Syracuse.com - DEC approves changes to fishing regulations -- including allowing year-round bass fishing on Oneida Lake

[HuntingNY-News]

The changes also include raising the minimum size limit of tiger muskies caught on Otisco Lake from 30 to 36 inches. The changes take effect Oct. 1.

The DEC has approved a number of fishing changes that are reflected in the new fishing guide that came out this week. The changes take effect Oct. 1.

Among those affecting local anglers:

- Eliminating the special closed season for bass fishing on Oneida Lake (Dec. 1 to the Friday before the first Saturday in May, which is the walleye opener) and implementing statewide regulations (apart from the regular bass season, catch-and-release rules the remainder of the year) to create additional fishing opportunities and expand statewide consistency, “as continuance of this special closed season is not warranted.”

- Implementing a 40-inch size limit for muskellunge and tiger muskellunge in the Chenango, Tioughnioga, Tioga and Susquehanna rivers and a 36-inch size limit at Otisco Lake to increase the trophy potential of these species in these waters. The current minimum size is 30 inches.

- Implementing a 12-inch minimum size for brown trout in Otisco Lake.

- Changing the minimum size limit for rainbow trout in Skaneateles Lake and Owasco Lake from nine inches to 15 inches. This would create consistency with the other Finger Lakes as most of these lakes have environmental conditions that support excellent growth of trout and would provide angling opportunities for large fish.

- Reducing the limit of rainbow trout from five to one in the Western Finger Lakes and three to one in the tributaries to provide further protection for this species. Western Finger Lakes include Seneca, Keuka, Canandaigua, Canadice and Hemlock Lakes.

- Removing the restriction of no more than three lake trout as part of the five-trout limit in the Western Finger Lakes to foster harvest opportunities and reduce competition with other trout species and impacts on the forage base.

- Prohibiting fishing in several stream sections (including Little Sandy Creek in Oswego County) from March 16 until the first Saturday in May (opening day for walleye) to protect spawning walleye.

Draft regulations that pertain to gear and angling methods include:

- For the Salmon River, allowing “a bead chain” to be attached to floating lures, which still must only have one hook. The distance between a floating lure and hook point may not exceed three-and-a-half inches when a bead chain configuration is used. This was determined to be an effective angling method and was not considered a snagging device.

- Also for the Salmon River, implementing a “no weight” restriction (i.e., only floating line and unweighted leaders and flies allowed) from May 1-15 for the Lower Fly Area and from May 1-Aug. 31 for the Upper Fly Area to provide further protection to vulnerable fish.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog