“What can I encounter on Lake Ontario” is a question I hear often.

June 21, 2022Charter Fishing, fishingReel Field Charters, Sport fishingReelField

Here are the “big” fish of Lake Ontario listed in order of their IGFA (International Game Fish Association) record weights.

Lake Sturgeon

IGFA record: 168 lb. 0 oz. Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada

NYS record: 139 lb. 0 oz. Oneida Lake, Oneida Co. (Protected)

Lake Sturgeon are listed as threatened in New York State and possession of Lake Sturgeon in New York State is prohibited.

Chinook “King” Salmon

Photo Scott Morrison, 1st Mate at Reel Field Charters, Fishing with
Capt. Mike Decker of White Cap Charters

IGFA record: 97 lb. 4 oz. Kenai River, AK, USA

NYS record: 47 lb. 13 oz. Salmon River, Oswego Co.

King Salmon are a native to the North Pacific and were introduced to the Great Lakes in 1967 to aid in controlling an exploding population of the invasive Alewife Herring and aid in a struggling sport fishery. Salmon fishing quickly became a booming eco-tourism opportunity as Sport Fishing the large fish became popular. Today the Great Lakes commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries are valued at more than $7 Billion and supply nearly 75,000 jobs.

Atlantic Salmon

Photo: Lance Shaw fishing with
Capt. Mike Decker of White Cap Charters

IGFA record: 79 lb. 2 oz. Tana River, Norway

NYS record: 24 lb. 14 oz. Lake Ontario, Wayne Co.

Atlantic Salmon are the only Salmon native to the North Atlantic. There is no commercial fishing of wild Atlantic Salmon in the United States. Most commercial Atlantic Salmon is farm raised.

Atlantic Salmon were a staple food of the Native Americans before the first settlers arrived. Commercial fisheries for Atlantic Salmon started in Maine in the 1600s.

European “Common” Carp

Photo: Capt. Dustin Walker of Reel Field Charters

IGFA record: 75 lb. 11 oz. Lac de St. Cassie, France

NYS record: 50 lb. 6 oz. Tomhannock Res, Rensselaer Co.

The European or Eurasian Carp formerly known as the Common Carp is considered an invasive speicies in the United States. The European Carp was intentionally released into North American waters due the Eoropeans affinity for them as a sport fish and as table fare. Du to their intoductions the European Carp is the most widespread freshwater fish in the world and one of the most popular sportfish worldwide.

Lake Trout

Photo: Capt. Dustin Walker of Reel Field Charters fishing with
Capt. Mike Decker of White Cap Charters

IGFA record: 72 lb. 0 oz. Great Bear Lake, NWT, Canada

NYS record: 41 lb. 8 oz. Lake Erie Chautauqua Co.

Lake trout are actually of the Char family and are found exclusively in the freshwater lakes and rivers of Northern North America. Lake Trout can live for over 25 years, the oldest recorded Lake Trout was 70 years old.

Muskellunge

IGFA record: 67 lb. 8 oz. Lake Court Oreilles, WI, USA

NYS record: 69 lb. 15 oz. St. Lawrence River, Jefferson Co.

“The Fish of 10,000 Casts” the Muskellunge, aka Musky, is a highly prized sport fish in North America. The Musky is the largest member of the Pike (Esox) Family. The Musky is also the largest exclusiely freshwater sportfish in North America.

Channel Catfish

IGFA record: 58 lb. 0 oz. Santee Cooper Res., SC, USA

NYS record: 35 lb. 12 oz. Black River, Jefferson Co.

Channel Catfish are the abundant and widespread catfish species in North America. The Channel Catfish is the State Fish of Kansas, Nebraska,Missouri, Iowa, and Tennessee. Channel Catfish contain a venom and causes edema (swelling) and a hemolytic (causeing increased blood flow to the affected area). Smaller Channel Cats are often the most likely to sting as the adult’s spines are dull. Acommon misconception is that the catfish’s barbels are the stingers, this false. The spines are located on the lead edge of the dorsal and pectoral fins.

Northern Pike

IGFA record: 55 lb. 1 oz. Lake of Grefeern, Germany

NYS record: 46 lb. 2 oz. Great Sacandaga Lake, Fulton Co.

Esox Lucious, the water wolf. The Northern Pike is the smaller cousin the the Musky. Northern Pike are native to North American, England, Ireland, Northern and Eastern Europe. In European countries they called just “Pike” as they are the only Esox genus fish in Europe. Northern Pike is the only esox genus with a circumpolar distribution, meaning that it can found around the entire earths North Pole region.

Freshwater Drum “Sheepshead”

IGFA record: 54 lb. 8 oz. Nick Jack Lake, TN, USA

NYS record: 36 lb. 0 oz. Oneida Lake, Oneida Co.

The Freshwater Drum can be found in North and Central Americas and is the only member of it’s family that lives exclusively in freshwater. Frashwater drum are the onlyfreshwater fish to lay plantonic eggs meaning that the eggs float towards the surface and are distrubuted by wind and currents.

Rainbow Trout “Steelhead”

IGFA record: 48 lb. 0 oz. Lake Dienfenbaker, Canada

NYS record: 31 lb. 3 oz. Lake Ontario, Niagra Co.

Steelhead is a name given to ocean run Rainbow Trout. The name is commonly used for Great Lakes Rainbow Trout as once they were oceanic and there are still true steelhead in the Great Lakes and St. Lawerance River.

Brown Trout

IGFA record: 44 lb. 4 oz. Ohau Canal, Twizel, New Zealand

NYS record: 33 lb. 2 oz. Lake Ontario, Oswego Co.

The Brown Trout is a European Species that was introduced to suitable waters around the world. Brown Trout were first brought to the North American in the 1860s. Brown Trout can be found on every continent with the exception of Antarctca. Brown Trout are also found to be oceanic.

Longnose Gar

IGFA record: 43 lb. 0 oz. Trinity River, TX, USA

NYS record: 14 lb. 10 oz. Lake Champlain, Washington Co.

This genus has been been present in North America for about 100 Million years. The Longnose Gar contains a vascular air bladder that can act as a simple lung allowing the Longnose Gar to “breathe air” or live in low oxygen environments.

Coho “Silver” Salmon

IGFA record: 33 lb. 3 oz. Salmon River, Pulaski, NY, USA

NYS record: 33 lb. 7 oz. Lake Ontario, Oswego Co.

Coho Salmon are a native to the North Pacific and were introduced to the Great Lakes in 1966, anglers were excited to see that the salmon made their first spawning run in 1967. Salmon fishing quickly became a booming eco-tourism opportunity as Sport Fishing the large fish became popular. Today the Great Lakes commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries are valued at more than $7 Billion and supply nearly 75,000 jobs.

Burbot

IGFA record: 25 lb. 2 oz. Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan, Canada

NYS record: 16 lb. 12 oz. Lake Ontario, Jefferson Co.

Closely related to the Ling-Cod and Cusk the Burbot is the only freshwater member of the family of Cod-like fish. The flesh is highly prized and is often refered to as Poorman’s Lobster.

Walleye

IGFA record: 25 lb. 0 oz. Old Hickory Lake, TN, USA

NYS record: 18 lb. 2 oz St. Lawrence River, St. Lawrence Co.

The Walleye is the largest member of the Perch Family and is a highly sought after sportfish and table fish.

The Blue Walleye was a color morph found in the Great Lakes and was declared a seperate species in 1926. The Blue Walleye was listed on the endangered species list in 1967 and declared extict in 1983.

Largemouth Bass

IGFA record: 22 lb. 4 oz. Lake Biwa, Shiga, Japan

NYS record: 11 lb. 4 oz. Buckhorn Lake, Otsego Co.

The Large Mouth Bass is the most populat Freshwater Sportfish in the United States and Japan. Largemouth Bass inhabit every state in the US except Alaska.

The US calculates that 50% of fisherman/women prefer bass fishing which calculates to about 30 million active anglers creating an industry worth $60 Billion.

Bowfin

IGFA record: 21 lb. 8 oz. Forest Lake, Florence, SC, USA

NYS record: 13 lb. 8 oz. Yanty Creek, Monroe Co.

The Bowfin is another freshwater dinosaur. The Bowfin has inhabited the shallows of North America for 150 milion years. The Bowfin contains a vascular air bladder that can act as a simple lung allowing the Bowfin to “breathe air” or live in low oxygen environments.

Native Bowfin can easily be confused with the invasive Snakehead. Be careful, they are not the same.

Pink Salmon

IGFA record: 14 lb. 13 oz. Monroe, WA, USA

NYS record: 4 lb. 15 oz. Lake Erie Chautauqua Co.

Unlike Chinnok and Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon were accidentally released into the Great Lakes in 1955. Eggs were being transported from British Columbia to Thunder Bay, Ontario with the idea of raising them in a hatchery and locating them far North of Hudson Bay. After the hatched fingerlings were loaded onto the planes and the planes departed for the workers found about 200,000 fingerlings left behind. Instead of letting the die the workers released them into the Current River, a tributary of Lake Superior.

Pink Salmon are few in numbers and are rarely caught in the Great Lakes.

Brook Trout

Photo: Todd Hunsinger & Dustin Walker fishing Fabious Brook, NY

IGFA record: 14 lb. 8 oz. Nipigon River, Ontario, Canada

NYS record: 6 lb. 0 oz. Silver Lake Wilderness Area, Hamilton Co.

Brook Trout are a member of the Char family. Earlier it was stated that Lake Trout were the only member of the Char family that are exclusivly freshwater. That is because there are oceanic Brook Trout in New England that only enter freshwater to spawn. These fish are refered to as “Salters”

Lake Whitefish

IGFA record: 14 lb. 6 oz. Meaford, Ontario, Canada

NYS record: 10 lb. 8 oz Lake Pleasant, Hamilton Co.

Lake Whitefish is considered on of the best eating freshwater fish there is. They have a high fat content that makes them ideal for smoking.

Smallmouth Bass

IGFA record: 11 lb. 15 oz. Dale Hollow Lake, TN, USA

NYS record: 8 lb. 4 oz. St. Lawrence River, Jefferson Co.

A new NYS Record of 8 lb. 5.8 oz. was caught in Cayuga Lake on June 16, 2022 but has not been made official as of June 20, 2022.

Smallmouth Bass are a more cold-water fish and inhabit the North and Cental US.

Chain Pickerel

IGFA record: 9 lb. 6 oz. Homerville, Ga, USA

NYS record: 8 lb. 1 oz. Toronto Res., Sullivan Co.

Chain Pickerel are amoung the most aggressive of all freshwater game fish. The Chain Pickerel inhabits the waters of the East and Gulf coasts.

There are two more species of Pickerel that can be found in the Great Lakes System, the Redfin and Grass Pickerel. Rarely to they excced 15”

Angler Catches 8-Pound, 5.8-Ounce Potential New York State Record Smallmouth Bass

June 20, 2022UncategorizedReelField

Angler Catches 8-Pound, 5.8-Ounce Potential New York State Record Smallmouth Bass

Thomas Russell caught the big fish at a bass tournament on Cayuga Lake

BY SAGE MARSHALL | PUBLISHED JUN 16, 2022 10:06 AM (Field & Stream)

Cayuga Lake is the longest of New York’s Finger Lakes. *Thomas Russell*

Thomas Russell has most likely boated the new state record smallmouth bass for The Empire State. Russell was fishing on Cayuga Lake at a Finger Lakes Open Bass Tournament on June 15 when he hooked into the jumbo bass. “The first day of New York bass season didn’t disappoint,” wrote Rob Aftuck, the tournament organizer, in a Facebook post. “Congratulations to Eric Sullivan and Thomas Russell for a true mega bag of smallmouth bass with 30-plus-pounds [including] an 8.5-pound lunker for a New York State record.”

“By midday we were sitting on a real nice bag of smallmouth bass,” Russell told NYUp.com. At around 11 a.m. he was using a flipped a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flatnose Minnow in 10 feet of water when he hooked into the brute. He was using a St. Croix Avid X Spinning Rod. “I was using 12-pound test line, so it was just a real good fight. He came up, jumped a couple of times, and [I] got all nervous when [I] saw the size of him. It was spectacular—the fight of a lifetime for sure.”

Russell and Thompson weighed the fish about the boat. With their portable scale measuring around 8 pounds, they knew they had a potential record-breaking fish on their hands. But they continued fishing the rest of the day, ultimately finishing with a 5-fish bag of 30 pounds, 15 ounces, which was enough to win the tournament. It was the first tournament for the anglers on the Finger Lakes Open Trail.

In a Facebook post, George Fiorille shared a video of the weigh-in. The video shows the moment Russell places the bass on the tournament scale, which gives a clear reading of 8 pounds, 5.8 ounces. If that weight is certified by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, it will go down as the biggest smallmouth bass ever caught in the state. The current record is 8 pounds, 4 ounces. That record is shared by two anglers, Andrew Kartesz, who caught an 8-pound, 4-ouncer from Lake Erie in 1995, and Patrick Hildenbrand, who caught a fish the same size in 2016.

“Thank you for a great tournament today,” wrote Russell in a comment on Aftuck’s Facebook post. “We had an epic day today and were able to possibly break the New York State smallmouth record.”

Cayuga Lake is the longest of New York’s Finger Lakes at 40 miles long. It’s considered to be one of the best bass fishing lakes in New York for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. That said, the only standing state record at the lake as of press is a 7-pound, 14-ounce American eel that was caught in 1984. With his smallmouth bass, Russell stands to set a highly sought-after record for one of America’s most popular species of gamefish.

Hull Speed Calculator and Waterline Length

March 13, 2022UncategorizedReelField

Hull Speed Calculator and Waterline Length

with climbing fuel prices you may be wondering how to most efficiently run your boat. The answer is determining your Hull Speed. Here is an article, that I like, explaining Hull Speed and how to calculate it. It’s good information for any boat owner.

When to Use Zinc Anodes or Aluminum Anodes on Your Boat

February 26, 2022UncategorizedReelField

AuthorCitimarine | Updated: November 23, 2020 | Published: October 12, 2016 |

Why choose zinc anodes instead of aluminum

Zinc anodes, also known as sacrificial anodes, play a key role in the maintenance of your boat.

The term “zincs” has become synonymous with sacrificial anodes, being that zinc was the original material used for this purpose. However, other metals, such as aluminum and magnesium, also work as sacrificial anodes.

A sacrificial anode is made of a relatively inexpensive metal that will corrode in the place of the more expensive metal components of your boat or yacht – your shaft, propeller, rudders, stern drive and other vital parts. The idea is that the metal in the anode is more “noble” and will “sacrifice” itself, in order to corrode first, keeping your metal components free of corrosion when in the water for long periods of time.

There’s a place in corrosion protection for all three anode types – zinc, aluminum or magnesium – depending on various factors, explained here.

The Advantages of Aluminum Anodes

There are a few reasons why many manufacturers and boaters use aluminum anodes over zinc or magnesium anodes.

In recent years, aluminum has dropped in price, making it a more attractive choice for manufacturers when installing sacrificial anodes onto their new vessels, engines, strainers, heat exchangers, etc.
Zinc anodes protect well in salt, fair in brackish and a little in fresh. Aluminum anodes protect well in salt, good in the upper levels of brackish waters, but not so good in the lower levels of brackish, and decent in fresh. However, aluminum passifies (films over with oxide coating) quicker than zinc. If cleaning occurs on a regular basis, aluminum will work. If not, the aluminum anode can become “passified”, rendering it useless.
EPA reports have suggested that sacrificial anodes using magnesium, and secondly, aluminum anodes are more environmentally-friendly than zinc anodes, however any environmental effect is minimal even worst case scenario with zinc. (Note: This is referring to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Vessel General Permit (VGP) with vessels over 79′ long*).

With that being said, if you are a boater who frequents brackish waters, or switches often between fresh and saltwater, you should consider an aluminum anode as your sacrificial anode. It is cheaper, lives a longer life, and can handle the switch between different water types better than the other metals. We carry aluminum anodes, here…

If keeping your boat in saltwater only, take note of your location: in very warm tropic waters, higher water temperatures create more dissolved oxygen which increases corrosion rates and anodes have more demand on them, resulting in a much shorter life expectancy.
When Magnesium Sacrificial Anodes Should Be Used – The Freshwater King

While aluminum and zinc anodes can be used in freshwater, both aluminum and zinc anodes bow to magnesium (MG) anodes in freshwater.

The high current output of MG is needed in the high resistivity of fresh waters. While more expensive than zinc and aluminum anodes, and live shorter lives, magnesium anodes are your best choice for freshwater, especially if your vessel will be in the water for long periods of time.

Magnesium’s high current output in saltwater runs the risk of over-voltage (hydrogen release) which can be remedied with either smaller and/or less Mg anodes, however a magnesium anode’s life in saltwater is typically too short to be a good choice there.

Where Zinc Anodes Still Reign Supreme

There comes a time and place where no other material beats zinc as a sacrificial anode – when it is docked or anchored in seawater for long periods of time.

Zinc anodes are better than other metals at “sloughing” off any film buildup, exposing fresh zinc alloy to the water, allowing the anode to be continuously electro-chemically active. Without this improved ability to slough, the consumed metal in aluminum anodes can film over and form a crust/barrier which will passify the anode.

The longer the vessel sits, the higher the chance of anode passivation.

However, when a vessel is underway, the moving water current creates electrical current which puts a demand on anodes, thereby reactivating them. Cutting through the water also cleans the oxide film off of the anode, whatever the metal type.

If a vessel remains active in saltwater on a regular basis, both zinc and aluminum anodes will work. If sitting for periods of time in saltwater, zinc anodes are the way to go.

How Do Anodes Work?

Whenever there are two different metals physically or electrically connected and in water, they technically become a battery. There will be some amount of current flowing between both metals.

The electrons that make up the current are supplied by one of the metals giving up bits of itself – in the form of metal ions – to the seawater. This is called corrosion, and if left unchecked, will slowly destroy underwater metals on your boat.

The most common victim of corrosion is an aluminum prop on a stainless steel shaft, but struts, rudders, outboards and stern drives are also at risk.

By adding a second metal (an anode which is more noble), an electrical current is established towards the less noble metal which will receive the current allowing the anode to sacrifice itself by an ion transfer.

When To Change Your Sacrificial Anode and Other Tips

Regardless of the material you choose for your sacrificial anode, there are certain guidelines you should follow to keep your anodes in good shape and the vital components of your boat protected and corrosion-free:

Replace the anode when about half of its size has been lost to corrosion. If this occurs in less than a year, you may want to increase the size / weight of the anode.
For a zinc anode to work, it must have electrical contact with the metal you are trying to protect. For instance, on the prop shaft right ahead of the prop. If not able to form direct contact, it can be connected by a wire as well.
Never coat an anode with paint or anything else that will cover it; this will render it useless.
Different types of anodes may be used, just don’t intermingle them. For example: Shaft and prop protection is somewhat isolated so a change of anode type is acceptable.
It is essential to make sure the surface under the zinc is bare and bright before the anode is installed. This is to ensure good electrical contact.

Moral of the anode story? It is better to spend the little time and money required to replace the anodes on a regular basis, rather than spending thousands on a new propeller shaft or stern drive.

St. Lawrence River lake sturgeon populations continue to recover

January 23, 2022UncategorizedReelField

Isabella Colello

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) — Lake Sturgeon populations in the St. Lawrence River are continuing to recover.

This was confirmed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on January 21 after it released its 2021 Lake Sturgeon Population Assessment Report.

According to the DEC, this report confirmed that the lake sturgeon population in the Upper and Lower St. Lawrence River has exceeded “crucial metrics” of the Lake Sturgeon Recovery Plan for adult spawning and juvenile recovery.

Specifically, both locations on the St. Lawrence had over 750 spawning adults, over three natural reproduced year classes in a five-year period and met both adult and reproduction goals. The Upper St. Lawrence also had a highly positive trend in 2021.

Lake sturgeon have been on the state’s threatened species list since 1983. To address the declining populations, the DEC started its lake sturgeon restoration program in 1993by stocking four sites.

Moving forward to 2021, the DEC, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stocked ten locations throughout New York State.

The DEC also confirmed that the lake sturgeon population has now reached the target in four of the seven management units. When the population reaches the target level in two more management units, lake sturgeon can be removed from the threatened species list.

“Lake sturgeon are rebounding in New York State, and that’s great news,” Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a press release on Friday. “This progress is possible because of the work of dedicated staff at DEC, and our strong partnerships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, New York Power Authority, and Cornell University. Together, we have secured funding, raised and released sturgeon, and used science to track our success, and DEC looks forward to continuing these effective collaborations.”

The Lake Sturgeon Recovery Plan was first written in 2018. It set the goal of “establishing or maintaining sufficient self-sustaining populations of lake sturgeon within six of the seven management units to warrant removal of lake sturgeon from the list of threatened species in New York.” The Plan is set to continue through 2024.

The full Lake Sturgeon Recovery Plan and 2021 Lake Sturgeon Population Assessment Report can be found on the DEC website.

World Record Striped Bass caught in Westbrook, Connecticut

January 20, 2022UncategorizedReelField

World Record

Greg Myerson broke the striped bass world record in 2011 while fishing at a reef off the coast of Westbrook, Conn. Myerson was fishing a live eel when he hooked into the world record striper, measuring in at 54 inches, and weighing 81.88 pounds. The gigantic fish toppled the previous world record by 3 pounds, which had been untouched for 29 years.

Greg Myerson 81 pound striper — Greg Myerson holding the world record striper of 81.88 pounds.

Myerson shared his account of the night along with his world record application, “After a 15-minute fight on my St. Croix rod and Quantum reel, I got the striped bass close enough to the boat for netting.

Article: Striper Fish Facts and FAQ

The fish was bigger than I thought. I slipped on eel slime and banged my ribs against the gunwale of the boat. But it didn’t matter. The monster fish was mine. At this point it was about 8 pm, I put the fish into the hold and fished the rest of the tide. As I fished, I repeatedly peered into the hold and asked myself ‘is this striper really that big?’ The following morning, I brought the striped bass to Jack’s Shoreline Bait and Tackle to be weighed. The fish measured 54 inches in length and tipped Jack’s digital scale at 81.88 pounds. It really was that big.”

PFBC: Invasive Northern Snakehead fish in Upper Delaware

January 18, 2022UncategorizedReelField

UPPER DELAWARE – An invasive predatory fish species, the northern snakehead, has been found in the waters of the Upper Delaware, a threat to native fish.A Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) official spoke with Upper Delaware Council at their December session about the invader, advising anyone spotting one to catch it, photograph it, kill it and report the finding to PFBC.Daryl Pierce is Area Fisheries Manager for the PFBC, Area 5 Office, which includes the Upper Delaware drainage area.

The Northern Snakehead is one of four species of the fish found in the United States, the only one that is known to have reached this area.They originate in China, Russia and Korea and are thought to have been introduced to the U.S. through fish markets, but are now banned from being brought in. The first established population was identified in Maryland in 2002. They have been gradually making their way up the Delaware River. They are illegal to be sold, bartered, possessed or transported in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, he said.They have a nice, soft, long dorsal or anal fins. Their heads are slightly compressed which Pierce said is very distinctive, with the eyes more towards the top of the head.The males tend to be darker than the female. Adults reach over 30 inches. They are short-lived and fast-growing. They are known to live eight years; in invasive, explosive populations as in the lower Delaware, reproduction can occur as early as a year old. They tend to nest in a weed bed, in shallow, warn water. Eggs are found in a mass laying on weeds.The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division confirmed someone found a northern snakehead.

Identification of Northern Snakeheads is always an issue and are sometimes confused with a native fish, the Bowfin, he stated. “They are a predatory fish, they are very voracious,” Pierce said. Juveniles eat insects and small crustaceans. Once they reach about four to six inches, Snakeheads dine on other fish. Minnows and Bluegill are examples of their menu. “It is pretty safe to say, if it fits in their mouth, which is quite large, they are going to eat it,” Pierce said.This poses an unknown risk to endangered species, he said, such as the Bridal Shiner fish. They also eat eels.”Because they are such a strong predator, there is a possibility to deplete prey populations,” he said. Another concern is that Snakeheads compete for food eaten by other gamefish such as Walleyes and Bass.”We are also concerned at this point, it is unknown to what extent they may transmit or propagate disease through the system as well,” he said.Can live on land 4 days

A notable characteristic of the Snakehead is their ability to breath air. “They can live up to four days on land as long as their gills stay moist,” he said. This ability aids them in being to endure being transported to other waters. Juveniles have been seen flopping into other nearby water bodies, but adults can’t do this due to their fins not having hard spines.They look for fresh water; they prefer slow-moving stagnant warm waters with vegetation beds. They are tolerant of cold but in the summer they want warmer waters.Snakeheads can swim 15 to 20 miles a day. They are well established in the estuary waters of the Lower Delaware. “unfortunately we can now count Pike and Wayne Counties for the Delaware River itself to this map,: Pierce said, although as far as he knows they are not it the tributaries at this time.Careful monitoring

The PFBC has developed a draft Snakehead Species Control Plan. Eventually it will be released to the public. He said the PFBC is asking for angler reports of Snakeheads.Sampling is being done for trout in conjunction with the State of New York. If they start seeing an acute decline of the trout population, the PFBC will look back at angler reports to see if the snakehead could be a culprit.They also maintain annual monitoring at fixed sites for other gamefish such as bass, walleye or American shad. As populations change dramatically the PFBC hopes to learn of the Snakehead is a factor.

If you catch one: If an angler encounters a Snakehead, in addition to reporting them, harvest them. He said it is not enough to leave them on the bank. “Because they are air breathers they are just going to sit there and once you move away they will get right back in the water,” Pierce said. “And it could be up to four days later if they decide to sit there. So they can play dead, look dead but actually not be dead.”To report them, give the PFBC asks for a general idea of when and where the Snakehead was caught. GPS data is even better. Submit several pictures so PFBC can positively identify the fish. He advised cutting it up, bagging it, and putting it in the garbage.Preventing the Snakehead from being transported is critical. He asked that gear and the boat and trailer are cleaned of vegetation so that fryers or young are not hitchhiking. During a round of questions from the UDC, Andy Boyar, the UDC’s Town of Highland Alternate, wanted to know if people can eat them. Pierce confirmed that the Snakehead is edible.NPS: Four reported here

Don Hamilton, National Park Service, stated that as far as he is aware, since July 31, 2020, four Northern Snakeheads have been caught in the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River. The first was on that date. Two were caught in eel weirs this last fall, one in the Lower East Branch and the other in the Main Stem south of Narrowsburg.The NPS also received a report that one was caught by the New York State Narrowsburg Access in late August.Pierce said those are the ones he is aware of. “I think they are out exploring what they want to do in the Upper Delaware,” Pierce said. “I think they are a pretty low abundance right now based on the angler reports. It may be a few years, if ever, that they become prolific, if at all.”They are not migratory, Pierce said. The Snakeheads are looking around to see if their environment is suitable. The well established population in the Lower Delaware face more competition for food, so they are moving upriver.Boyar asked if the Snakehead would get as far north as the East and West Branches Pierce stated that they could but they prefer shallow, warm water with aquatic vegetation to lay their eggs. Generally the tail waters are cold and fast flowing. “They may not be there for long, they are just testing it out,” he said.

William Rudge, New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) added that an angler caught two Snakeheads in the Bashakill wetlands, which is a tributary to the Neversink River, which in turn is a tributary to the Upper Delaware.For more information visit the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission website at;

https://www.fishandboat.com/Fish/PennsylvaniaFishes/Pages/Snakehead.aspx.

Anglers catching Snakeheads should report it to the Commission at 814-359-5163 or via email.

Results of Study on SARS-CoV-2 in White-Tailed Deer – USDA APHIS

September 30, 2021UncategorizedReelField

Click to access qa-covid-white-tailed-deer-study.pdf

Dig a Dakota Fire Hole

August 29, 2021UncategorizedSURVIVALReelField

Dig a Dakota Fire Hole // By T. Edward Nickens

Native Americans used a Dakota fire hole to hide cooking fires from their enemies. Turns out that these small pits also consume less wood while burning hotter than open fires. Plus, they excel in windy conditions and provide a great platform for cooking. The fire hole works by drawing fresh air into the combustion chamber. Hot air rises from the hole, creating a draft that draws air through the vent and into the base of the fire. The cycle is self-sustaining, and digging the vent on the upwind side of the fire hole helps suck up the breeze like the air scoop on the Bandit’s Trans Am. Here’s how to dig one.

1. Dig the fire chamber. Excavate a pit 1 foot in diameter and 1 foot deep. Now widen the base of the chamber a few inches so it has a juglike shape. This lets you burn larger pieces of wood.

2. Dig the air tunnel. Start a foot away from the edge of the chamber, on the upwind side, and carve out a molelike tunnel 5 or 6 inches in diameter, angling down toward the base of the fire chamber.

3. Build your fire in the chamber and top the hole with a grate or green saplings stout enough to hold a pot over the flames.

Illustration by Robert L. Prince

Six Primitive Traps For Catching Food In The Woods

August 28, 2021UncategorizedReelField

Six Primitive Traps For Catching Food In The Woods

Photo Gallery by Field & Stream Online Editors

Photo by Steve Sanford

Fish Traps
Fish swim next to banks at night or move

from deep holes into shallow water to feed. They can often be directed into traps from which they are unlikely to escape.

Funnel Trap
Make the walls of the funnel trap with piled-up stones or tightly spaced sticks driven solidly into the river or lakebed. Close the entrance to the trap, roil the water, then either spear the fish or net them with a seine made by tying a shirt or other cloth between two stout poles.

Photo by Steve Sanford

Snares
Small-game snares can be made from the interior strands of parachute cord, braided strands of sinew, or fishing line. Snares stout enough to secure game as large as deer need to be made of rawhide or parachute cord.

Ground Snare
Position the snare at head height and tie off the end to a tree, a stake in the ground, or a log that the animal can only drag a short distance as the noose tightens. Make snares from cord, fishing line, or wire if available.

· Photo by Steve Sanford

Spring Snare
This set a trigger that snatches game into the air as it strains against the noose. It’s good for rabbits and game as large as deer.

Photo by Steve Sanford

Deadfall Traps
Deadfalls that use logs or rocks to squash prey are typically baited, but they also work along trails or outside burrows when a passing animal or bird brushes against the trigger.

Spring Deadfall
One of the easiest traps to make and set, the spring deadfall depends upon the game worrying the bait, so it’s best used for carnivorous animals and rodents such as pack rats.

Photo by Steve Sanford

Tension Traps
Employing fire-hardened spear points under tension, these can be deadly to predator and prey alike. Always set and approach an impaling trap cautiously from behind and use only in an emergency in remote areas, where another human or domestic animals are not going to blunder past.

Spring Spear Trap
This trip-wire set is effective for wild pigs, deer, or other game that regularly sticks to defined game trails. Make certain the horizontal thrust of the spear is at a level that will impale the body of the game sought. This is an extremely dangerous trap; use it with caution.

Photo by Steve Sanford

Bird Traps
Birds can be much easier to trap than mammals and should be among your first targets for a meal.

Ojibwa Bird Pole
Set this trap in a large clearing where birds will naturally seek it out as a landing place.
Step One Sharpen both ends of a 6-foot pole and drill a small hole near one end. Drive the other end into the ground until it is secure.
Step Two Cut a 6-inch-long stick that will loosely fit into the hole. Tie a rock to a thin cord and pass the cord through the hole in the pole, then make a slip noose that drapes over the perch.
Step Three Tie an overhand knot in the cord in back of the slip noose and place the stick against the hole. Tension should hold it in position. When a bird flies down and perches, it will displace the stick, the rock will fall, and its feet will be caught as the loop quickly slides through the hole.