stained water. Certain areas always seem to hold fish and you can catch many different species. Early season weather patterns sometimes prohibit lake trolling, but the protected harbor lake is very rarely too rough to troll. I hate it for my clients when they drive to Oswego anxious to fish and are sometimes thwarted by an angry lake. The harbor eliminates that problem. Many times on a blustery day most other port boats cannot fish on the lake while we in Oswego can productively fish the harbor. Thats nice for us.

     Another important thing to consider when charter fishing, is to book during a week day if possible. Weekends are usually heavy on boat traffic that can make trolling more difficult. If at all possible, charter on a week day which means using a full time service. The best weekday? I like Mondays since most weekenders leave for home Sunday night.  Lots of room to troll. That is also nice for us.

 Why, it is enough to make a person say, screw this, Im going fishing. At least I hope that is what most Lake Ontario anglers are thinking.  After a two year, much too long and too expensive presidential race, and a disgusting continuation of the idiocy seeping from the politically correct movement, I say go fishing; it is good for the soul or whatever you prefer. It surely is better than the gobbledygook we have been fed for far too long.  So, take a deep breath, exhale slowly and think about fishing. Now isnt that better?  Now for some good news.

2008 Egg Harvest:

Salmon returns to the hatchery were excellent. Actually, we set a record by taking over three million Chinook eggs in the shortest period of time ever. With the 2008 water flow levels at or above normal, spawning salmon returned in droves and easily made it to the hatchery fish ladder and it was jump, jump, jump, jump, and a final splashing return to their place of birth. How nice! 2009 will see normal stocking numbers restored. Now that is good news.

Chinook Size:

This past year saw the average size of Chinook salmon jump to about 18 pounds which was a 3 pound increase over the 2007 season. In fact, on the Dixie Dandy we definitely saw plenty of mid twenty and a few 30 pound plus giants. This of course made for happy anglers and a happy Captain. Now that is also good news.

Net Pen Activity:

Our annual net pen rearing program continues to provide excellent returns of salmon and steelhead. This proven stocking method has really helped our Oswego, NY fishery to maintain its world class status. The recent financial settlement stemming from the old Hooker Chemical pollution fiasco has been received by NYS with the money specifically dedicated to the Lake Ontario Sport Fishery. We now have funds to pay for future net pen materials such as netting, cleaning supplies, etc. Now that is good news.

NYS Budget Cuts:

Finally, NYS has realized that former out of control spending binges have got to be cut! The Wall Street debacle has resulted in a sizeable reduction to NYS Tax coffers. With their not too strong political backs against the wall, they know it is time to cut. So let the games begin as every agency will begin lobbying for their cause. Dont cut me, cut the other guy, will be the mantra of the day. These infighting battles should be very interesting indeed.

Our Fish and Wildlife Division will also be facing funding cuts. Those of us deeply involved in the trout and salmon fishery are already hard at work with our lobbying effort drawing attention to just how much money is raised through license sales and LO generated revenues associated with the angling effort.  It is millions and millions man!!!

While several staffing cuts will be made, our Lake Ontario trout and salmon stocking programs will continue with no cuts in 2009 stocking levels. Now that is good news.

Fuel Prices:

It looks like 2009 gas cost will be less than the inflated prices we saw last year. Experts predict that the economic slowdown results in lower fuel consumption as John Q Public adjusts driving habits. For example, a recent stakeholder meeting was held at a location some 45 miles west of Syracuse. In the past, all participants probably would have driven their cars to the site. This year four of us pooled in one car and split the cost to save fuel. Take that OPEC guys! You bet lower fuel costs will make it better for all of us.

Now that is also good news.

2009 Looking Good:

I am excited about this years fishing outlook. When you couple our dedicated DEC fishery staff, a successful net pen program, wild fish production, and a skillfully managed put, grow and take management philosophy, good fishing will result. That certainly is good news. Let me take that back, it is great news!

Hope you will choose to fish with us in 2009.  Fishing can be so soothing and I for one need a good soothing.

Oh yeah, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year or if you prefer, Happy Holidays.