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People catch all sorts of fish there -- bass, tiger muskie, carp, bullhead, panfish, the occasional brown trout. It's also good in the spring and fall for walleye. Stephen Cannerelli/The Post-StandardThe Otisco Lake causeway is one of the more popular places in CNY to fish from shore. On Father's Day, about a dozen people were fishing on it. Day or night, the causeway at the southern end of Otisco Lake is a popular go-to spot for anglers fishing from shore.“People catch all sorts of fish there — bass, tiger muskie, carp, bullhead, panfish, the occasional brown trout. It’s also good in the spring and fall for walleye,” said David Lemon, regional fisheries manager for Region 7 of the state Department of Environmental Conservation.The causeway is an abandoned roadway that once spanned the lake. There’s a section that once had a bridge, which boaters now use to move back and forth between the southern and northern ends of the lake.The bridge was washed out by high water and wind in 1929 and never replaced, according to Tony Geiss, deputy director of the Onondaga County Water Authority. The 100-yard area where people fish is located on the western side of the lake and is accessible from West Valley Road.Stephen Cannerelli/The Post-StandardMason Thomas 18, of Lafayette was fishing the causeway on Father's Day with his brother Chute 11, his father John, and grandfather John Thomas Sr. Anglers use an unofficial dirt parking area, or park along the road. The land around the western side is owned by the water authority. The land where people fish from is owned by the state, Geiss said. There are no bathrooms or any facilities for that matter.Many anglers also launch car-top craft (canoes, kayaks, small jon boats) there, Geiss added.The fishing area was refurbished in the early 1990s following a joint effort by the state, the county and the water authority, said Gordon Ireland, a former county legislator and supervisor for the town of Spafford.Lemon noted the channel that splits the causeway, where the lake’s water flows back and forth, is a magnet for bait fish and the larger fish that pursue them.Submitted photoMark Manning caught this nice 28.5-inch, 9-pound walleye on May 7 while fishing off the causeway around midnight. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

“If you can’t catch a walleye this year on Oneida, you should probably just give up,” said Capt. Ted Dobs, of Verona Beach. Walleye fishing on Oneida Lake has just been phenomenal lately, according to Al Daher, co-owner of Mickey’s Bait and Tackle in North Syracuse, who keeps getting positive reports from customers.“The walleye fishing is so good that you can catch them on cigarette butts,” he joked earlier this week.Interviews with two local charter boat captains reinforced what Daher said.“If you can’t catch a walleye this year on Oneida, you should probably just give up,” said Capt. Ted Dobs, of Verona Beach.“It’s off the charts,” added Capt. Tony Buffa, of Bridgeport. “It’s just one of those fishing seasons that puts a lot of smiles on customers. You’ve got guys fishing for bass and catching their limits of walleye. It’s just awesome.”Buffa said deep-water trollers are catching their limits, as are the jiggers fishing in deep water and those fishing the weed edges in shallower water.“I’ve been doing this for 37 years and what we’re seeing now out there compares to what I used to experience in the 1980s and early’90s,” he said.What’s happening?“It has a lot to do with ideal conditions — temperature, availability of cover and food. Everything has come together this year,” Daher said. “The DEC hatchery is doing great work, along with the diligent efforts of the Oneida Lake Association. Let’s not leave them out of it.”Buffa said there seems to be a larger than usual number of walleye. Dobs is scratching his head.He said the years when anglers catch a lot of walleye are usually those when there are early algae blooms that lessen the water clarity and make the fish easier to catch. Also, it helps when there are not so many bait fish.This year, though, there seems to be an abundance of bait fish, and the water was relatively clear this spring.Dobs noted, though, that he’s seeing great numbers of large shad (up to three pounds), particularly around Shackleton Shoals. These are fish that survived the mild winter, and they are the size that breed. The result will be large numbers of shad fry this fall for the walleye to feast on.“My prediction, with so many shad around, is that the fall fishing may be difficult,” he said. “I’d say catch fish now while you can.” View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

A carp derby is scheduled for Saturday; a Family Fun Derby for Sunday. This is the weekend when anglers can fish for free. There’s no license required. It’s the state’s annual Free Fishing Days, a two-day event sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Conservation to encourage beginning anglers.The Onondaga Lake Partnership is hosting its eighth annual Free Fishing Weekend at Onondaga Lake.The two-day event will feature a carp fishing tournament from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Cost to enter is $10 for adults, $5 for juniors. There will be $1,500 in prizes.On Sunday, there will be a Family Fun Fishing Derby from 9 a.m. to noon. Cost to enter is $2 for adults, $1 for children and $500 in prizes are being offered. Both events will be held at Willow Bay in Onondaga Lake Park.For more information, go to the Onondaga Lake Fishing Web site. Tickets can be bought at Mickey’s Bait and Tackle, 715 South Bay Road in North Syracuse, or at the park on the day of the event. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The bass fishing opener saw lots of bass caught in the local Finger Lakes and elsewhere. CNY FISHING FORECAST Bait stores (list and map).INLAND TROUT STREAMS Many streams across the area are low and clear. We could use some more rain. To find out how many trout (and what kind) are stocked in your favorite Onondaga County stream, call 689-0003. To hear the DEC’s weekly fishing report, which includes a list of streams that have been stocked in Region 7, call 607-753-1551. LAKE ONTARIO The lake fishing has picked back up over the last week. Chinook salmon and lake trout are being found in 120 feet of water. The brown trout fishing has been good in the morning in shallow water, around 10 feet, and then out to 20 to 50 feet of water as the day gets brighter. SALMON RIVER A few smallmouth bass continue to be caught in the lower end, with an occasional sighting of a skamania or an Atlantic salmon. OSWEGO RIVER The walleye bite has slowed, but a few are still hitting early in the morning on night crawlers, leeches, bucktail jigs and large stickbaits. Sheepshead, white perch, catfish and rock bass are active throughout the river with crayfish or worms working.ONEIDA LAKE Walleye anglers continue to do well on the lake with fish being taken in varying depths. Good baits continue to be bucktail jigs tipped with a fathead minnow and spinners and worm; stickbaits and blade baits are also working. Also, reports of lots of pickerel being caught.CAYUGA LAKE The lake fishing has picked back up over the last week. Chinook salmon and lake trout are being found in 120 feet of water. The brown trout fishing has been good in the morning in shallow water, around 10 feet, and then out to 20 to 50 feet of water as the day gets brighter. OTISCO LAKE A few walleye are being taken after dark by anglers casting stickbaits off the causeway. Trolling with stickbaits is also producing a few walleye during the day and after dark. Brown trout are also being taken on stickbaits trolled near the surface. Bass fishing has been good with jigs working well. An occasional tiger muskie is being taken around the lake on minnows.OWASCO LAKE Reports of nice smallmouth bass being taken all around the lake. Crayfish or minnows have been working. Northern pike are hitting large minnows on the south end and a few lake trout are being taken in 130 to 150 foot of water on spoons. Lots of perch being caught as well. Use fathead minnnows or night crawlers.SENECA LAKE Anglers fishing off the Watkins Glen pier are catching northern pike on minnows, stickbaits and spoons. Lake trout are hitting streamers and stickbaits. Fluorescent rainbow trout has been a good color, fished 75 feet down. Brown trout are being taken in the middle section of the lake (Lodi to Long Point) by anglers trolling and also by shore anglers. The shore anglers are getting brown trout just before dark on live bait and also on stickbaits fished near the surface. SKANEATELES LAKE Bass fishing along the shore continues to be good with a variety of plastic baits working. Some perch are still being taken on jigs and fathead minnows in 12-15 feet of water – particularly at the southern end. SANDY POND Northern pike fishing has been good and fish are being taken on Rapalas and spinnerbaits.SODUS BAY Perch are being taken in deeper water while rock bass are being taken in shallow water. Small jigs, worms and minnows are working. Pike are hitting along the weed edges. Bass fishing has been really good in the shallows. Good baits have been jigs, spinner baits and a variety of plastics. ST. LAWRENCE RIVERReports of lots of bass being taken. Good baits have been jigs, spinner baits and a variety of plastics, in addition to live crayfish. Perch fishing has also been good lately. WHITNEY POINT RESERVOIR Smallmouth bass fishing has been good along the shoreline with crankbaits working well. Trolling with worm harness and nightcrawlers has been producing lots of walleye action; many of the walleye are under the 18-inch size limit though. Walleye are also being taken on jigs tipped with leeches. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

I'm looking for CNY outdoors men and women who have gotten Lyme disease. Call me at 470-6066 or email me at [email protected]. :Stephen CannerelliThe Otisco Lake causeway is one of the more popular places in CNY to fish from shore. On Father’s Day, Sunday June 17, 2012, about a dozen people where fishing the causeway which is near the southern portion of the lake. Mason Thomas 18, of Lafayette was fishing with his brother Chute 11, his father John, and grandfather John Thomas Sr.Love this warm weather. There's some great fishing to be had out there.Here's what's on tap for this week:Friday: Main piece: First in a series of stories about favorite CNY shoreline fishing spots. We start off with the causeway, on Otisco Lake.Column: Free fishing weekend (lots going on, particularly on Onondaga Lake). This is the statewide deal where you don't need a license to fish this weekend.SUNDAYMain piece: Held this story from last week. An interview with county health department officials concerning the state of Lyme disease in Onondaga County-- and stories from local outdoors enthusiasts who battled this disease.. ((I'm looking for outdoors men and women who have gotten Lyme disease. Call me at 470-6066 or email me at [email protected].))Column: Still mulling my options. May include an update on the crossbow issue. Stay tuned.ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT? The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066.-Folks I'd like to get in contact with for future stories/columns:- Planning on starting a series of stories on "Favorite Fishing Spots," which will profile off-shore locations that continue to draw anglers year after year -- I'm talking about such places as the causeway on Otisco, or the breakwater at Verona Beach. I need some help here.- Someone who fishes on Oneida Lake the old-fashion way, pulling copper wire for walleyes. - Individuals who has, continues to successfully hunt wild boar in the Cortland County/Onondaga county area.If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here..FIGURA ON FACEBOOK:For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It bit on a garden worm. Submitted photoUrai Paige caught this huge, 40-pound snapping turtle recently while fishing from her dock on the Seneca River near Port Byron.Her husband, Bob, wrote: "This snapper was really HUGE.... and VERY AGGRESSIVE."He bit on her garden worm. She was fishing for bluegills at the time. After netting him, I found lifting the net a big project . He barely fit inside it."(He included the photo with the sneaker for perspective, he said.)Submitted photo View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

A total of 204 anglers assembled for a shot at the $22,650 in prize money. Submitted photoFrank Giner, of Connecticut, won the boat division.The following is a press release from N.Y. Bass Chapter Federation:June 19, Calcium, NY… This past Sunday the NY BASS Chapter Federation (NYBCF) hit the waters of Cayuga Lake to start their 2012 season. A total of 204 anglers assembled for a shot at the $22,650 in prize money.During tournament registration. anglers reported catching bass in practice in all three phases: pre-spawn, spawn and post spawn finding. They were finding both large and smallmouth bass in relatively shallow water. The weekend set up nicely with summer air temperatures in the 80s and water temperatures around 63 in the morning warming to 68 by the last afternoon. Cayuga Lake has certainly seen its share of tournaments and this weekend was no exception. Along with the NYBCF anglers from the Pennsylvania Bass Federation and two local bass clubs along with participants of the Chamber of Commerce bass derby all fished the annual NY season opener for Black Bass. As with any bass tournament there are always a handful of anglers that seem to put the pieces of the puzzle together better than the rest of the field and we sat down with the top three anglers in each division (boater and non-boater) to learn how they did it.Boater Division:Winning the event was 2007 NYBCF Angler of the Year Frank Giner from Connecticut who’s no stranger to winning big tournaments. Giner topped the 102 boat field with a mixed bag five fish limit that pulled the scales to 17.91 lbs. anchored by a 4.69 lb. largemouth. Giner piloted his Triton south to Ithaca where during the practice period he’d located some smallmouth on the beds and a few largemouths around shallow docks. Giner reports starting with top water lures looking for bigger smallmouth, but that didn’t produce, so he quickly moved to his bedded smallies and put two in the boat using a Sausteki Craw (green pumpkin) by Jackall and he rotated that bait with a Sugpo (Blue Craw) by Dischoco Custom Baits. Giner then shifted his efforts to his dock fish and the first one he boater was his 4.69 lb. kicker and he reports closing out his winning limit by 7:30 just 90 minutes into the event and he was headed back north to the weigh-in before the 20 mph winds kicked into full gear. Giner felt his winning edge was a combination of confidence in his area and his bait selection that enabled him to coax those pressured fish into biting. Taking second place with a weight of 17.24 lbs. was Jonathan Evans from Horseheads NY. Evans reports catching bedded largemouth on the south end of the lake using a Zoom Super Fluke, Texas rigged with a ½ oz. weight. Evans thanked Terry from Pelican Point Marina for getting his boat ready and keeping him on the water, because without Pelican Point Marina he couldn’t do what he does on the water.Tim Thompson, Watershed Bassmasters (Milford CT) secured third place honors with a 17.06 lb. limit and also took home the Boater Division US Reel Lunker Award with a largemouth weighing 5.57 lbs. Thompson reports locating bedded bass on Friday but due waves generated by 20 mph winds he couldn’t see them so he was forced to make blind casts to the general areas with a 6 inch Robo worm Texas rigged on ¼ oz. weight. Thompson says he got just six bites during the tournament, but they were the six right bites. Rounding out the top five were Ron Williamson, After Breakfast Bass Anglers with 16.69 lbs. and Ken Golub, Rochester Bassmasters in the Allstate Insurance wrapped boat with 15.96 lbs. Non-Boater Division:Kevin Seymour, Port City Bassmasters took first place with a weight of 13.78 lbs. Seymour reports fishing in 10-12 ft. flippin a Sweet Beaver in weeds using a ½ and ¾ oz. weight. When he saw thicker weeds on the graph he’d use the ¾ oz. and when the weeds thinned out he dropped down to the ½ oz. weight. This makes the first NYBCF win for Seymour and he says he’s ready to do it again real soon.Second place winner Jamie Antoine, Ottawa Valley South Bassmasters brought it a five fish limit weighing 13.59 lbs. Antoine reports dragging an El Grande tube with a heavy weight to catch his fish. He says the bite was slow until around 11 AM and then the last two hours of the event he was able to cull four times to reach his final weight.Tricky Phish Pro Staffer Greg Pavlic reports using a Phish Stick bait in 6-10 ft. rigged weightless to catch his fish. He fished with boater Jeff Edgarton and said they fished within sight of the launch ramp all day long. The bite was not fast paced, but it was steady and enough to win third place so he’s satisfied with those results. Rounding out the top five were Dave Nobles, After Breakfast Bass Anglers with 12.79 lbs. and Louis Griesmyer with a weight of 11.59 lbs.The Non-Boater US Reel Lunker Award went to John Whaley, Capital District Bassmasters with a 4.67 lb. largemouth caught on a black Senko fished in 12 ft. Submitted photoJohn Whaley, of the Capital District Bassmasters, landed this 4.67 lb. largemouth on a black Senko. He won the lunker division in the non-boater category. SponsorsBass Pro Shops, Minnkota, Humminbird, Lowrance, US Reel, Rapsody Rod, Allstate Insurance, Ticonderoga Chamber of Commerce, Massena Chamber of Commerce, Anderson Boats, Team E Outdoors, SFTackle.com, Aztec Bass Fishing, North Jersey Marine, Adirondack Reel Service, Triton Boats and Mercury Motors.For additional information on NYBCF tournaments contact Peter Knight at 315.598.2971 or [email protected] View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

For more information, call Jeff or Julie Raner at 625-4062. A Parish couple is offering to take families on a free fishing trip on Oneida Lake during the state-wide Free Fishing weekend, which is this Saturday and Sunday.Jeff and Julie Raner have offered to take kids Saturday on a two-hour fishing trip aboard their 2005 Tracker V-16. All fishing equipment will be provided. Children must be accompanied by at least one adult. There is a limit of two to four people at a time.The Raners are members of the New Hope Presbyterian Church, 814 Rider St., Parish. “Having been blessed with the opportunity to fish, they wish to pass the blessing on by offering this same opportunity to any child and their parents,” said church spokeswoman Mary Lou Guindon. “This coincides with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Free Fishing Weekend. The Raners feel the call to promote this sport of fishing in New York and to encourage parents to take kids fishing as a fun family activity.”For more information, call Jeff or Julie Raner at 625-4062. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Eli Barbour, 11, caught a 14-pound and a 16-pound brown trout, among the 13 fish he landed. Submittdd photoEli with Capt. xxxxKelly McCormick gave her son, Eli, a great birthday president for her son, Eli. She took him out on a charter on Lake Ontario.The proud mom wrote: "Eli Barbour's 11th birthday fishing trip on Lake Ontario with his Mom (Kelly Barbour) and charter boat Capain John Kopy was a great success." Eli caught a 14-lb brown trout and a 16-lb brown trout! He caught a total of 13 fish on June 6th, 2012 -- the day before his birthday. It was the best birthday present ever!"Looks like you guys had a great day on the water. A belated Happy Birthday, Eli!Submitted photoA great day of fishing! View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"He caught this 33- inch, 9- pound, 7-ounce monster on a large shiner just after sunrise," his uncle said. Submitted photoChris Duffy wrote me this week about his nephew's tiger muskie, which is pictured here:Duffy wrote: "My nephew Bill Adsitt caught this beauty while fishing with me yesterday on Lake Como (Cortland NY.)He is a Syracuse Native (Eastwood) and has longed to catch the elusive, tiger muskie, aka the fish of 10,000 casts. He reads your paper everyday and always looks forward to seeing the Catch of the Day section and has wanted to be in it since childhood."He caught this 33 inch, 9- pound, 7-ounce monster on a large shiner just after sunrise.Thank you,Respectfully Chris Duffy Billy's Uncle. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

In April, two breeding females with eggs were in the Oneida Lake outlet.. Submitted photoTom Brooking holds a nice Oneida Lake sturgeon caught in a gillnet survey by Cornell University on Oneida Lake in 2009.ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The discovery of stocked lake sturgeon bearing eggs in the Oswegatchie River and Oneida Lake’s outlet this spring marks a milestone in restoration efforts that began nearly 20 years ago, biologists said Monday.Dawn Dittman, a researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Tunison Laboratory in Cortland, caught two egg-bearing females in gill nets in Oneida Lake’s outlet during sampling in April. She caught two more in May in the Oswegatchie River in northern New York. The fish were grown in a hatchery from eggs and sperm taken from wild lake sturgeon in the St. Lawrence River and were released in 1995 by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. They’re the first mature female stocked sturgeon since restoration began. Mature males have been found in previous years, but they typically mature earlier.Lake sturgeon is a threatened species throughout the Great Lakes region, and restoration programs are also under way in Wisconsin and Michigan. The fish take 15 to 25 years to reach reproductive age. The females found in New York were about 5 feet long and weighed about 50 pounds, but the species can grow to more than 7 feet long and 200 pounds.DEC biologist Lisa Holst said the fish were released after examination, and it’s hoped that they’ll spawn.Lake sturgeon have continued to reproduce in the wild in the lower Niagara River, the lower St. Lawrence River and the Black River near Watertown. In 2009, lake sturgeon began using spawning beds created by the New York Power Authority upstream of its Moses-Saunders Power Dam near Massena. Dittman said biologists will assess potential spawning areas in waterways where sturgeon have been stocked, and possibly make improvements if conditions aren’t favorable for the fish. Sturgeon like to spawn in swift water below a barrier like a waterfall or dam, depositing eggs among rocks and gravel where the hatchlings will find protection. Any young produced this spring should be large enough to be captured in nets in about two years, Dittman said.DEC released 18,000 lake sturgeon in 1995 into Oneida, Cayuga and Black lakes and the Oswegatchie River. Stocked fish have also been released in subsequent years into the St. Regis, Genesee and Raquette rivers, Holst said.The lake sturgeon, New York’s largest freshwater fish, is one of three sturgeon species found in New York. The Atlantic and shortnose are found in the Hudson River below Troy. All species are protected because their numbers were sharply diminished by overfishing, pollution and dam construction.Scientists estimate that sturgeon populations in the Great Lakes region are at about 1 percent of what they were before 1850.For more information on New York’s sturgeon, visit the Fisheries page on the DEC website . View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

It died shortly after being caught. Submitted photoNelson Dumas sent me this email about his unique Father's Day catch:This goldfish was caught (netted) on Cross Lake Sunday June . It was seen swimming in the weeds on South Bay , very lethargic and would not bite on worm."When caught it, it died very shortly after. Must have been a homeowner garden pond release that didn't go well. Talk about invasive species. It was about 14 inches." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on perch-colored Rapala near the Lakeport Shoal. Submitted photoKenny Verescak hoists a 26-inch pickerel he caught on Oneida Lake.His father, Michael, wrote: "The other evening fishing near the Lakeport Shoal, My son Kenny got this nice 26-inch pickerel right off the bat on a perch- colored Rapala."A little while later I got a nice perch about 13 inches long, that by my standards is a decent perch. As I was putting my perch on the stringer next to his pickerel, he looked at me and said "Ha dad, you got a little fish." He almost had to swim back to the launch."We got a few more sunnies, and had to throw a few bass back, and had great time. Kenny smiled the whole time we ate dinner, knowing he put it on the table." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

He caught it on a "wacky rigged" Senko worm. Submitted photoMatthew Wallace caught this nice bass on opening day Saturday.He wrote: "I'm sure you will have a lot of good bass pics coming in this week, but just wanted to share a nice 19.5 inch (didn't have a scale but would estimate 4.5-5 pounds) largemouth I boated on Cazenovia Lake Saturday evening."It hit a weightless, wacky-rigged Senko and was released after the picture was taken." View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The fish weighed 5 pounds, 14 ounces. DEC photoWilliam Altman with his state record-sized brook trout.The following is a DEC press release:For the seventh time in eight years, the record for catching the largest brook trout in New York state was recently broken, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. William Altman caught a 5 lb. 14 oz. brook trout from the West Canada Wilderness Area in Hamilton County on May 5. “As (the) new record catch demonstrates, there is a wealth of prime fishing in New York state,” said Commissioner Martens. “I congratulate Mr. Altman on his success in catching the largest recorded brook trout in New York state and encourage others to take advantage of the many outstanding fishing opportunities New York has to offer.” The fish breaks the old record held by Dan Germain from Forestport, in Oneida County. Fishing last year on South Lake, in the Black River Wild Forest of Herkimer County, Germain reeled in a trout that measured 22 inches and weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces.Altman's record-breaking fish was stocked as a fingerling by DEC’s Rome Fish Hatchery and is considered a Temiscamie hybrid, a cross between a domestic brook trout and a wild Temiscamie (Canadian-strain) brook trout. These hybrids are stocked because they have a better survival rate than other strains of brook trout in some of the more acidic waters of the Adirondacks. Mr. Altman submitted details of his winning fish as part of DEC’s Angler Achievement Awards Program, which tracks state record fish. Through this program, anglers can enter freshwater fish that meet specific qualifying criteria and receive official recognition of their catch and a distinctive lapel pin commemorating their achievement. The three categories that make up the program are: Catch & Release, Annual Award and State Record. DEC verifies potential brook trout state records by ensuring the fish is not caught from brood stock, which is large stocked fish, or splake waters, which are ineligible. Further information about the Angler Achievement Awards Program, including a downloadable application form, can be found on the DEC Web site. Program details and an official entry form can also be found in DEC’s current Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide.For additional information on the Angler Achievement Awards Program contact (518) 402-8891 or email [email protected] the DEC Web site for a complete list of the state's freshwater fish records. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

These reader-submitted photos once again illustrate Upstate New York’s diverse and beautiful wildlife. A cute trio of young red fox kits clinging together near their den, a spectacular evening shot of a small flock of black ducks about to land and a female common merganser duck and her eight ducklings were the top entries in The Post-Standard’s Fifth Annual Wildlife Photo Contest.These reader-submitted photos once again illustrate Upstate New York’s diverse and beautiful wildlife.This year’s top choice was the red fox kits, taken by Bob Havener, of Sherrill, in woods near Oneida.“I’ve been watching this den for a couple of years,” he said. “Initially, only two of the foxes came out. Then a third appeared and squeezed between them. That’s when I took the shot.”Finishing second was the photograph of black ducks about to land on a pond in Cayuga County.“It was just one of those lucky evening shots,” said the photographer, Tony Carapella, of Baldwinsville.The third-place finisher was Lynn Cleveland’s photograph of a female merganser duck and her eight ducklings. The Frankfort Center resident took the photo while fishing on the Erie Canal near Herkimer.All three photographers will get their pick of the nearly two dozen outdoors-related books on my desk. Congratulations to all the other photographers who made the final cut for this year’s display. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

In one of the few states with enough animals for a hunting season, an annual lottery drew 13,400 people who hoped to secure one of 275 permits for an October hunt. View the full article

"I want to be able to take this whole thing and turn it around into something that the public and the community can enjoy,” he says. Jim Commentucci / The Post-StandardChad Norton, vice president of the Anglers Association of Onondaga, sits for a photograph Wednesday at Webster Pond in Syracuse. Norton comes to the pond every day to take care of it and help the public enjoy it.Chad Norton is all about maintaining and improving Webster Pond’s reputation as “nature’s best-kept secret.”Norton, 25, is vice president of the Anglers Association of Onondaga, a non-profit group that is based at the pond courtesy of a long-term lease with the city of Syracuse. The 95-acre pond/nature sanctuary, with fish and wildlife as the main attraction, is located off Valley Drive. Norton is in charge of the pond’s various activities, including the junior and adult fishing programs. His father, Bill, is president of the association. But it’s the younger Norton, born with cerebral palsy, who’s at the pond in his wheelchair every day. “I know how much people in the Valley love this landmark and have been coming here for many years,” he said. “I really just wanted something to do. I don’t want to be a vegetable stuck in the house. I want to be able to take this whole thing and turn it around into something that the public and the community can enjoy.” The young Norton’s affiliation with the pond goes back to when he was 10 years old. At that time, he pressed to become a board member of the Anglers Association but was told he was too young. Instead, the board named him an honorary member. The youngster continued to press the issue and eventually got on the board. While still a teen, he talked to Pat Driscoll, then the city parks commissioner, and convinced him to have the city donate various services to Webster Pond, the elder Norton recalled. Those services included providing trash cans and portable restrooms. The Anglers Association of Onondaga was formed in 1890 by “local sportsmen who were angered over the pollution and exploitation of fish in Oneida Lake,” according to the association’s website. “The association back then paid for game wardens, which the state back then could not provide. Pressure from the area businessmen and the Syracuse Newspapers prompted New York state to find funding for permanent wardens a few years later.” Today, the 250-member association is based at and limits most of its activities to Webster Pond. Its objective, as stated on its website, is: “The protection of fish in the waters, game in the fields, and song and insectivorous birds in the fields and forest of Onondaga County for the benefit of all people.” Chad Norton is dedicated to his work. He’s there every day from 8:30 a.m. to nearly 10 p.m., working out of the pond’s office, with the help of two aides. He’s proud of the fact that he has not missed a day of work since graduating from Corcoran High School in 2005. “I will never stop coming,” he said. “I love it down here. I’m not about me. I’m about making the public happy, making this place run the best that it can.” Norton and his father oversee the pond’s two fishing programs. The junior angling program has been going on for years and is open to youth ages 7 to 15. It runs from the first Saturday in April to the last Saturday in September. Youngsters pay $10 to join. Trophies are awarded at the end of the season at a banquet for those catching the biggest bass and trout. The youngsters can catch and keep two trout per week of any size. The father and son established the adult fishing program (ages 16 and up) in 2010. It carries an annual $15 fee. They know all about the benefits of fishing, the elder Norton said. It was activities like fishing that helped the two bond and cope after Chad’s mother died of cancer in 2003. The pond is stocked with rainbow trout, bass and a few carp. The biggest fish to come out of Webster Pond? “In my time of being here, one of the juniors caught a 27½-inch, 7.5-pound rainbow trout,” he said. Other activities at the pond include student field trips, arts and craft shows, band concerts and visits by various groups such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association and local veterans. The pond includes a nature trail complete with handicapped accessible bridges and benches for resting. Originally, folks would buy and dedicate a bench along the pond to loved ones. When there became too many benches, Chad came up with the idea for a program that allows people to buy personalized bricks in a garden in front of the association, near the pond. He also created a Webster Pond website after taking a computer course at ITT Technical Institute in Liverpool. He said it took him a year to complete as he only has the use of one of his 10 fingers — the pointer finger on his right hand. Norton said the association does a lot to keep the songbirds and waterfowl around the pond happy. “We do feed our birds, “ he said “We go through 80,000 pounds a year in corn. And we pay for it solely with donations.” View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

In one of the few states with enough animals for a hunting season, an annual lottery drew 13,400 people who hoped to secure one of 275 permits for an October hunt. View the full article

By Melissa Siegel Contributing writer Chad Norton is all about maintaining and improving Webster Pond’s reputation as “nature’s best-kept secret.” Norton, 25, is vice president of the Anglers Association of Onondaga, a non-profit group that is based at the pond courtesy of a long-term lease with the city of Syracuse. The 95-acre pond/nature sanctuary, with fish and wildlife as... Jim Commentucci / The Post-Standard Chad Norton, vice president of the Anglers Association of Onondaga, pauses for a photograph Wednesday at Webster Pond in Syracuse. Norton comes to the pond every day to take care of it and help the public enjoy it.By Melissa Siegel Contributing writer Chad Norton is all about maintaining and improving Webster Pond’s reputation as “nature’s best-kept secret.”Norton, 25, is vice president of the Anglers Association of Onondaga, a non-profit group that is based at the pond courtesy of a long-term lease with the city of Syracuse. The 95-acre pond/nature sanctuary, with fish and wildlife as the main attraction, is located off Valley Drive.Norton is in charge of the pond’s various activities, including the junior and adult fishing programs.His father, Bill, is president of the association. But it’s the younger Norton, born with cerebral palsy, who’s at the pond in his wheelchair every day.“I know how much people in the Valley love this landmark and have been coming here for many years,” he said. “I really just wanted something to do. I don’t want to be a vegetable stuck in the house. I want to be able to take this whole thing and turn it around into something that the public and the community can enjoy.”The young Norton’s affiliation with the pond goes back to when he was 10 years old. At that time, he pressed to become a board member of the Anglers Association but was told he was too young. Instead, the board named him an honorary member.The youngster continued to press the issue and eventually got on the board. While still a teen, he talked to Pat Driscoll, then the city parks commissioner, and convinced him to have the city donate various services to Webster Pond, the elder Norton recalled. Those services included providing trash cans and portable restrooms.The Anglers Association of Onondaga was formed in 1890 by “local sportsmen who were angered over the pollution and exploitation of fish in Oneida Lake,” according to the association’s website. “The association back then paid for game wardens, which the state back then could not provide. Pressure from the area businessmen and the Syracuse Newspapers prompted New York state to find funding for permanent wardens a few years later.”Today, the 250-member association is based at and limits most of its activities to Webster Pond. Its objective, as stated on its website, is: “The protection of fish in the waters, game in the fields, and song and insectivorous birds in the fields and forest of Onondaga County for the benefit of all people.”Chad Norton is dedicated to his work. He’s there every day from 8:30 a.m. to nearly 10 p.m., working out of the pond’s office, with the help of two aides. He’s proud of the fact that he has not missed a day of work since graduating from Corcoran High School in 2005.“I will never stop coming,” he said. “I love it down here. I’m not about me. I’m about making the public happy, making this place run the best that it can.”Norton and his father oversee the pond’s two fishing programs. The junior angling program has been going on for years and is open to youth ages 7 to 15. It runs from the first Saturday in April to the last Saturday in September. Youngsters pay $10 to join. Trophies are awarded at the end of the season at a banquet for those catching the biggest bass and trout. The youngsters can catch and keep two trout per week of any size.The father and son established the adult fishing program (ages 16 and up) in 2010. It carries an annual $15 fee.They know all about the benefits of fishing, the elder Norton said. It was activities like fishing that helped the two bond and cope after Chad’s mother died of cancer in 2003.The pond is stocked with rainbow trout, bass and a few carp. The biggest fish to come out of Webster Pond?“In my time of being here, one of the juniors caught a 27½-inch, 7.5-pound rainbow trout,” he said.Other activities at the pond include student field trips, arts and craft shows, band concerts and visits by various groups such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association and local veterans.The pond includes a nature trail complete with handicapped accessible bridges and benches for resting. Originally, folks would buy and dedicate a bench along the pond to loved ones. When there became too many benches, Chad came up with the idea for a program that allows people to buy personalized bricks in a garden in front of the association, near the pond.He also created a Webster Pond website after taking a computer course at ITT Technical Institute in Liverpool. He said it took him a year to complete as he only has the use of one of his 10 fingers — the pointer finger on his right hand.Norton said the association does a lot to keep the songbirds and waterfowl around the pond happy.“We do feed our birds, “ he said “We go through 80,000 pounds a year in corn. And we pay for it solely with donations.”Outdoors editor David Figura contributed to this story. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Northern Division Bye 0 (0) North Sportsman 0 (0) South Shore 196 (0) Toad Harbor 200 (2) Central Square 191 (0) Pathfinder 200 (2) Southern Division Three Rivers193 (2) Dewitt188 (0) Skaneateles195 (2) Camillus192 (0) Pompey200 (2) Bridgeport195 (0) Standings Northern Division Team-Points-Birds Pathfinder-15-1,577 Toad Harbor-12-1,579 South Shore-11-1,758 North Sportsman-4-1,501 Central Square-0-1677 Bye-0-0 Southern Division Team-Points-Birds Pompey-18-2,176 Skaneateles-13-2,147 Camillus-11-2,144 Bridgeport-11-2,133... Northern Division Bye 0 (0) North Sportsman 0 (0) South Shore 196 (0) Toad Harbor 200 (2) Central Square 191 (0) Pathfinder 200 (2) Southern Division Three Rivers193 (2) Dewitt188 (0) Skaneateles195 (2) Camillus192 (0) Pompey200 (2) Bridgeport195 (0) Standings Northern Division Team-Points-Birds Pathfinder-15-1,577 Toad Harbor-12-1,579 South Shore-11-1,758 North Sportsman-4-1,501 Central Square-0-1677 Bye-0-0 Southern Division Team-Points-Birds Pompey-18-2,176 Skaneateles-13-2,147 Camillus-11-2,144 Bridgeport-11-2,133 Three Rivers-11-2,096 Dewitt-2-2,083 25 of 25 Bridgeport: Joe St Pierre + Cathy Barney + Ron Falkowski Camillus: 100 Tom Anthony + 50 Lenny Kallfelz Central Square: Merwin Backus + Shaun Griffith Dewitt: John Mroczka North Sportsman: Bye Pathfinder: 75 Norm Nelson + 50s Bob Weldin + Todd Lund + Ed Mason + 25s Mark Cole + Ed Baker + John Rudy Sr + Jim Buckalew + Paul Clarke Pompey: 125 Cliff Haaf + 25s C R Haaf + Red Rhoades 1st + Jeff Wood 1st + Tom Sawyer 1st + Jack Waldron + Jim St Pierre + Rick Marcy Skaneateles: 50 Ted Kochanek + 25s Rod Roberts + Dave Cady + Brian Perkins South Shore: 50 Ray Kubacki + 25s Ken Young + Joanna Bishop + Joe Wiley Three Rivers: 50 Nick Dunn + 25s Dave Clement + Gary Getz Toad Harbor: 75 Dave McCrea + 50s Rodger Moran + Al Parker + 25s Bill Kent + Rick Kisselstien + Dan Burnham 1st + Keith Chesbro + Craig Chesbro + Don Sadue + Will Milton + Kevin Stone + Gary Odell View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The existing bill would expire in December The following is a press release from Sen. Patty Ritchie:Senator Patty Ritchie today announced Senate passage of a bill to permanently allow crossbow hunting in New York State, just a few short months before a two-year experiment that currently allows crossbows is set to expire.The measure, S.6747, which was cosponsored by Senator Ritchie, directs the state DEC to set standards for an annual "crossbow hunting" season where the agency deems their use appropriate, and allows the department to set safety standards for their use by licensed hunters."By allowing crossbow hunting, we're giving hunters another way to enjoy the outdoors, promoting recreation and increasing tourism to Upstate communities," Senator Ritchie said."States that have long allowed crossbow hunting have not reported any significant problems with their use. Instead, they report that crossbows have helped increase interest in hunting and the outdoors," Senator Ritchie said. "And making the law permanent is way of being responsive and supportive of what sportsmen want."In Senator Ritchie's 2012 Hunters Survey, three-fourths of sportsmen said they support extending the crossbow law beyond the December 31 expiration.And a recent Statewide Deer Hunter Survey conducted by Cornell University for the DEC found a majority of New York deer hunters support the legalization of crossbows."Hunting and fishing are a $1.5 billion business in New York State, and many communities rely on outdoor recreation for the livelihoods of residents, to draw visitors and create jobs," said Senator Ritchie. "For our economy, and for the love of the outdoors, this law makes sense."Crossbow hunting is currently allowed in the state under a 2010 law that is set to expire at the end of the year.The bill, which now goes to the Assembly, has strong support from a number of hunting and sportsmen's organizations. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

Believe me, there were some awesome wildlife photos turned in by readers this year. Check them out in Sunday's paper! Heading off at the end of this week for my annual fishing trip with my brother-in-law and buddies to Lower Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks. I'll be back, though, for Father's Day.Meanwhile, here's what's on tap for this week's Outdoors pages.FRIDAY: Main story: Q&A with the Onondaga County health commissioner about the current state Lyme disease in our county.Column: Two anglers puzzled about catching large brown trout in Oneida Lake (what gives); and a private hatchery owner who raises bass responds to last Sunday's column about the DEC proposing changes in the law governing the sale of hatchery-raised bass fillets.SUNDAY: Happy Father's DayTwo-page spread: The top nine finishers in the 6th Annual Post-Standard Wildlife Photography contest.. believe me.. there were some real awesome photos turned in. Be sure and check them out! View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

The fish was caught with a Pro King spoon, 70 feet down on a downrigger. Submitted photoJamar Dillard, 20, of Ithaca, holds up a nice, 16-pound chinook salmon he caught recently while fishing on a charter boat on Lake Ontario.The captain was Mike Conroy of Proteus Sportfishing out of Oswego. The fish was caught with a Pro King spoon, 70 feet down on a downrigger. View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

"I have to dispute a couple of the comments made in your article. First of all it is quite easy to tell the difference between a farm-raised bass and a wild one. There is a distinct color difference due to their diets," he said.. My column last Sunday about a state Department of Environmental Conservation proposal to change state regulations concerning the commercial sale of hatchery-raised black bass (small and largemouth) resulted in this email from Darin Hickling, of Hickling's Fish Farm.Hickling wrote: "I read your article this weekend about DEC's proposal to allow farm-raised largemouth to be sold for meat and I was a extremely disappointed that, as a reporter, you didn't talk to anyone from the aquaculture industry to get their side of the story. My family and I own a fish farm about 30 miles south of Utica and specialize in raising bass. We raise them in a combination of ponds and climate- controlled buildings with recirculating systems which allows us to raise thousands of pounds of bass using very little water. "I have to dispute a couple of the comments made in your article. First of all it is quite easy to tell the difference between a farm-raised bass and a wild one. There is a distinct color difference due to their diets. Second, regulations involved are quite extensive. Hatcheries must be inspected and approved before they can sell bass for meat. They must show that they have adequate facilities for the raising of fish. This is to keep some guy from keeping a couple of tanks in his garage and collecting wild fish. Also, everyone in the chain of custody must possess chain of custody paperwork for the fish that they have on hand so that it can be tracked back to the source. They must also report all of the fish they handle and keep that paperwork on file for years afterward."Currently there are about 30 other states, including many throughout the northeast, that allow bass to be sold for meat with little or no problems. Also, because of the ever growing demand for fish in NY state and the restricted supply there is already a problem with black market fish (both fresh and saltwater) making it into markets and restaurants. This problem will only get worse."As many saltwater fisheries are dwindling, focus will turn to our freshwater fisheries. Farm-raised fish need to make up the difference and the change in these DEC regulations will put thousands of pounds of LEGAL farm-raised fish onto the market and will actually lessen the demand for black market fish and relieve the pressure on the fisheries that they are exploiting. If you have any questions feel free to contact me or come down for a tour."You can also visit our website . " View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog