short chautauqua article

[markb_loser]

short article got out of 'fishline' mag from southtowns
walleye..

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE-WALLEYE STOCKING
For the first time ever Chautauqua Lake will be stocked with approx. 75,000
walleye fingerlings. Chautauqua Lake has not had a good spawning year for
walleye since 1996 and we must act now to help this walleye depleted fishery"
stated Paul Mckeown, DEC biologist at Olean. The reason that this has happened
is not clear but the DEC feels that white perch may be the main culprit in the
diminishment of walleye recruitment. I suspect that alewifes and gizzard shad
might also play a role in this problem. There is also a proposal on the table
to consider reducing the daily limit of walleye from 5 walleye at 15" to 3 walleyes
a minimum of 18" long. This new limit which would take place in 2004 would probably
be devastating to the cottage rental complexes that profit from the early spring
and early fall walleye fishery. This is because the majority of legal walleyes
caught are between 15 and 18". It would not take long before the walleye fishermen
would feel the impact of these regulations and look for greener pastures in the spring.

Joseph Fischer

[kliph]

Thanks for the info. We`ll be there opening weekend.
Can`t wait.:)

[Gilligan]

Hi Mark..one other problem is low water. Several years, especially last season the walleye could not get into the creeks to spawn. I think the cottages would still do well with limit/size changes at least right now with the crappie making a good comeback. Wish there were a way to get rid of the white perch they are a nusance. Article I just read by Don Einhouse says a good hard winter will kill off many alewifes so maybe we got some help there.

If you fish crappie they are doing real well so far this spring. Hearing of many 12-14" fish.

[Lund AnglerMJ]

May be a good idea,to make a larger size limit...love those 'eyes on Chautauqua.I'll be looking for them,real soon.Thank's for the article.By the way,how's the rain,and incoming water level's?Is the Chadaokin Riv.the outlet to the lake?I was looking,and thought so.

[markb_loser]

-dont know why mentioned that about cottages...like you said, have
panfish in spring...also bass and musky people...
-havent even uncovered boat yet...do that this week...normally like
the perch and crappies...good to hear makin a comeback...crappie
tend to be cyclical kind of species...but thought white perch might
throw out balance for good...
-some of that guys articles in swa mag/newsletter sound a little
'iffy'...almost contradicts himself above...no good spawn for 6/7
years but not many over 18"...would have to see growth curve for
chaut walleyes...wouldnt mind pickin mckeon brain for a while...
-dont really see alewives or gizzard shad as that big a problem...
winters are usually pretty cold at chaut with some even worse
tossed in...like this past year...
-think its the white perch and, like you mentioned, some bad years
for spawning(think there is some lake spawning with walleyes but
not sure how much)...also maybe the zebra mussels...have the fry
of all fish species competing for plankton, zebra mussels filtering
the water, and adult white perch pickin off the fry...the white
perch are really prolific and eating machines...known for being
almost impossible to overfish...
-nobody at chaut keep the white perch either...think gonna target
them ice fishing at least...they ball up in the deep holes(45+)
off long point, warner bar, dewittville, bell, midway, etc once
it gets cold...so many makes vex look like constantly fluttering
bottom...could probably fill 5 gallon pail every time out with
a little work..dont taste bad in smoker or fried...

have fun...

[Lund AnglerMJ]

A buddy and me,went under the bridge,to escape the wind,and could've filled a 5 gal. bucket,with those.Any good on the table?I'm sure they're similar to crappie.I did see some zebras there too.They make their way around,don't they?

[markb_loser]

tried a few caught ice fishin...were fine...not as good as yellow
perch or walleye...that was cold water...dont know about when water
warms...figure going to keep them cause such abundance and seem to
be problem...they are temperate bass(percichthyidae)...related to,
and in same genus, as white bass and striped bass(genus morone)..
recent introduction to chaut...

yeah zebras everywhere...

[Gilligan]

I've kept and ate some of the larger ones like Mark says they ain't perch or walleye but they will eat. They don't keep well in the livewell, get em on ice quick. I'm gonna start killing the small ones I don't keep. A 6" white perch will do it's best to eat a 5" stick bait! I've seen weed walleye coming after my jig only to have white perch pounce on it before they could grab it.