Iroquois National Wildlife Reffuge

[gregod]

Anybody been there? I hear there are some big pike cruising around in there. What's your opinion?

[bufficeman]

I live close by the refuge and used to fish there often, still give it a shot once in a while. Was there on Tuesday from sunrise to sunset with two friends, 15 tip ups out at varying depths, different baits from perch shiners to 10" suckers and the result was 2 flags,16" Largemouth and 12" Pike. Probably jigged 30 different holes, 2-4" Perch. didn't see anything on the camera with 15' of visibility either. It just isnt the same there anymore..up until a few years ago you'd be chasing flags all day, no big fish but fun nonetheless. Past couple years though a few large groups of "scumbags" have been taking fish out of there like crazy. Its all small place and and it really shows that people treat it like a fish market to feed their families. Its sad because what was a decent fishery in a beautiful place is now just a beautiful place. They should implement catch-and-release only regs there in my opinion. FYI, the haul down is a beotch if there's snow.
CATCH AND RELEASE PEOPLE

[TCFIREBOUNCER]

BUFF were you on ringneck at all yet ?

[PauliePiker]

fished it once last year,superbowl sunday,got a few largemouth bass,and 1 pike.nice place,I agree,but the fishing was not as nice as the scenery.My friend told me that some Amish folks where there and did very well with the pike,I really don't think it could be fished out,but what do I know??My gut told me that I did poorly because I have not put the time into the body of water to figure it out,and fish it on the "hot" times.just me and my opinion,and we all know what they say about opinions.

[bufficeman]

thats the only place you can ice fish there. and yes, if we're gonna say it, i speak of the Amish & the Russians especially. they gaff every fish, even 12" ers.

[slabspanker]

if you see it and witness ANYbody taking and killing illegal fish call the DEC!!! stop them

[sacandagakid]

Don't know about there, but the homish have cleaned 3 of my favorite small trout lakes out..Nothing like walking down the trail only to step in a pile of horse crap..D.E.C needs to follow them around and give them tickets like everyone else...Has anyone ever seen a homish guy get a ticket???

[nysteamfoiles]

are there any crappie in that body of water? how deep is it? Can you access it off of Sour Springs RD in the winter? I duck hunt out there and never thought of fishing it. Any info would be nice. Thank you in advanced.

[TCFIREBOUNCER]

we hammered the pike there this spring , all catch and release , THE RUuSKIS and the big culprets of cleaning fishing holes out ..... seen it at burt , and i called the dec after the guys took two limits up the hill and they were written tickets and had there stuff taken away , yes there is crappies in there too not many but they are there

[PauliePiker]

if you see it and witness ANYbody taking and killing illegal fish call the DEC!!! stop them

I carry the numbers of the local conservation officers with me,and have called in the past,and unfortunately will probably have to call in the future I am sad to say.

[BIG WILLIE]

I carry the numbers of the local conservation officers with me,and have called in the past,and unfortunately will probably have to call in the future I am sad to say.

been fishing their for three straight days with fatheads and jigging spikes and gulp maggots which seem to work the best caught one nice crappie in three days. i see the same thing a Russian every day cleaning the place out keeping everthing that comes up the hole. the perch and sunfish are super small, oneday you will catch 30 and the next day 2. i release everthing.

[PauliePiker]

You DA MAN BIG WILLIE!!,these is a difference between a sportsman and a piece of crap,a piece of crap keeps everything that they put on the ice!I mess with this Russian trash that fishes by me all the time by throwing fish back,he almost had a heart attack when I threw back a big carp!I even have told him to his face that he is trash,and what he is doing is wrong,but he is to ignorant to understand what I was telling him.I wish that ignorance was painful,because guys like that would be on the ground screaming in pain!

[pikemaster0607]

looking to do some pike fishing wends just wondering how the ice is on ringneck

[BIG WILLIE]

looking to do some pike fishing wends just wondering how the ice is on ringneck

4 t0 6" but found some junk ice out past the island toward the overflow.

[pikemaster0607]

Ussally takes awhile around the over flow..just dunno if i wanna waste my time. anyone try over off the seasonal road. fished off of there a few years back and killed them. went a year later same spot and it was chocked with weeds

[BIG WILLIE]

Usually takes awhile around the over flow..just dunno if i wanna waste my time. anyone try over off the seasonal road. fished off of there a few years back and killed them. went a year later same spot and it was chocked with weeds

i fished their two days ago seen some huge pike down my hole i was jigging for panfish the fish would come in but nothing was biting that day. the place is hot one day cold the next just like anyplace else. that side is 6' weeds are thin or laying on the bottom.

[pikemaster0607]

your talking on ringneck by the island right?

[devo]

I seen some huge pike slide out of my hole

Sounds like you were at picklepointpark area

[BIG WILLIE]

your talking on ringneck by the island right?

the small pond on the other side of the road. good for site fishing see alot of small perch, sunfish, crappies and big pike down my hole. some days they just don't bite.

[TCFIREBOUNCER]

PIKE , on the seasonal road we slayed the pike and bass there in the spring all day long , same with the gills  and small perch

[snowking]

any one been on ringneck last week or so was there a about 10 days ago and went home empty handed but its close to home so was wondering if it has changed or was a waste of time

[taz4795]

There are some jumbo perch in there. By the seasonal road on the large side there is a pipe that connects both ponds. We caught some 40" pike there in the spring. its my first post sorry guys

[bufficeman]

not much has changed at the swamps im afraid. Flags are very few and far between for pike in mid 20s.cant even mark or see on camera a dink perch let alone a jumbo. they're definitely in there somewhere but its a dangerous place to explore. I too fish it because its close but its not even worth the cost of the bait anymore as far as im concerned

[TheManInBlack]

My Dad fished there last week and was skunked.  He ran into one of the Russian guys, fishing by himself, with at least 8 tip-ups set up.

[bufficeman]

yup same guy always there in the silver mercury milan. called dec on him last week and got him busted with 11 lines in the water. im sure he had more than the 8 you saw. the rest were handlines and sticks with line wrapped around them covered with snow. saw him there again today, must be stocking up the freezer with under-sized pike to help offset the cost of the hefty tickets he received. scumbag!!

[Irish Jigger]

The only thing you can do is call the DEC every time you see him. I'm not sure if this is the same guy or not but last season I spoke to a ECO about a guy who was running steelhead to his vehicle and was told the same guy was caught with an army duffel bag full of illegally trapped rabbits from out that way, I don't remember if they were from iroquois or Alabama Swamp area. Why these people still have a license astounds me. Wether you see all his lines or not call. They will more than likely observe him before they approach him so if he has hidden lines they'll catch him checking them.

[kodiak120]

I live close by the refuge and used to fish there often, still give it a shot once in a while. Was there on Tuesday from sunrise to sunset with two friends, 15 tip ups out at varying depths, different baits from perch shiners to 10" suckers and the result was 2 flags,16" Largemouth and 12" Pike. Probably jigged 30 different holes, 2-4" Perch. didn't see anything on the camera with 15' of visibility either. It just isnt the same there anymore..up until a few years ago you'd be chasing flags all day, no big fish but fun nonetheless. Past couple years though a few large groups of "scumbags" have been taking fish out of there like crazy. Its all small place and and it really shows that people treat it like a fish market to feed their families. Its sad because what was a decent fishery in a beautiful place is now just a beautiful place. They should implement catch-and-release only regs there in my opinion. FYI, the haul down is a beotch if there's snow.
CATCH AND RELEASE PEOPLE

  I Cant believe you consider people who fish to feed there families "Scumbags"..  Do you feel the same about a hunter who hunts to put meat in the freezer to save money on meat throughout the winter... I wish my family would eat fish or vension (being the only male in my house and the only one who will eat wild game.)  It would be a huge money saver to be able to catch a meal  once or twice a week...  if a few groups of people are the reason the lake sucks now what about long ago when The man of the house hunted and fished  just to feed thier families where they also scumbags....

[BIG WILLIE]

  I Cant believe you consider people who fish to feed there families "Scumbags"..  Do you feel the same about a hunter who hunts to put meat in the freezer to save money on meat throughout the winter... I wish my family would eat fish or vension (being the only male in my house and the only one who will eat wild game.)  It would be a huge money saver to be able to catch a meal  once or twice a week...  if a few groups of people are the reason the lake sucks now what about long ago when The man of the house hunted and fished  just to feed thier families where they also scumbags....

i live 3 miles from ring neck marsh i agree, rules are in place for a reason, they should be followed. i don't believe they could affect the fish population however. the pond is connected to the oakorchard creek by a creek and flooded swamp on the small pond side of thee road. the were some young kids that pulled the boards out off the spill way about 10 years ago and drained the place. the fishing recovered without stocking. i was out their last week and them ignorant Russians had a fire going on the island. this is a federal wildlife refuge for waterfowl taking away fishing privileges would not bother the refuge one bit. get rid of the Russians before no one can fish their.

[PerchPirate]

  I Cant believe you consider people who fish to feed there families "Scumbags"..  Do you feel the same about a hunter who hunts to put meat in the freezer to save money on meat throughout the winter... I wish my family would eat fish or vension (being the only male in my house and the only one who will eat wild game.)  It would be a huge money saver to be able to catch a meal  once or twice a week...  if a few groups of people are the reason the lake sucks now what about long ago when The man of the house hunted and fished  just to feed thier families where they also scumbags....

Kodiak,
These guys are truly scumbags. Total disregard for the laws and don't care either way if there are fish to catch next year or not. They probably are feeding their families, but you know what I really don't give a crap if they are starving to death. Go get a job! I have to work and I still have to feed my family and follow the LAWS! I can't stand these types of people that claim that they need to feed their family so they poach or over harvest fish. Get off your lazy azz and get to work!
Not directed at you Kodiak as I don't know you, just got all riled up over these scumbags!
Later,
PP
PS- don't even get me going about the Amish!

[oldman50]

I agree with perchpirate. Those Russians are a pain in the well you know. I heard that they allready busted them for tip ups that they left out all night. They tied them to tree limbs. And hey kodiak, you can feed your family and not break the law. These russians have been a problem for a long time. They get busted and go right back out and do it again. They are wasteful and they are indeed scumbags.