ONEIDA LAKE DIEHARDS THREAD 2012

[KingPerch]

Really? Oneida Lake has pretty strict walleye regs.  Most of New York states walleye limit is a 5 fish limit where as Oneida Lake has a 3 fish limit of at least 15 inches. Used to be 18 inches until DEC figured out that most of the fish being kept were females of breeding age which hurt the population more than anything.  Seems that they have it figured out pretty good.  Not to mention that at least 500-1000 walleyes made it through winter this year with the bad ice conditions due to the mild winter we had.  I would say when you go out and catch 40-50 keeper eyes between a couple guys and you release all but six fish that is some serious catch and release and it also shows the walleye population can support the 3 fish limit. 

X2

[coachwarner]

I agree with you there hollywood ! the late 70's, early 80's were amazing. all you had to do is pull up to a weed edge, any weed edge, and hammer away !!! especailly perch.

i've been fishing for walleyes in the weeds, and there not as fat as they should be. I've caught some real monsters this year, but most of them are thin.   later...

X2  Those were some good years. My neighbor brought over a 21" walleye( his first i think) ask if i would show him how to filet it, 1 minute later he is holding two nice filets. We had just got done having a walleye fish fry for dinner, so i sent some fried filets home with him. I think he has got walleye fever now
He caught it in 4 FOW in the middle of the day, its belly was empty also. I think those walleyes are starving too death!  Go get em boys!!

[FISH ON]

hey guys a good friend is up from south carolina he wants me to take him fishing any suggestions should i start in 40 fow out of cleveland or shak shols not sure i would like to put him on fish i usually jig fish thanks

We caught most of ours in the weeds in 14ft to 16ft of water. Try that, if that doesn't do the trick go deep. I was dragging my jig on bottom in the weeds with a slow lift our twitch, and my buddy was jigging normal and i out fished him 3-1. Not saying it works for everyone but we did boat 23 eye's yesterday.

[Deadeyez]

I agree with you guys that the 70's and 80's were insane on this lake.  Think the walleye limits were different though    Wasnt the limit 8 or ten in late 60's and early 70's?  Remember my neighbors coming in from fishing with whole boat load of perch and bunch of eyes in the early 80's.  As far as keeping a limit goes, I only keep what my family will eat or to give some filets to an old timer who cant get out on the water anymore. We also have big fish frys with friends and fam and even turn on some people who have never tried walleye and now they are addicted.  I have had countless nights where I have caught over 10 fish and threw every one back in because I had plenty in the freezer.

[Deadeyez]

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!    LAND OF THE FREE.......HOME OF THE BRAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ecolt14527]

The 70' & 80's !! Cornell stated that is when the population was near a million. About twice what it is today. Oneida still has a great population !! Who remember's when you could have 15 tip-ups on Oneida and not be in attendance ? Also, it was the only water that had a boat limit in NYS. The daily limit was 10, can't remember what the boat limit was, must be getting old !! Keuka Lake experienced a crash in bait fish back in the 70's and it did impact the lake trout. Anything you trolled by them was eaten. A 6 to 8 year old trout would barely be legal. The state netted alewives and restocked the lake, that did the trick. Back to Oneida, if the perch population comes back or the perch produce a super year class then it's back to normal for the eye's !!  Retired ECO

[Deadeyez]

Thanks ecolt.  I thought the limit was around 10 back then.  Never knew about the boat limit though.  Intresting stuff though for sure

[fishhooksul]

got out for a short time this morning. lost 1 walleye at the boat. man !!!!!!!!!!! there's alot of real idiot's out there today. A guy in a 18ft. lund didn't miss me by 5ft . he was at a full cruise. I asked him what his *%^#* problem was. he spun his boat around, and came right up to the side of my boat !!! I asked him if it was the first time he had drivin a boat! after a short yelling contest, I asked him if he would like to board my vessle. go figure he wouldn't I told him to have a nice safe day, and to get away from me before I board your vessle !!! he left dirrectly !! hopefully he learned a lesson. I have to say, it felt pretty good to get some agression out. tight lines, and happy 4th !!!   later...

[fishhooksul]

Thanks ecolt.  I thought the limit was around 10 back then.  Never knew about the boat limit though.  Intresting stuff though for sure

the limit was 10 back then.   sully...

[SNAGGER]

biologist from cornell said perch fry population is way down which makes alot of sense to me. the eyes im getting are all thin and empty and extremely hungry! nothing in their bellies and theyre swallowing the bait whole

  Even if the perch fry are way down, they don't really get to a size big enough for the eyes to eat until around now, early July...so that doesn't explain why they been so active and readily available in May and June.

[SNAGGER]

  And if the eyes are starving to death, say from bad emerald shiner year classes or baby white perch, the best thing to do is cull them. A unhealthy fish can develop diseases and spread it through the population. Ask Cornell about that, they have studied kidney problems with kings that were starving to death in Michigan and botulism with other species from stress.

[Huntny30]

They were hungry again this morning...We were all by ourselves between 38-42 FOW...took my friend Ron and his 13 year old son Little Ron and neither had ever caught an Eye...I caught three off the bat and kinda felt bad, I changed up their spinners and they finally got into the action...we managed 17 total...10 legal sized, kept our 9...the boy ended up out fishing us and caught the biggest one of the year...it was a nice fat 3.8 pound 22"er...he was excited that sucker took drag on him three or four times...I thought maybe he had a Smallie or Sheepie...his smile was priceless...also caught 4 that were 6-8"s, they were healthy looking little fish, first time I caught them that small as well...everyone enjoy your 4th!

[SNAGGER]

  Nice size ones Hunt!!!!  I know that spot, if you look hard I think i see Rick's.  Me and deadeyes call that "Homie Hump"  

[Huntny30]

They were either real nice or REAL tiny...I guess it is good to have a good population of younger fish too...a couple were real small maybe not even 6"s..."HOMIE HUMP"...ha ha I like that maybe I'll change the name in my GPS to that..LOL...there were ZERO boats near us and one boat moved in about 500 yards or more right before we picked up...thats how I like it most of the time...

[Deadeyez]

  And if the eyes are starving to death, say from bad emerald shiner year classes or baby white perch, the best thing to do is cull them. A unhealthy fish can develop diseases and spread it through the population. Ask Cornell about that, they have studied kidney problems with kings that were starving to death in Michigan and botulism with other species from stress.

Think fishreaper is a cornell guy.  Not sure why he would post that about catch and release???  Your right on about the disease thing.