New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos on Aug. 30 announced that fishing for trout and salmon in Lake Ontario has set records this year, with experienced anglers reporting “some of the best fishing in decades.” “The New York waters of Lake Ontario provide a world-famous recreational fishery for trout and […]
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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos on Aug. 30 announced that fishing for trout and salmon in Lake Ontario has set records this year, with experienced anglers reporting “some of the best fishing in decades.”
“The New York waters of Lake Ontario provide a world-famous recreational fishery for trout and salmon, and fishing has been exceptional this summer,” Seggos said in a news release. “Preliminary results from the Lake Ontario Fishing Boat Survey indicate that fishing for Chinook salmon has been outstanding along the entire New York shoreline.”
The DEC said fishing success is measured by “catch rate,” which is the number of fish caught per boat trip. The catch rate for Chinook salmon from April through June set a record that was 227 percent above the previous five-year average. The catch rate for all trout and salmon fish species combined also surpassed the previous record high, more than 37 percent above the previous five-year average, according to the department.
Fishing for brown trout and coho salmon has also been “excellent” in 2018, with catch rates 38 percent and 21 percent higher than their respective, previous five-year averages. Atlantic salmon represent a relatively small portion of the Lake Ontario fishery, but catch rates for these fish were 73 percent above the previous five-year average.
“This is the second year in a row that the take of Chinook has been above average at Oswego, as reported by Council members. There are so many variables that can and do affect the quality of the fishing opportunities we have,” Chuck Parker, president of the New York State Conservation Council (NYSCC), said in the DEC release. “We at the NYSCC recognize that the science-based management practices of the DEC’s Bureau of Fisheries are an integral force in sustaining the New York’s world class Lake Ontario fishery.”
Captain Vince Pierleoni, of Olcott, added, “It’s the best Chinook fishing I’ve seen since 1989.”
Fishing for Chinook salmon and brown trout has been strong in Eastern Lake Ontario with large numbers of fish caught all along the shoreline. Oswego produced a 28.1-pound Chinook salmon that won the grand prize in the Spring Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby, the release stated.
Lake Ontario and its embayments and tributaries comprise more than 2.7 million acres and support populations of fish, including a variety of trout, salmon, bass, walleye, yellow perch, and panfish.
A recent statewide angler survey estimated that more than 2.6 million angler days were spent on Lake Ontario and major tributaries. The estimated value of these fisheries exceeded $112 million annually to local economies.
Additional information about fishing Lake Ontario can be found on DEC’s website: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/47535.html.