New tactics for Kensico?

[jamesstock]

Stupid question. . .

Any way to catch native baitfish in Kensico? Bread crumbs/bait net/cast net?

And are you allowed to?

Michael

[KenH]

According to the DEC you can catch baitfish on their "green list" which includes
shiners (golden shiners) as well as sawbellies(alewives) in Westchester/Putnam
by nets or angling. However, the DEP regulations permit "fishing by angling" only
therefore it appears that you'd have to catch the baitfish by hook. I have heard
of fishermen catching sawbellies by using a small trout fly. I have also read of
being able to catch sawbellies on sabiki rigs. However I've never been abler to catch any.

KenH
 

[yonkers26]

Sabiki rigs are great off saltwater docks.....used to go off of a pier in southwest florida near some relatives

[jamesstock]

I think there is a distinction between "fishing" and "catching bait".

Since the DEP specifically allows aquatic bait (so long as it hasn't been taken from waters infested with zebra mussels), i would think you would be allowed to catch such bait by reasonable methods--angling not being one.

I plan to try it at some point. . .

[new2titicus]

(i would think you would be allowed to catch such bait by reasonable methods--angling not being one.)

I dont necesarily agree with this.  I mean, whats the difference between a fisherman dipping a net overboard to catch a couple of bait fish to fish with or lets say, an "entrepeneur" dipping his net overboard a couple more times to catch a couple of bait fish to sell or exhange or barter with?  I dont think much, as long as it's by a "reasonable metthod?".

Also, what about fish limits, are there any, would you keep lets say three at the minimum size. 

Besides, are these rules here to bend or for other greater purposes?

-Paul

[andreipou]

Two years ago I asked officers on the boat who were checking my permit if I can trap sawbellies to use them on the same lake as a bait and they said they were not aware of any rules prohibiting that.
I think there is a limit of 50.

[yonkers26]

On kensico last year, I tried a homemade trap made from 2x 2-liter soda bottles with bread in the middle. I sunk it into a deep hole next to shore, came back the next day, and found absolutely nothing.

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know lol.

Do you have to be lucky with a net in hand as a school is on the surface?

[Tom]

While shiners would be attracted to bread, sawbellies are gill rakers and do no eat bread. Since sawbellies are the predominant bait fish in Kensico, they would have to be caught with some type of throw net ... when they were schooling near your boat. This is a very difficult process in a rowboat!

[yonkers26]

True....thanks for the info Tom

[cpotts1]

I use lures 99% of the time but here a couple of live bait leads:
Fin & Feather is a pet/bait shop in the Byram section of Greenwich, near the border with Port Chester: 
Fin & Feather
240 Mill St
Greenwich,CT 06830-5808
(203) 532-0227

The guy a the counter says he stocks live freshwater shiners (they must be in the back - I didn't see them on display).


Also, the guy at Rudy's Bait-N-Tackle, a saltwater shop, is thinking of stocking freshwater live bait if there is enough call for it with Wade's migration north. So, let him know if you are interested. He too is in the Byram section of Greenwich:
Rudy's Bait-N-Tackle
242 South Water St.
Greenwich, CT 06830
203-531-3168

[AVK]

I agree with Ken. To me, the absence of live bait as close to Kensico as Wade`s was is just another reason to stick to artificial lures...Although I admit it`s a lot of fun to "free swim" a sawbelly and watch this nice pull of a big fish attracted to its noise and smell)

[yonkers26]

Just another reason to make every one count if you buy a dozen shiners/sawbellies. If I have a full day free to fish, I may take a ride to a shop.

[KenH]

Yes if have say a full day to fish the additional time to and fro doesn't mean much.
But if you fish just a couple of hours like I often do then it does make a difference.At the expense of starting a debate, with the possible exception of extremely cold waters, I personally no longer believe in the scenario where the fish will take "only live bait". I find that when the fish are actively feeding they will hit bait, lure, whatever happens to be in their vicinity (within reason of course).And when they aren't in an active feeding mood they will "nip" at lures, short strike and they will mouth and even spit out bait. I think we all know the infuriating 5 foot run with the bait then the line just stops dead. Reel it up and the bait is still there but with teeth marks.Then of course there are times that they simply aren't interested in anything no matter what. There are even times when live bait (especially shiners) won't give them enough movement and action so a lure is more effective. While I admit to having been a hardcore live bait fisherman for decades I think that I had become far too reliant on live bait and short on confidence in artificials. Now that I fish 99.9% artificials I think that my hours-fished and fish-caught numbers aren't all that different between live bait and lures. The main difference is that live bait fishing can be more relaxing cause it does most of the work.

Ken 
 

[AVK]

Yeah, at times my friends who fished with me were so "demoralized" when Wade`s was closed or short of shiners and sawbellies that they were ready to go home immediately

[canoejon]

Today four of us jigging in two boats out fished the only other guy there, by the bridge, who was using live bait. And the one laker I took home to smoke (It was 26". I caught and released other legal ones.) had a white six inch squid like tube jig in it's belly. They do eat anything when they are hitting.