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A PUBLICATION OF THE PORT BAY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION - JUNE 2006
PORT BAY LOOKING BACK
Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon
By Christopher Kenyon
The 14 foot aluminum boat rocked in the
three foot swells of Lake Ontario. The
anglers faced each other as they jigged
their poles for anything that would bite.
One used a worm rig, one jigged a spoon,
an old hefty Kastmester.
The jigging guy had a strike like no other
he had experienced. The line spooled out
and he fought back. What could hit with
such ferocity in forty feet of water?
Certainly not a smallmouth!
Photo of Michael Graves
Courtesy of
CHRISTOPHER KENYON
The fish from the depths finally gave up,
and the delighted teenagers netted a lake
trout. Never seeing such a trophy, they
came in Port Bay with wide grins and
much bravado. They took the fish to everyone they knew. A trophy indeed, and a
rare catch for 1966, when Lake Ontario
only offered smallmouth bass and perch for
the angling sportsman.
Today, Lake Ontario has become a fishing
Mecca of the world. The sportfishery
industry, and that is exactly what it is,
brings millions of dollars, which is shared
by businesses along the entire lake shoreline. A 2001 New York Sea Grant survey
estimated the dollar amount at $792
million with 7,500 jobs being created in
upstate New York.
(CONTINUED PAGE 5 – COLUMN 1)
A WEED BY ANY
OTHER NAME
Brace yourself – the water is low and clear.
Though the temperatures this Spring have
been lower than normal and the water is cold,
the sun is hot, and weeds are growing and
have already surfaced in many areas.
Grant money has been received through
Congressman Walsh, for the development of
the Wayne County Lakeshore Embayment
Resource Preservation & Watershed Enhancement Plan. Now that’s a mouthful. In
simple terms it is a long-term plan to improve
existing water quality and recreational use.
All of the objectives of this effort are significant. However, those with which we can
more readily identify are –
• Identifying and assessing sources and
amounts of pollutants entering the bay;
and using the information to evaluate various restoration and management options.
The Wayne County Water Quality Coordinating Committee which will be working with
other agencies in this program, had already
established test plots in both Sodus Bay and
Port Bay, to test Aluminum Sulfate, Alum
and Lime applications. The testing was to
have commenced in Sodus Bay but was
delayed by the DEC over concern for an
endangered species, the Pug-nosed Shiner, a
(continued Page 4 – column 1)
Or do it yourself, with a complete
rental unit, all the tools you need
e-mail:
[email protected]
For info call (315) 594-1679
Nov-Apr (727) 864-9162
HLR Remodeling
• Study and evaluate in actual test plots, the
use of Aluminum Sulfate to reduce aquatic
weed/algae growth.
Affordable Cottage
Renovations & Repairs
• Study and evaluate in actual test plots, the
use of Lime and/or selective sediment
removal to reduce aquatic weed/algae
growth.
(585) 377-0576
Decks – Boathouses – Sheds
Free Estimates - References
Thanks to Mike Wicker and the wonderful support from Cohber Press
in the form of paper and printing,
we have another issue of VIEWS.
We appreciate our business
associates who support the
Association throughout the
year. They in turn appreciate your patronage.
We also appreciate those who advertise, offsetting the
cost of postage. For ad space call David - 594-9693
PAGE 2
TIME TO CELEBRATE
I don’t know about you, but
there is something about the
sight of “Old Glory” waving
in a gentle breeze, that draws
from some deep reservoir of
emotion in me, a feeling I find
difficult to describe. It’s more
than pride, it’s something in the beauty and
dignity of our flag that brings tears to my
eyes – unlike any other national flag.
Even as I write, we will be celebrating
Memorial Day, or “Decoration Day” as it was
originally known – a day when the graves of
those giving their lives in defense of “the
liberty for which it stands”, were decorated
with a flag, in grateful memory.
What is it about freedom that causes men and
women to put their lives on the line in
defense of it? Until one sees or experiences
life without it, it might appear foolish and
misdirected ambition. The war in which our
country is currently engaged is that endless
struggle to preserve something so intangible
yet so precious we are not willing to give it
up. As we approach our annual celebration of
this nation’s liberty, we can rejoice with the
people of Iraq as they see their flag wave over
a new nation birthed in freedom – a fledgling
democracy we hope and pray will stand.
315 594-1675
NEW HOMES
ADDITIONS
GARAGE PACKAGES
SIDING
KITCHENS
BATHROOMS
DECKS
WINDOWS & DOORS
SEPTIC SYSTEM INSTALLATION
TRADITIONAL and AEROBIC
RJ Roberts
8179 E. Port Bay Road
Wolcott, NY 14590
Aerobic Waste Treatment System
AUTHORIZED SALES & SERVICE
That sounds like a great nation to me. Have a
happy fourth of July and remember:
MONDAY, July 3rd - the annual fireworks
display and the “Wall of fire”. The rain date,
if necessary will be Friday, July 7th.
TUESDAY, July 4th – don’t miss the annual
Boat Parade. The theme for the boat parade
is “Nursery Rhymes”. To register your entry,
call Linda Semmler at 315 594-8369. You
will meet at the Anchorage Marina at 11:30 –
depart sharply at noon and follow the leader.
Bill Dixon – Broker/Owner
Brenda Dixon – Sales Agent
Multi-million Dollar Producing Sales Team
Office 315 589-HOME (4663)
PO Box 935
Home Office 315 589-8073
4085 Main Street
Williamson, NY 14589
Fax 315 589-4664
[email protected]
In our celebration let us with grateful hearts
applaud and salute our men and women in
uniform, for their dedication, resolve, and
tremendous sacrifice, to preserve freedom for
us both now and in years past. It is that very
freedom that ensures the right to voice dissent
without reprisal. Clearly, we are not a perfect
nation anymore than we are a perfect people.
We have not always held the high moral
ground. We are a country fraught with problems of our own, and yet we give, that others
may have food to eat and live in peace.
PAGE 3
7794 East Port Bay Road
at beautiful Port Bay on Lake Ontario
315 594-1385
A Weed By any other
Name – continued
small silver fish found in the bay. It was
thought until recently that testing of those
chemical applications would commence as
planned in Port Bay, but that too has been
stopped by the DEC.
The WQCC will proceed testing other methods for weed control: Benthic Barriers, a gas
permeable sheet that is placed on the bottom
of the bay, hand harvesting which is just
what it implies – pulling weeds by hand,
diver assisted hand harvesting – a professional outfit that pulls, bags and disposes of
weeds in shallow or deep water, and a weed
sweep – in simple terms a “weed thrasher” a
device that floats with arms with adjustable
appendages that sweep and pulverize the
weeds into pieces small enough that they do
not propagate.
We applaud the WQCC for its pro-active approach to the problem despite the set-backs.
PAGE 4
We recognize that the delicate balance of ecosystems must be considered when attempting
to alter the natural course of things. Collecting data, careful study, evaluation and proper
planning are all necessary but they are of little
value if the money is spent on layers of
bureaucracy, process and planning, endless
committee meetings, but nothing is done. A
flurry of activity, but no action. History will
attest to that too often being the case.
The money is there – it’s your tax dollars.
Repeating the comment I recently heard from
someone who is involved “let us hope it is
spent wisely”.
LWRP
The Town of Wolcott is in the process of
applying for grant funds from the Department
of State under the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP). This too is an initiative to address waterfront issues that may be
developmental or protection of the natural
resource.
Our Association has been asked to endorse
this initiative by committing its members to
actively participate in the planning stage –
developing a vision, identifying and analyzing the key issues, concerns and opportunities
for development. We encourage all members
interested in involvement in this program to
contact Joe Gallo for more information.
LOOKING BACK – CONTINUED.
Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon
So, what happened to the fishery and why are
those trout and salmon in Lake Ontario? The
beginning of the sportfishing industry can be
traced back to Lake Michigan, which stocked
Chinook and coho salmon. When I was a
teenage angler in the sixties, concentrating on
bass in the lake, Michigan was preparing for
an explosion of sport fish. They initially
stocked a modest amount of cohos, then
Chinook salmon. The project succeeded and
Lake Michigan was on its way to becoming a
sportfishing destination.
Biologists from New York State watched
closely because the similarities between the
two great lakes were common knowledge in
the scientific community. The lakes were
also part of the same watershed.
New York State focused on two important
benefits that would occur with the introduction of trout and salmon. First, there was
a horrible, smelly build-up of alewives, which
littered every foot of Lake Ontario shoreline.
The alewives (mooneyes) were so thick in
Port Bay you could not swim without
bumping into the floating bodies. It was
definitely not a pretty sight, or pleasant experience. Stock the salmon and trout and the
sportfish would handle the beach clean-up
problem. Biologists describe this as creating
an ecological balance. Port Bay inhabitants
saw it as “mooneyes be gone!”
The second consideration was the economic
impact that would be created by a trout and
SOMETHING IS MISSING!
It’s your membership. See a red dot? You
overlooked your membership dues for 2006.
o
Thanks!
salmon sportfishery. As stated earlier, the
boost for local businesses associated with
angling was substantial. Small lake side
towns experienced rejuvenation. Places like
Port Bay developed their own charter fleets.
The news was out. The fishing in Lake
Ontario was second to none!
The magic date for this transformation was
1968 when the New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation stocked some
cohos near Salmon River. The Chinook or
king salmon was put in Lake Ontario some
time in 1970-1971. Brown trout were added
to the mix in 1972.
Today the sportfishing industry is flourishing
with trout and salmon catches described as
some of the best since the mid-eighties.
Anglers travel from all over the U.S., to
experience the thrill of placing a 35 inch king
salmon in the box.
And to think, my early sixties lake trout was
such a surprise from 40 feet under the surface
of Lake Ontario. Today, that laker would
take back seat in any fishing competition.
The king rules, and Port Bay with its
surrounding communities are the one’s
benefiting. “Keep fishing!”
Chris Kenyon is a long-time resident of Port Bay. He
regularly shares his enthusiasm for hunting and
fishing by writing. His articles appear in sportfishing
and hunting newspaper columns and publications.
Timothy D. Leno
Owner and Operator
New Service ● Service Upgrades
Underground - Overhead
Excavator Available ● Bucket Truck Service
Water Lines and Service
Residential Specialist (Since 1975)
3886 Cory Corners
Marion, NY 14505
[email protected]
PAGE 5