Salmon collapse?

[C-Hawk]

I am not there yet with my topic header, but it's looking like it's heading into another lousy year for salmon fishing. I am encouraged to find a few fish where I haven't seen them for a while and occasionally the Sea puts up some numbers, but overall I think everyone can agree fishing sucks. Port Henry never really fired this spring, zilch from Town Farm and Whallons, what is going on? It is time for biologists to examine the issues, I say, and I will go out on limb here and name the director that I emailed with last year who said there is nothing wrong with the fishery, Chet McKenzie. He is well involved with the sturgeon program and may not be as sensitive to our issues as he should be. I say we need to figure out why over 200,000 salmon seem to dissapear. I would like some rational thoughts, not a bunch of numbers that Brian Chipman faithfully tabulates every year and even with downward trends, nothing changes. They say it's not cormorants. They say it's not over fishing. They say it's not a bait problem but they haven't done a baitfish seine in 3 years. Now the boat is in disrepair.
Maybe it's early yet and the Broad Lake will fire up this year, but I am not opptomistic. When a pro sport team has troubles they don't fire the whole team , just the manager. Maybe it's time for new blood in the area of cold water fisheries.

[Wallyandre (Andre)]

I'm with you. Don't know the reason and I think the biologists need to focus on that. I already told another forum memer about that topic. Being a Canadian I don't mind spending my $$ on the south side of the border but if the fishing is what it is right now I may consider going in another way: going back to walleye close to home. if I think doing something like that there is a large number of Canadians that may do the same thing and that represent a lot $$ less for the lake.
Maybe a close season could help: close from november 30th to april 15th or something like that? But not sure it's a real solution. There is something wrong for sure!!

[Reelax]

I am afraid we are now seeing the results of the missing year classes we have. The 20” salmon are now rare and it’s gonna be a long summer. It will be like the 90’s again fish salmon for 2hrs in morning trying to get 1-3 then switch to lakers cause the salmon bite is gone. Fished 6 hrs this weekend in a known salmon spring hot spot. Caught nothing but lake trout, never saw a salmon. This is the norm now.

IMHO it comerants, but I’m not a scientist. Lake goes in cycles and we look to be entering a downward trend.

[Thorny]

I am worried that our Salmon fishery is heading for collapse. The authorities have been attempting to manage cormorants for years. But now we have no control measures of any kind. If these birds are not managed it is my opinion we will not have a Salmon fishery in Lake Champlain. They are stocked at the age of 1yr at 6-10in. 2 year olds generally run 15-18 inches. There are very few of these fish being caught this year. We can't catch what the birds ate last year. Most of the fish being caught this year are 3,4, and 5 year olds. It is my opinion that the fish stocked this year have already been devoured by the out of control Cormorant population. 2 generations of salmon are now gone. These Salmon only live for approx 5 years. Next year we will only have 4 and 5 year olds left. Within 5 years the fishery will be wiped out! There are so many resources that are dedicated to restoring the Lake Champlain Salmon Fishery. It's a terrible shame to watch it all go down the drain because authorities refuse to manage the invasive out of control Cormorant population.

[Thorny]

That was my post from last year. I have been predicting this now for 3 years since the Federal Judge ruled to ban all control efforts. I have listened to all the procrastinators and disbelievers. But its pretty obvious now that all my predictions are becoming reality. I understand that there is very little the state can do about the federally protected Cormorants until the UFFW get their research and permits back in place. But I am yet to have a discussion with a member of VT F@W that will admit in conversation that the Cormorants are even having an effect on our Fishery. I believe that any fish stocked in the spring under current conditions on Champlain doesn’t have a chance with the predation they are up against. I know from talking with biologists that there are many big challenges with moving our salmon stocking program to a fall stock. But I believe if they moved the Brown Trout program to the fall and increased the numbers,it would be one of our best chances of maintaining a cold water fishery besides Lakers. At least until Cormorants are controlled again. Rather than discuss possible alternatives,VT F@W has chosen to wait until the fishery collapses before they admit we even have a problem. I am no biologist. I know that my opinions based on 30 plus years of experience and observation on Champlain are considered anticdotal. But it time that our dedicated staff at VT F@W accept the reality that predation is having on our salmon fishery and look for a path forward to restore our Collapsing Salmonoid Fishery! PLEASE!

[C-Hawk]

I believe that I am seeing less cormorants this year, but is that an indication that there are less salmon to feed ion?

[BottomDollar]

I believe that I am seeing less cormorants this year, but is that an indication that there are less salmon to feed ion?

Could just be our cold spring delayed the migration timing. I'm sure they'll be back as water temps rise.

[Reelax]

If this is true, then by next spring we will only have stockies to catch along with a very rare 4-5 year old or 2. Once the cormerants eat all the stockies by the end of summer we won’t have anything left.

Very sad, but also very evident from what we are catching. The salmon bite should be hottest right now it gets all season. Been skunked more times in silver in 2018 than I have ever been. It’s almost not worth the trip and it’s May!

[ThreeBuoys]

All this is depressing me.
May have to switch to Walleyes.
Fish at dusk and stay up all night.

[Captain Paul]

Everyone should be depressed but if want to get some thing done start ringing VT FISH & WILDLIFE AND us fish & wildlife phones off the hook

[dry net]

Just fished a four day stretch in two known salmon hot spots. Day 1- 7 for 12, day 2- 1 for 1 in 10 hours [yuck!}, day 3- 9 for 10 including our first big salmon[7 1/2] and a 5 lb brown, day 4 - 10 for 12. We had a hand full of really good days last spring as well then summer hit and things went to **** for us. We were hoping it was a lack of deep water fishing experience on our part. I do remember discussions about poor fishing last summer and what could be done about it, limiting the season ect... There seemed to be some push back to some of the ideas that members had, so what should we do ?

[TUnamas]

I've managed 2 salmon each on two short early outings (LIMITS(released), but nothing to brag about.) Catching is slower than in recent years. I was on the dock Sunday afternoon and 2 charter captain dock mates had gone 0-fer the day, but their customers seemed pleased that 2 fish were caught on Saturday. I went back and looked at the Forum posts from 2016 and everyone was noticing the lack of smolts. I think that has now carried forward and we are missing the 2 year age class. I fear we are also missing last year's too. The State should be concerned, whether it is recreational dollars or health of the lake, when some of its top charter captains are fishing smallmouths and pike this time of year.

[Hairbone]

I am not there yet with my topic header, but it's looking like it's heading into another lousy year for salmon fishing. I am encouraged to find a few fish where I haven't seen them for a while and occasionally the Sea puts up some numbers, but overall I think everyone can agree fishing sucks. Port Henry never really fired this spring, zilch from Town Farm and Whallons, what is going on? It is time for biologists to examine the issues, I say, and I will go out on limb here and name the director that I emailed with last year who said there is nothing wrong with the fishery, Chet McKenzie. He is well involved with the sturgeon program and may not be as sensitive to our issues as he should be. I say we need to figure out why over 200,000 salmon seem to dissapear. I would like some rational thoughts, not a bunch of numbers that Brian Chipman faithfully tabulates every year and even with downward trends, nothing changes. They say it's not cormorants. They say it's not over fishing. They say it's not a bait problem but they haven't done a baitfish seine in 3 years. Now the boat is in disrepair.
Maybe it's early yet and the Broad Lake will fire up this year, but I am not opptomistic. When a pro sport team has troubles they don't fire the whole team , just the manager. Maybe it's time for new blood in the area of cold water fisheries.

Will put you down for a spot on my team at the bar next spring so I can show you a salmon.

[C-Hawk]

The difference in the quality of fishing from now to 5 years ago can be summed up by reading Drynets post. Fish were so plentiful most of the regulars on here would not have used the term "known hot spot". They would have been way more specific, like, Diamond Island, Sloop, Sandbar, Providence, etc. They could do it and there was still enough fish to go around. Now a hot spot would be blown out in a day. Like walleye.

[C-Hawk]

Count me in Harry