Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) – Patience might just be the most important aspect of fishing. The waiting has paid off for fishermen in Central New York.
Amid opening week for trout fishing in Central New York, anglers can use live bait from April 1 to October 15 and are not confined to catch-and-release.
Despite a mild winter and recent warm temperatures, Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery superintendent Eric Stanczyk says that the season outlook is on target.
“We have some rain streams that are in great shape,” says Stanczyk. “The water temperatures are real similar to the water that they’re coming out of the hatchery so it’s not going to be a major stress on the fish.”
Stanczyk and his team venture out to different bodies of water throughout Onondaga County. They stock a certain amount of Trout fish in a variety of areas. On Tuesday, they released brown trout at Mill Run Park in Manlius.
“We’re going to have almost 75,000 fish in Onondaga County,” said Stanczyk. “So it’s 100 miles of streams that we take care of and 10 different lakes and ponds. The fishing should get only better as the season progresses and the fish become more and more active.”
Fishing has also become easier than it was years ago with new infrastructure and accessible pathways for a wide variety of ages to enjoy the sport. There are also apps, such as Fishbrain, that perform similarly to Instagram where an angler can post their fish to an online feed.
“There’s so much at our disposal, but at the same time, that could be detrimental to the fish,” said Stanczyk. “Don’t be afraid to not tell somebody that you saw the stocking truck. Keep it to yourself. Let those fish live a little longer. But don’t be afraid to take a few fish either.”
Stanczyk knows CNY residents are urgent to get outdoors and he urges fishermen to pick and choose what fish they decide to keep.
“I appreciate catch-and-release as much as anybody else,” said Stancyzk. “That does give an opportunity to maybe catch that fish again. But that’s what these fish are here for: to enjoy them and have them for dinner. You’d be surprised how delicious they are.”
Anglers can visit www.fishonondagacounty.com to view the weekly stocking report.
