2023 Keelers bust?

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Reelax
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2023 Keelers bust?

Post by Reelax »

Over the years there has been a 2-4 wk period when the keelers salmon bite can be on fire. While I didn’t really give it much time this spring I think we totaled like 5 salmon from Keelers when years past have yielded us 50-100 salmon.

Did anyone have a good bite in keelers this year?

Concerning pattern for me..

Just wondering

Matt
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steve
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by steve »

No luck at all this year,,,, so far.
dry net
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by dry net »

We fished it Saturday, one yellow one pike.
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Reelax
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by Reelax »

What do you think… Is this a pickerel or a pike?

Biggest Thing I got outta keelers this season:)

Fish on!
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Matt B
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by Dead lake »

Pic
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Mistress
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by Mistress »

I have been fishing The Inland (Dead) Sea for over thirty years and the salmon population has been on a rapid decline in the past three, which of course is a reflection on the numbers of fish in Keelers Bay. Last year I only caught seven legal fish for the whole season which would normally be close to my eight hour daily average in prior years. I suspect F&W is off their game regarding their stocking program and in the past four years or so their "target number" is 120,000 for the Inland Sea, and they have only been releasing 40,000 based on my math. The info can be found on their website and I fear the rest of the lake will follow suit given the push in Montpelier to fund social and green energy programs and I would not be surprised if funding is an issue. I had much better luck on the west side from mid summer on and will be burning some gas this year. As always the worst day of fishing is better than the best day at work and trying to stay positive......
Pat
striper192001
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by striper192001 »

I only got a couple each trip this early season.....
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Crayfish
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by Crayfish »

I only fished it once this year, if that tells you anything. Skunked. Of course, I haven't fished the 'sea much yet this year at all.
The River Rat
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by The River Rat »

Big Pickerel
A White
digitroll (ron)
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by digitroll (ron) »

The last 20 years the stocking in the Sea has been the same for smolts. Here is the data from our Vt Fish and Wildlife:

Image

Image
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Mistress
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by Mistress »

Ron,
Thanks for taking the time to hunt down the long term data with the annual totals shown and posting it to give a better perspective as to what is happening with the Inland Sea fishery, which unfortunately looks like lack of stocking is NOT the problem. Perhaps I should have done a little more research looking farther back before posting regarding the decline in numbers! It seemed the most viable explanation as to why the fishing has flat out sucked the past two or three years and I focused on the "planned" numbers vs. what was actually stocked. Based on the info you put forth I am afraid there is something going on with the ecosystem in that part of the lake. I can tell you and others that if you are looking to catch record class white perch the Inland Sea is the place to be and they will hit anything you drag behind the boat. You know that lure you NEVER caught anything on? Yup, give it a try, and of course any other salmon spoon or stick bait you would normally troll.....
striper192001
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by striper192001 »

Maybe too many cormorants.......
digitroll (ron)
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by digitroll (ron) »

Stocking actually has increased over the last 5 years. Being proactive and being part of the solution by taking scale or tail samples and some data off each fish and put them in the brown envelopes for our USFW office here in Essex Jct. to help them track the 18 experiments from stocked fish 2022-24 to help identify what fish are surviving. Radio tagged fish also will provide some insight of what's happening. I have given them about 50 samples so far. I have landed about 160 legal fish so far in 2023. Just began a month ago with the tail samples for the USFW. I use a paper punch to get a sample out of the tail.


Took a week off to fish the Western End of Lake Ontario for the LOC derby and we had 6 days on the water straight with 75 salmon landed our 2nd best outing since 2003 when we began fishing out there this time of year in the LOC.
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Mistress
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by Mistress »

I have filled out their surveys over the years and thank you for letting us know they have a more extensive research program! I will look into how to participate in the ongoing DNA sampling. There was a time back when Wayne Laroche was the commissioner myself and a few of my friends would talk with him and he did help improve both the Salmon and Walleye stocking programs considerably and maybe it is time to reengage on a personal level with current staff. I agree we have to be more proactive and help F&W get as much data as possible to help our fishery.
Regarding Ontario I brought my boat over to Oswego for the first time last August for five days, got caught in small craft advisory 9 miles from the launch one day and got blown off 2. The conditions were tough to say the least but managed to catch 8 Kings, the largest was 35" and the locals were complaining the numbers were DOWN (LOL).
I am hooked and already booked my cabin for this year!
digitroll (ron)
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Re: 2023 Keelers bust?

Post by digitroll (ron) »

That is great Pat! Kurt Heim is the USFW contact out of the Federal building near near the train station in Essex. (Old Post office) His Email is Kurt_Heim@FWS.gov. They have small brown envelopes to put each sample in with length / What clip or if it's a no clip / location of landed fish. The no clip fish are part of the 18 experiments by genetics for 4 years. Many down near Converse. We have returned every fish to the lake this year.

Ontario is either rough or calm. The rough parts can be be tough but when it's calm it can be game on! 42 years of fishing there it never gets old with over 100 trips logged over the years. I haven't been fishing here since April 28th. Start up again next week. Oak Orchard is next in a few months!
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