Syracuse.com - Looking for something to do this weekend? See walleye egg collection in Constantia

[HuntingNY-News]

It's going on every day up at the DEC hatchery hrough next week. It's a sight worth seeing.

It happens every spring and it's a sight worth seeing.

State Department of Environmental Conservation staff this past week at the Oneida hatchery in the village of Constantia began collecting eggs from spawning walleye in Oneida Lake. This is the start of a process of raising walleye here, that are eventually released in the lake and is select other waterways across the state for anglers to enjoy.

DEC staff sets up nets just outside the mouth of Scriba Creek, which runs alongside the hatchery, and bring the catch each day back to hatchery to strip the fish of their eggs and sperm. It's quite a process and it's open to the public.

The hatchery is open 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week. The egg/sperm collection process, which is something to see, takes place generally between 11 a.m and noon, and 1 and 3 p.m. (if there's enough ripe fish). Visitors are welcome this weekend through next week.

According to the DEC website, "The hatchery was reconstructed in 1992. The rearing program is focused on walleye, and includes egg collections from Oneida Lake (200-300 million eggs/year), and stocking of millions of walleye fry and about 220,000 advanced walleye fingerlings (four to six inches). Experimental culture of rare or threatened fishes, such as round whitefish, lake sturgeon and paddlefish, also occurs here."

Check it out. By the way, the walleye fishing season this year opens May 4. For further information,call the hatchery at 623-7311.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog