Adirondack/Lake Champlain Fishing and Hunting Hotline

Welcome to the NYS DEC Region 5 Fishing and Hunting Hotline. This is the November 12th edition. Region 5 covers northeastern New York State including much of the Adirondack Region and Lake Champlain.

NOTE: Due to staffing and other resource issues, DEC Region 5 Fisheries unit will no longer provide weekly reports on fishing activity. We will continue to provide and update general information on fishing seasons, water conditions and other important information. There are numerous web sites that provide regular reports on fishing activity. Use the terms "fishing forum" or "fishing information" with the name of waterbody in any internet search engine to locate web sites with fishing activity information.

Wildlife

Sporting Licenses

Hunters, anglers, and trappers are reminded that earlier this year the New York State Legislature approved a license fee increase package. The new fees are in effect for purchase of all 2009-10 licenses.

License buyers should have the following items ready when applying: complete name and address information, customer ID number, proof of residency information (driver's license number or non-driver's ID number to qualify for a resident license), and, if purchasing by phone or Internet, credit card and card expiration date. Hunting license purchases require individuals to provide proof of hunting education certification or a copy of a previous license, or this information must already be contained in their DECALS file.

Hunters and trappers are reminded that some WMU boundaries have changed. It is very important that hunters and trappers review the new WMU boundaries to apply for a DMP in the correct unit. The boundary changes also affect some season dates, bag limits, and open areas for big and small game, turkey, waterfowl, and furbearers.

See Sporting Licenses for further information on licenses.

Notes of Interest

New PFD Law: Waterfowl hunters and others should be aware that New York State Law now requires that everyone aboard kayaks, canoes or any other boats under 21 feet in length must wear Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) from November 1st through May 1st.

Pheasant Stocking: A total of 2500 pheasants have been distributed among stocking locations in six counties. Listed below are pheasant stocking locations by county.

Clinton County

North of Brand Hollow Road, west of Rt. 22B in the Town of Schuyler Falls
Lake Alice Wildlife Management Area in the Town of Chazy
NOTE: Monty Bay Wildlife Management Area will not be stocked due to better pheasant habitat at Lake Alice.

Essex County

Near the junction of Lake Shore Road & Clark Road on state land in the Town of Westport

Franklin County

North of Rt. 11 between Brockway Road & Garvin Road in the Town of Bangor
Howard Road (also known as the Griffin Road) in the Town of Fort Covington

Fulton County

Rt. 140 west of the Village of Ephratah in the Town of Ephratah
Rt. 67 Ephratah Rod and Gun Club in the Town of Ephratah

Saratoga County

Daketown State Forest in the Town of Greenfield

Washington County

Carter's Pond Wildlife Management Area in the Town of Greenwich
Eldridge Lane in the Town of Hartford
South of the Village of Whitehall between County Rt. 12 and the barge canal and along Greenmount Road in the Town of Whitehall
Eldridge Swamp State Forest in the Town of Jackson - note this site is often wet, knee boots are recommended.

Storage of Personal Belongings on State Land: Please be aware that the State Land Use Regulation was revised, effective May 2009, to prohibit the placing structures or personal property on state land without authorization from DEC. Boats, camps, etc. should be removed from state lands or they will be removed by Environmental Conservation Officers or Forest Rangers. Exceptions include to the prohibition include:

a geocache that is labeled with the owner's name and address and installed in a manner that does not disturb the natural conditions of the site or injure a tree;
a camping structure or equipment that is placed and used legally pursuant to this Part;
a legally placed trap or appurtenance that is placed and used during trapping season;
a tree stand or hunting blind that does not injure a tree, is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number, and is placed and used during big game season, migratory game bird season, or turkey season; or
a wildlife viewing blind or stand that is placed for a duration not to exceed thirty (30) days in one location per calendar year, does not injure a tree, and is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number.

Attention Adirondack Big Game Hunters: The Raquette River Boat Launch (aka "The Crusher") along State Route 3 is closed until sometime next spring. DEC is rehabilitating the boat launch, work will take place this fall and then finish up next spring. See the press release for more information. The boat launch will be closed for use throughout the Northern Zone Big Game Season. Hunters who plan to hunt lands around the river should seek alternate river access points such as Axton Landing on the Corey's Road.

Big Game

Bear

Adirondack Regular season is open now and closes December 6

Deer

Northern Zone Regular season is open now and closes December 6
Southern Zone Bow Hunting season is open now and closes November 20
Southern Zone Regular season opens November 21 and closes December 13
Southern Zone Bow Hunting season reopens December 14 and closes December 22

See the Big Game web page for more information on seasons and regulations.

Small Game

Turkey season is now open in Region 5 WMUs 5R, 5S, 5T and 6R and will close on November 20
Ruffed Grouse and Pheasant seasons are open
Crow season is open
Gray, Black, and Fox Squirrel seasons are open
Cottontail Rabbit season is open
Varying Hare season is open in all Region 5 WMUs except 5R, 5S, 5T and 6R, where it will open on December 14
Coyote season is open
Bobcat season is open
Weasel, Possum, Raccoon and Fox seasons are open

See the Small Game web page for more information on seasons and regulations.

Waterfowl

Snow Goose
- Season is open in the Lake Champlain, Northeastern and Southeastern Zones
Brant
- Season is open in the Lake Champlain, Northeastern and Southeastern Zones
- The season closes November 21 in the Northeastern Zone
- The season closes November 28 in the Lake Champlain and Southeastern Zones
Ducks, Coots and Mergansers
- Northeastern Zone is open until December 12
- Lake Champlain Zone is open until December 18
- Southeastern Zone is closed and reopens November 7
Canada Goose
- East Central and Hudson Valley Zones are open until November 20
- Lake Champlain Zone is open until December 3
- Northeastern Zone is open until December 7

See the Waterfowl web page for more information on seasons and regulations.

Furbearers

Raccoon, Red Fox, Gray Fox, Skunk, Coyote, Opossum and Weasel trapping seasons are open until December 10 in all Region 5 WMUs, except 5R, 5S, 5T and 6R, where they will be open until February 15
Fisher and Marten trapping seasons are open until December 10
Mink and Muskrat trapping seasons are open in all Region 5 WMUs except 5R, 5S, 5T and 6R, where they will open November 10
Bobcat trapping season is open until December 10 in all Region 5 WMUs, except 5S, and 5T where it will be open until February 15
Beaver trapping season opens November 1 in all Region 5 WMUs except 5R, 5S, 5T and 6R, where it will open November 10
Otter trapping season opens November 1 in all Region 5 WMUs except 5S and 5T, where it will open November 10

Hunting and Trapping Regulation

Check the New York Hunting & Trapping 2009-10 Official Guide for more information on laws, regulations and seasons.

Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator Exams

Individuals interested in becoming a nuisance wildlife control operator must pass an exam before becoming licensed. Applications and study material are available by contacting the Special Licenses Unit at (518) 402-8985. Exams are set up by appointment in Region 5 and can be made by contacting the Region 5 Wildlife Office at (518) 623-1240.

Fish

Fishing Licenses

2009-2010 fishing licenses are on sale. Anglers are reminded that earlier this year the New York State Legislature approved a license fee increase package. The new fees will be in effect for purchase of all 2009-10 licenses.

License buyers should have the following items ready when applying: complete name and address information, customer ID number, proof of residency information (driver's license number or non-driver's ID number to qualify for a resident license), and, if purchasing by phone or Internet, credit card and card expiration date.

See Sporting Licenses for further information on licenses.

Recreational Marine Fishing License

Beginning October 1, a Recreational Marine Fishing License is required to fish the Hudson River below the Troy Dam and the other marine waters of New York State. Licenses may be purchased at any sporting license agent.

See Recreational Marine Fishing License for further information on this requirement.

Fishing Regulations

DEC has proposed changes to the current freshwater fishing regulations to better enhance fishing opportunities and protect the State's freshwater fisheries resources. The press release announcing the changes and the full text of the proposed regulations are available.

NOTE: While the wording may be confusing the proposed regulations still prohibit the use of alewife and blueback herring in Lake Champlain unless, in accordance with the statewide bait regulations, they are collected from Lake Champlain itself. Alewife and blueback herring are still prohibited to use as bait in other waters.

Comments on the proposals being submitted by e-mail or mail to Shaun Keeler, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Fisheries, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753. DEC will be accepting public comments on the proposals until November 2, 2009.

Final regulations, following full review of public comments will go into effect October 1, 2010.

Prior to heading out, anglers should be sure to check the 2008-2009 Freshwater Fishing Regulations for the water they plan on fishing. Numerous exceptions to the statewide regulations exist in each DEC region. Changes to the previous year's regulations are highlighted in blue throughout the guide.

Invasive Aquatic Species

Spiny water flea is present in Great Sacandaga Lake in Fulton County. The aquatic nuisance algae didymo (aka rock snot) is present in the Batten Kill in Washington County. Alewives and water chestnut are present in Lake Champlain. Eurasian Milfoil is present in Lake George in Warren County and many other waters throughout the region. What do they all have in common? They are invasive aquatic species. These, and other invasive aquatic species, can have significant impacts on the ecosystem of waters, the fish communities, and human recreation.

The other thing that all aquatic invasive species have in common is that people are most common cause of their spread and people can prevent their spread. The spread of all invasive aquatic species can be prevented by following these steps:

INSPECT your fishing and boating equipment and remove all mud, plants and other organisms that might be clinging to it.

DRY your fishing and boating equipment before using it on another body of water.

DISINFECT your fishing and boating equipment if it cannot be dried before its use in another body of water.

More information can be found on the web pages

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS)

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus is a serious pathogen of fresh and saltwater fish that is causing an emerging disease in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. It does not pose any threat to human health. VHS can cause hemorrhaging of fish tissue, including internal organs, and can cause the death of infected fish. Once a fish is infected with VHS, there is no known cure. Not all infected fish develop the disease, but they can carry and spread the disease to other fish. VHS has been blamed for fish kills in Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair (MI), Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and Conesus Lake (Western NY). The World Organization of Animal Health has categorized VHS as a transmissible disease with the potential for profound socio-economic consequences.

More information on VHS can be found at

Health Advisories on Fish

The NYSDOH issues advisories on eating sportfish and game because some of these foods contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health. See the DEC web page on Fish Health Advisories for more information and links to the Department of Health information.

Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control

In 2009, the Department and assisted the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete the first sea lamprey control treatment on the Missisquoi River in Vermont. See the Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control web pages for more information.

Notes of Interest

New PFD Law: Anglers should be aware that New York State Law now requires that everyone aboard kayaks, canoes or all other boats under 21 feet in length must wear Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) from November 1st through May 1st.

Willsboro Fish Ladder on the Boquet River: The Fishway is no longer in trapping. Only one salmon was trapped in the fishway this season.

a geocache that is labeled with the owner's name and address and installed in a manner that does not disturb the natural conditions of the site or injure a tree;
a camping structure or equipment that is placed and used legally pursuant to this Part;
a legally placed trap or appurtenance that is placed and used during trapping season;
a tree stand or hunting blind that does not injure a tree, is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number, and is placed and used during big game season, migratory game bird season, or turkey season; or
a wildlife viewing blind or stand that is placed for a duration not to exceed thirty (30) days in one location per calendar year, does not injure a tree, and is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number.

Raquette River: The Raquette River Boat Launch (aka "The Crusher") along State Route 3 is closed until sometime next spring. DEC is rehabilitating the boat launch, work will take place this fall and then finish up next spring. See the press release for more information.

Lake Champlain: The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative today announced the availability of a final Strategic Plan for Lake Champlain Fisheries Strategic Plan. The plan includes guiding principles for ecosystem management, sustainability, natural reproduction of native species, and adaptive management. The plan also addresses key management challenges such as non-native and nuisance species, use of stocking, application of genetics, protection of habitats, use of science-based management, management accountability, fish diseases, and human dimensions of fisheries management. More information, including a link to plan, can be found on the Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control web pages.

Fishing Seasons

Trout

Statewide trout season (brook, brown, and rainbow, also lake trout, splake, and landlocked Atlantic salmon) is closed, however, there are many special regulations which apply to trout angling, including some waters with year round trout fishing seasons, be sure to check the Region 5 special regulations section of the fishing regulations guide.
New State Brook Trout record - 5 pound 4.5 ounce recently caught in Raquette Lake, Hamilton County.

Muskellunge

Muskellunge season is open until November 30th

Bass

Regular black bass season closes on November 30. Except for all waters in Franklin and Hamilton Counties, catch and release only fishing regulations for bass are effective December 1. Bass fishing in all waters in Franklin and Hamilton Counties is prohibited until the bass season reopens in June.

Walleye

Walleye season is open

Pike & Pickerel

Northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskie seasons are open

For detailed fishing information contact the local bait shops. Hunting guides, fishing guides and the reclaimed ponds list can be obtained by calling the office during regular business hours at (518) 623-1240 for the Warrensburg Office or (518) 897-1333 for the Ray Brook office.