Heard A Rumor...

[KenH]

I think that's good news.

[lionpshark]

It's confirmed.

Ryan Coulter Region 3 biologist sent me this confirmation about no longer stocking Kensico.

Kensico Reservoir Lake Trout
Through recent fisheries surveys, and an ongoing angler diary program, the DEC Region 3 Fisheries Unit has gathered sufficient evidence to conclude that Kensico Reservoir in Westchester County has developed a strong, self-sustainable, population of lake trout. In 1987, DEC began an experimental five-year program to annually stock 8,000 spring yearling lake trout. This experimental stocking was successful and we continued to stock lake trout. In 2000 we noticed many of the fish being caught were of wild origin (the product of natural reproduction). Because the number of wild fish was on the rise, we continued to reduce the amount of lake trout being stocked. Over the past eight years only 900 yearling lake trout have been stocked annually. In 2010 the lake trout in Kensico averaged 19.3? in length and overall angler catch rate was 0.571 lake trout per hour. Currently 93% of the lake trout are wild fish. Due to the high catch rate of lake trout and the high percentage of these being of wild origin, Kensico will no longer be stocked with lake trout. The Region 3 Fisheries unit will continue to monitor the fishery for any changes.

He told me the same thing but he added that they still stocked a couple (900) with clipped find strictly for study purposes (for the diary program I believe) that do not make it on the stocking reports for the public. This is what happened last year. Montrose Did he tell you that they will no longer do this?

[scubatic]

Please correct me if I am wrong in understanding the Titicus assessment.  Not suitable for brown trout because of the low level of dissolved oxygen content, and excellent for bass.

[johnjav]

Please correct me if I am wrong in understanding the Titicus assessment.  Not suitable for brown trout because of the low level of dissolved oxygen content, and excellent for bass.

That's tough to give a straight answer to. Even though titicus has low dissolved oxygen levels it still was a great reservoir for browns not so long ago. As for bass, I still think it is a nice reservoir for bass. I had a boat on there last season and got out a few times landing a 5 pound LMB and another one close to the 5 pounds.

[ram41569]

From what I heard it's possible that next year the trout could pick up. I'm putting a boat ther next season with some hopes of trout., but I'm also a Bass guy.

[biggamee]

Please correct me if I am wrong in understanding the Titicus assessment.  Not suitable for brown trout because of the low level of dissolved oxygen content, and excellent for bass.

Or if you want to catch a bunch of tiny trout."stockies" ....7000 of them, do the bass end up eating most of them and the few trout that survive get huge 10lb +..that's what I think happens...at titicus

[westputrout]

  look all the resivours took a hit the last few years for brown trout . the anwser is the  *#^!%@#   CORRMORANTS  period.  they even pop up when the stocking truck arrives  they can smell them .     when i was a teen. 30 years ago  kensico  glenida were the best Rainbow lakes for hundreds of miles . any stockie that stays near the shore or surface even for a short time  is CORM food  oh yea sea gulls too

[G.Freshwater]

I think you are dead on. The corms also ruin the fishing by popping up all around while you are fishing. Whatever they don't eat gets spooked. I don't buy the low oxygen thing. People have caught trout at Titicus. It just hasn't "turned on" in a while like CR has. Titicus has always been cyclical. You are also right about the rainbows. Years ago if you had a fish on in Kensico it was most likely a brown or rainbow. I blame the lakers for that decline

[Montrose]

Not sure where else they might put them...WB, Glenida, and Gilead are the only other lcal lakes I know that have them.  Personally I would not want to see them introduced into any new lakes in the system since it's pretty clear they negatively impact the browns in Kensico.

I got some new info from Ryan Coulter.  The lake trout that are not going to be stocked in Kensico will be placed as needed across the state. 

Lake trout production in the hatcheries is down due to staffing cuts and some lakes had cut backs in the numbers stocked last year.  For instance, since Gilead got no lakers last year, there's a possibility some will go there (and to Gleneida), but not in any higher numbers than have been determined by DEC previously.  Many other lakes in NY had reduced stocking as well.

So no guarantee of local lakes getting them, but a possibility.  And keep in mind as Manny and Ken pointed out before, we're only talking about 900 fish to be distributed statewide.

[westputrout]

  i heard that one trout hathery up state  had to DESTROY  434 000  lakers   [yes that number is rite ]  because contamination of  ROCK SNOT  an invasive algae species

[G.Freshwater]

That's true.  Those lakers would have gone into Ontario I think.  There is an article in one of the NY fishing papers this week.  I read it at the bait store.

[Brooklynite]

Don't know how many folks here are members of TU, but the latest issue has superb articles on Laker stocking effects and Laker fishing. They are, at the very least, a controversial fish, and one that has to be managed closely. I have little to none info here, but I admire that that the DEP is making choices "at all" versus same old-same old. Shows our tax dollars at work. I have read here the effects on the Brown population (and the desire for a stronger brown trout fishery in Kensico) and wish the same. The laker apparently eats 3-to-1 ratio in lbs of forage to the Brown...one can only imagine the effect on the alewives and other species...