Northern NY Thread!

[FISHFORPIKE]

Just noticed that DEC did a remake of the Lake Contour Maps Site:

[FISHFORPIKE]

Pike and perch in the lower, and pike, perch and Lakers in the upper.

Would it be considered "good" fishing?  How would you rate it?

[northernnyice]

I have probably personally fished it 20-25 full days and have never caught a pike over 8lb. You can jig up a mess of perch, they always seem to be small though. Truthfully the only reason I go out there is because my best friends father lived right on the lake. We would go out there in high school during winter breaks for a few days and it just turned into a tradition. Kind of like our getaway. I did see a guy catch a 15lb pike right next to me on derby day probably 3 years ago.

All my experience is on the Lower, I've only fished the upper on the boat. But I can tell you the upper is big and vast.

[Berkley4life]

FYI:  Lake Champlain is buttoned up as far north as Crown Point.

[hesseltine32]

If you like to catch dink perch chateaugay is the lake for you.  NNYice summed it up. It's loaded with perch it's impossible to get skunked you can fill a 5 gallon bucket in a couple hours but very little size to them.  sometimes if you get lucky and get in a school with some size to them but for the most part you catch a ton of 6-8" perch.  Decent amount of pike just don't plan on catching many in the double digits.  There are lake trout just not a lot.

Decent bass fishing in the summer though.

[OneidaAngler]

If you like to catch dink perch chateaugay is the lake for you.  NNYice summed it up. It's loaded with perch it's impossible to get skunked you can fill a 5 gallon bucket in a couple hours but very little size to them.  sometimes if you get lucky and get in a school with some size to them but for the most part you catch a ton of 6-8" perch.  Decent amount of pike just don't plan on catching many in the double digits.  There are lake trout just not a lot.

Decent bass fishing in the summer though.

Sounds like Chateaugay could use a stocking of walleyes. Walleyes do extremely well in lakes loaded with dink  perch. It's probably their favorite thing to gorge on. 

[northernnyice]

Sounds like Chateaugay could use a stocking of walleyes. Walleyes do extremely well in lakes loaded with dink  perch. It's probably their favorite thing to gorge on. 

You ain't kidding. We have speculated that a lot. I honestly think walleyes would thrive in Chateaugay. Especially in the upper. From what I hear it used to be a great trout lake way back in the day, before pike arrived. Pike apparently weren't native there. Maybe that's true, maybe not. I don't know! But I do think walleyes would do great.

[FISHFORPIKE]

You ain't kidding. We have speculated that a lot. I honestly think walleyes would thrive in Chateaugay. Especially in the upper. From what I hear it used to be a great trout lake way back in the day, before pike arrived. Pike apparently weren't native there. Maybe that's true, maybe not. I don't know! But I do think walleyes would do great.

Do they have any places to spawn - or would it be a put and take deal?  They would have to stock fingerlings for it to be much of a success.  Worthwhile - though.  Get teh local fish advisories board to make a request.  Maybe you could get some those Oneida Strain Eyes up there. 

[hesseltine32]

You ain't kidding. We have speculated that a lot. I honestly think walleyes would thrive in Chateaugay. Especially in the upper. From what I hear it used to be a great trout lake way back in the day, before pike arrived. Pike apparently weren't native there. Maybe that's true, maybe not. I don't know! But I do think walleyes would do great.

My dad tells stories from when he was in teens to early 20s about all the trout and salmon they use to catch. They use to stock browns and rainbows in there as well remember catching rainbows once and a while when I was real young.

I agree about them doin well in the upper lake the west side is all rocks and points.

Pike there is two creeks thy feed into the southern part of the lake maybe 8-10' wide not sure if they would work there marsh all around them and beaver dams

[OneidaAngler]

Does chauteagay see a lot of wind and/or current? Walleye need current going over gravel bottom to spawn. They like to run up creeks and spawn there too. They will spawn near creek mouths and wind swept shoals as well. Does chauteagay have smelt? Cause if it does you can rule out any natural reproduction from walleye. Smelt love to eat walleye fry.    

[northernnyice]

Does chauteagay see a lot of wind and/or current? Walleye need current going over gravel bottom to spawn. They like to run up creeks and spawn there too. They will spawn near creek mouths and wind swept shoals as well. Does chauteagay have smelt? Cause if it does you can rule out any natural reproduction from walleye. Smelt love to eat walleye fry.   

Both wind and current.

[northernnyice]

Does chauteagay see a lot of wind and/or current? Walleye need current going over gravel bottom to spawn. They like to run up creeks and spawn there too. They will spawn near creek mouths and wind swept shoals as well. Does chauteagay have smelt? Cause if it does you can rule out any natural reproduction from walleye. Smelt love to eat walleye fry.   

I didn't know that, about the smelt. Tupper lake is up to its ears in smelt, and the walleye do great there.

[northernnyice]

In other news, I got my Jiffy Pro 4 Lite today! Filled it up with oil, screwed on an old half full tank of propane I had at the house, 4 pulls and she was off. Runs like a champ. I think this auger is gonna cut some serious ice.. My only complaint is that the throttle has a little bit of slack.

[Eaglecrg]

nnyice:  do you worry about the propane freezing up?  I've read lots of issues with that.  If you are keeping it in a shanty, then its okay.  I haven't bought a power auger and think the propane ones are the way to go but worry about the reports I have read about them freezing up.

[hickgtx600f4]

Congrats on the new auger!
I'm not real familiar with that auger, but is there any adjustment for the throttle at all?

[northernnyice]

nnyice:  do you worry about the propane freezing up?  I've read lots of issues with that.  If you are keeping it in a shanty, then its okay.  I haven't bought a power auger and think the propane ones are the way to go but worry about the reports I have read about them freezing up.

 ill have a propane bottle in the shack staying warm. I'm not worried about it freezing. I've read a few stories but I've read way more positive reviews. Plenty of guys way up north using these in the extreme cold without issue.

[northernnyice]

Congrats on the new auger!
I'm not real familiar with that auger, but is there any adjustment for the throttle at all?

I'm gonna look into it, today.

[perryt]

my buddy bought one last year and it is sweet .................we used all year on Oneida with 0 problems !!

[northernnyice]

In unrelated news, there will be a new place to get bait in the north country, this winter. Whites General Store (used to be Bruce Ames General Store), located right downtown across from the post office on Rt 56, will have bait.

[rball]

You ain't kidding. We have speculated that a lot. I honestly think walleyes would thrive in Chateaugay. Especially in the upper. From what I hear it used to be a great trout lake way back in the day, before pike arrived. Pike apparently weren't native there. Maybe that's true, maybe not. I don't know! But I do think walleyes would do great.

There are only two true natives to the Adirondacks, whitefish and brook trout. This is proven due to the fact they are the only two species that survived the last ice age. There has been some skepticism over perch. They recently found traces of perch in lake sediment that carbon dates back to before the ice age. 

[northernnyice]

There are only two true natives to the Adirondacks, whitefish and brook trout. This is proven due to the fact they are the only two species that survived the last ice age. There has been some skepticism over perch. They recently found traces of perch in lake sediment that carbon dates back to before the ice age.

You fishing yet in Saranac?

[northernnyice]

Got cold last night!!

[hickgtx600f4]

 

I like it!

[FISHFORPIKE]

Got cold last night!!

Colder tonight!    I'm drilling holes and fishing tomorrow. 

[reeleyz]

Colder tonight!    I'm drilling holes and fishing tomorrow. 

You lucky dog. Be safe!

[coachwarner]

Colder tonight!    I'm drilling holes and fishing tomorrow. 

Good luck Phil 

[northernnyice]

I'm fishing tomorrow, too! And Tuesday.

[northernnyice]

Colder tonight!    I'm drilling holes and fishing tomorrow. 

Friendly wager on the first northern?

[FISHFORPIKE]

Friendly wager on the first northern?

Ahh!  That would be an accident on my part.  Jigging in 7' of water for Crappies.    Would not be unheard of though.   Have not put a tipup in the water in over 4 years.  Someone, on here, showed me the "light"; and introduced me to a new way. 

[jshave73]

Looking forward  to getting back up north to fish this season.  I grew up in the burg but moved to cny.  Oneida is great but still hooked on black lake and the st. Lawrence.  Good luck and stay safe!!