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Click here to become a member of the LGFA
The Lake George Fishing Alliance is an organization
of volunteers dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the Lake George
Fisheries.
WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US: WHY?
Our members have positively impacted the Lake George fishery in two general
ways. Firstly, as an organization of numbers we can and have successfully
encouraged more interest in the fishery from New York State. The LGFA
work with fisheries staff at the regional DEC office and are members of
both the Warren County Conservation Council and Washington County Federation
of Sportsmen's Clubs. Secondly, our members have volunteered their personal
time toward various projects that continue to benefit the fishery and the
Lake George region. Active membership is vital to our cause! We need YOU!
ACHIEVEMENTS
The LGFA has been involved in many projects since its inception. One of
our most successful projects was bolstering the smelt population by
providing additional eggs from Indian Lake and Schroon Lake. The numbers of
smelt, the main forage fish in Lake George, had been on the decline. From
2001 until 2004, Alliance members harvested fertilized smelt eggs from these
lakes and transferred them to various Lake George tributaries. In 2005 the
project was suspended after an excellent run of spawning smelt were
observed.
Landlocked salmon, arguably the most popular game fish in
Lake George, have been on the decline since their heyday in the 1980s. In
2001, in conjunction with the DEC, the LGFA initiated a fall stocking
program in which 3000 salmon are held at the Warren County Hatchery each
summer; rather than being stocked into the lake with others in the spring.
Marked with a left ventral fin clip, these fish are being caught with
increasing frequency and the program will continue. In May 2005, LGFA
volunteers rejuvenated the past practice of stocking salmon from boats.
Instead of just dumping the fish near the shore, boats were used to
transport the fish out in the lake, away from potential predators and spread
out into smaller schools.
GOALS
LGFA members would like to continue the salmon stocking programs
mentioned above, hopefully the salmon fishery will continue to improve.
Additionally, we encourage all trout and salmon anglers to join the Angler
Diary Cooperator Program with the NYSDEC. The number of cooperators has
dropped significantly in recent years; even if you only fish a few times a
year, your catch data is very important. Fisheries biologists need this
valuable information on the Lake George fishery so they can make informed,
scientific decisions regarding future regulation changes.
The Fishing Alliance also realizes that the future of the
fishery depends on young people becoming involved with fishing. We will
continue to offer free fishing clinics for youths taught by volunteers from
the Alliance and will maintain our annual fishing trips with various groups
from the area. We also encourage you to take a kid fishing today!
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