Long lake

[Akhardwater]

All right I'm gonna do it.  Enough is enough and its time someone stands up on the issue.  This lake is being over fished and anyone that has fished it in years past knows what I'm talk in about.  I can remember when it was near impossible to get your bait to the bottom without a laker or nice char nailing it on the way down.  Now you have to work your butt off just to catch a fish over 15".  Long is one of my favorite lakes, I love it for its remoteness in essence and its chance of catching some really nice fish.  Bottom line is we need to get off the whole catch and keep philosophy and get on the whole manage your fishery philosophy.  Long has the potential to produce some real trophy fish, but the only way we are going to see those fish is through a little management.  Now I know I'm going to piss some people off with what I"m about to say but I don't care, it needs to be said.  I feel and think that if we restrict the lake to no bait single hook, no retention of lakers and burbot for the next five years that we might be able to salvage what the past two years has done to the lake.  After five years we should be allowed to keep two lakers under 20" and one burbot under 30".  If you catch a big laker take some measurements and pictures and get a plastic replica, it lasts longer and everyone knows big lakers taste like crap.  If you really want to catch keep a big fish do it in a lake system that can support the removal of a big fish.  Small lakes like long cannot afford to lose big spawners. I know that AFG is planning on restarting the laker stocking program once my brother ironworkers finish building the hatchery, but just because they stock a lake doesn't mean we should go in and catch and keep everything that swims.  This pertains to allot of lakes not just long. We are stewards of the land and it is up to us manage and preserve our wildlife.  Get off the whole subsistence kick and start realeasing the big fish that don't taste good anyways.  I know I'm really going to stir up the pot a little bit with this post but before you reply, if at all, ask yourself "do I really need to keep this fish or am I only going to eat a quarter of it and throw it away."  Just remember fisheries management is everyones job. 
   

[Drifter_016]

Right, and it's not like there aren't any salmon runs to get your fish eating fix from.

One of the lakes I fish in the NWT was netted commercially 20 or so years ago and it's still recovering.
Lakers grow as slow as molasses so I think you would need a longer period of no retension than 2 years.

[Dirtofak]

Long Lake is destined to become the next Big Lake or worse if the anglers are not letting at least some of the fish live. With ice fishing becoming more popular, the economy becoming tighter and its easy access, the lake will get over pressured. I was surprised to see all the shanties at Lake Louise last weekend. I have talked to most of them and they are catch and release folks.... at least for now. I am waiting to see the pile of carcasses from the Ukranians netting operation.

I need to check out some information that I was told by a guy last weekend. He said that the reason for the 24" minimum at Lake Louise was because the fish smaller than 24" are the most prolific spawners. It doesn't make total sense to me, but I have not checked it out. I did not seen any fish on the spawning grounds under 30-36 inches.

[akdube]

That correct Dirtofak we are catch and release guys. Of all the fish we catch we may keep 1 or 2 a year. And that is because they are bleeding. I find it hard to believe that the 24" are the spawners. That whole drainage needes to go to catch and realease for a few years and stop the netters. Then we'll see those giants of yester-year that only the old timers can remember. There are still some real nice fish to be had but for how long. What takes mother nature 30 years to make we can stop in 30 seconds by keeping that fish...My 2 cents

[Dirtofak]

I would believe that a personal limit of lakers would depend mainly on the fishing pressure and size of the fishery. I understand that there are many other variables. Keeping a laker out of the LL area is not near as detrimental to the stocks as a fragile fishery such as Long Lake. Many times the fish, lower pressure and they are very tight lipped!!!

I do like to see people enjoying the area. I do not like people netting lakers wholesale that have absolutely no ties to the area or cabins or real estate squatted on.

BTW - I started a hard side. Ak Dube - You will love it, unless I use it for an outhouse

[FrankAk]

I know where you are coming from... I dont fish long lake anymore, but when I did I kept a few lakers out of there.... Little small lakers, I think the biggest one was 27 inches or so. I only kept about 4 a year though. I really dont think it would be to terrible on the lake. Everything large I was able to pull through the ice went back home.

[bigmick!]

HI guys
 I would like to add my 2 cents worth in.  I don't think any of us really need to keep the fish we catch.
We're not starving. We fish for the sport or companionship of a friend or even a dog not the food, altho mighty tasty!!  I'am one of those tree hugger bug lovers.
But I do like to hunt and fish for sport an food.
Using a little restraint on retenion is everybodys job.  Thats what keeps the resourses avalable next year and the year after that.
 Big fish make big fish,(breeding). 
  To say I kept a fish because it was bleeding is a excuse. And excuses are like @@@holes  everybody has one and they
all stink!  He better be bleeding real bad!!!
 In closing I would like to say Fishing IS the number one sport in the world and it's up to us to protect it!
  THANK  YOU

[akdube]

To say I kept a fish because it was bleeding is a excuse. And excuses are like @@@holes  everybody has one and they
all stink!  He better be bleeding real bad!!!

We catch over 100 lakers a year and to keep 1-2 because they have a hook in there gills or rakers and are bleeding BEFORE they even come through the hole is not an excuse. What should a guy do let it loose knowing it will die just so we can keep fishing. That sounds real sportsman like right there.

[fishermanjake]

long lake is an intirely stocked lake, i hate to say it, but its not a lake intended for catch and release, its a lake intended to take pressure off of louise and the like... I know you like it, but we're not intitled to catch big fish there all the time, Its a roadside lake! I live 10 miles away, i could fish it practically every day, I'm not in the habit of keeping the fish either...but that is what the lake is intended for!  so with all due respect AKhardwater,  If you catch and release a nice laker congrats, but don't send that lake to the catch and release list just because your not catching nice ones there anymore.  BTW I've fished the lake for 4 years and never caught a fish over 23 inches.  Not many people take big fish out of that lake, if you figure out how and don't want people to keep fish out of the lake keep a tight lip about it.  Just sayin

[bigmick!]

  A lot of the time a fish is not bleeding as bad as you would think.  Cut your finger under water, an see how much you bleed.
  I'm not saying turn every fish loose! Tell your son or daughter to turn  their trophy loose an you got a fight on your hands.
That ain't happening!!!  But I have caught some fish with extordinary injuries  that have heelded. And still going after bait.

[PikeSticker]

Jake's point is valid. The only "natural" population of fish in the lake was suckers and burbot until ADFG begin stocking with various species since 1955.  Here is a exerpt from the ADFG database on Long Lake on the Glenn.

Long (Mile 86) Lake contains “natural” populations of longnose suckers and burbot (both of which were rumored to have been stocked by angler in the 1950s). Long Lake was first stocked by ADFG in 1955 with steelhead/rainbow trout (RT) fry/fingerlings. RT were stocked again 1956-1962. Arctic grayling (GR) were stocked in 1964, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1976-1977, 1981, and 1983-1985. RT were stocked in 1986 and GR in 1987. Lake trout (LT) and GR were stocked in 1988-1992. Stocking with grayling has been discontinued, lake trout have been replaced by Arctic char and catchable rainbow trout have been stocked since 1995. Long Lake is effectively landlocked from the Matanuska River; there is a small outlet creek that eventually disappears underground. Long Lake is scheduled for stocking 7,330 rainbow trout catchables for 2008, and 8,615 for 2009-2012; 2,000 catchable Arctic char in 2008, 2010, and 2012. Once the new hatchery is up and running F&G would like to continue the LT stocking program for Long Lake.

In all likelihood ADFG would not impose a CnR regulation on a stocker lake since that would be 180 degrees out from the intentions of stocking. A size limit might be imposed as an alternative but not likely either. There are a lot of meat eaters in Alaska and always will be. If stocked fisheries are not available then just as Jake mentions, the fishing pressure will focus more on wild fisheries.  Apparently Long isn't very good at providing a good reproduction environment and being landlocked makes it the perfect candidate for stocking.

[Dirtofak]

There was an article in ADN (I believe) that stated that ADF&G did not believe that the lakers were reproducing. It was near the time frame when the lady caught (and kept) the 20 pounder. It said that the lake was considered sterile. I would believe that at least a few are still reproducing. I wonder is anyone has checked the spawning beds for a sample of what is in there?

[jkw]

and where Mike, would a guy find these spawning beds you speak of? Ive fished Long Lake for 2 years now, and ive only really seen one "big" fish. it was in 25 fow with a ton of little stockers , i could see him on the fishcam, looked to be around 30" or so, definately a laker..Ive only caught 3 lakers out there and they were only 16" each. kept one and ate it, was pretty damned good. I may just look into makin a bear bait station somewheres around there this summer as Ive noticed a fair amount of black bear sign. In the little outlet creek ive noticed trout and just a few grayling. would rather spend time puttin around lake louise though

[Dirtofak]

Jake,
  I can guess where they would be on Long Lake. I have not seen the fish on beds there. Its not that big of a lake and they should not be too hard to find. Just when and where. Figure out the when and the where requires a boat. You have a week to find them.

Mike

[Drifter_016]

Jake,
  I can guess where they would be on Long Lake. I have not seen the fish on beds there. Its not that big of a lake and they should not be too hard to find. Just when and where. Figure out the when and the where requires a boat. You have a week to find them.

Mike

I would be looking for rocky shorelines and reefs in 4 to 12 feet of water in September and early October.   

[akdube]

drifter you just described the ENTIRE lake shore of long lake....

[jkw]

haha not entirely but very close.....the far end is weedy and marshy, with a big flat shelf extending about 25-30 yards out then drops gradually...the shelf averages 5-15 feet deep.

[Drifter_016]

haha not entirely but very close.....the far end is weedy and marshy, with a big flat shelf extending about 25-30 yards out then drops gradually...the shelf averages 5-15 feet deep.

Is the shelf covered with gravel and small rocks or is it a muck or sand bottom?
If it's rocks head there in September.

[jkw]

i believe mucky bottom with moderate weed growth...it is a very good place to watch moose in the mornings and evenings

[Drifter_016]

i believe mucky bottom with moderate weed growth...it is a very good place to watch moose in the mornings and evenings

If you have whitefish in the lake it would be a decent area, same if there's pike.
Lakers, not so much. 

[Dirtofak]

If you have whitefish in the lake it would be a decent area, same if there's pike.
Lakers, not so much. 

Dave.... shhh.... Part of the fun is finding what you are looking for. It is a small lake.... with a lot of pressure.....

Jake... be sure to talk with your neighbor. Name is Ron, drives the silver Dodge. Call him Susitna Spike. He just spent 5 days out at LL.
Mike

[jkw]

k im now confused....in anchorage or what? i dont really live anywhere at this time just kinda drift around depending on work until summer then ill probly just be livin outta my truck.....my parents live in the sand lake area (im around there often) so must be somewhere over there.

[Dirtofak]

k im now confused....in anchorage or what? i dont really live anywhere at this time just kinda drift around depending on work until summer then ill probly just be livin outta my truck.....my parents live in the sand lake area (im around there often) so must be somewhere over there.

Yes to the house in the Sand Lake area. The house just south with the 5th wheel in the driveway.

[jkw]

north lol figured out who your talkin about