Great Sacandaga Lake and Streams Fish Species

Information provided by the DEC - This article first appeared in the November/December 1989 issue of The Conservationist magazine. Recently updated. Author- Eileen C. Stegemann. Second in a 14-part series describing the Freshwater Fishes of New York.

Persons interested in finding more detailed descriptions can refer to, "The Freshwater Fishes of Canada," by W.B. Scott and E.J. Crossman and "The Inland Fishes of New York State," by C. Lavett Smith.

Great Sacandaga Trout | Recipes | Adirondack Fish & Gane Report

The brook or speckled trout is New York's official State fish. A native of the State, it is the smallest, and to many people, the most attractive trout occurring in the State. It has a dark olive green background with light wavy markings on the back, and tan or red spots on the sides. Its lower fins are striking, with bright white edging separated from the mostly red fin by a black line.

Brook trout generally live in small- to moderate-sized streams, lakes, and ponds, wherever cool (below 72 degrees Fahrenheit), clean water is available. They are relatively short lived, seldom living longer than five years. Although some brook trout can weight more than eight pounds, fish weighing more than two pounds are uncommon.

Brookies are highly popular game fish. Often associated with an Adirondack wilderness experience, anglers enjoy the pristine surroundings of brook trout water almost as much as catching these delicious fish. Speckled trout are relatively easy to catch and are frequently taken on flies, small artificial lures, and worms.

Like the brook trout, the lake trout is a native of New York State waters. This silvery or dark grey fish inhabits deep, cold, well-oxygenated lakes.

Lake trout are long-lived, with some adults reaching more than 20 years old in certain waters. The current New York State record lake trout weighed more than 39 pounds.

Lake trout have different spawning habits than other New York State trout. Instead of building nests, they scatter their eggs over rocky shoals. In addition, lake trout spawn in lakes, not streams. Lake trout eggs have been found at depths of up to 200 feet in some of the Finger Lakes.

Fishing for lake trout can be quite specialized. In the spring, they can be caught by casting or trolling near the lake surface just after ice-out. Most of the year, they must be pursued in deep water using downriggers or wire line.

Through the 1800s and early 1900s, the lake trout helped support an important Great Lakes commercial fishery. Populations collapsed, however, due to the combined effects of over fishing and sea lamprey predation. Commercial fishing for lake trout is no longer permitted and the effects of sea lamprey predation have been reduced. It is hoped that the lake trout stocking programs currently under way in the Great Lakes will lead to restoration of self-sustaining lake trout populations.

The brown trout has long been a popular game fish all over the world. Brought over from Europe in the 1880s, brown trout can be found in waters all across New York State. Its ability to tolerate warmer water than either of New York State's native trout has allowed this species to do well in waters otherwise not able to support trout.

Brown trout are primarily found in streams, but also live in ponds and lakes. As the name implies, brown trout are brown in color with black and often red spots on the sides. However, in large bodies of water, fish tend to be silvery with scattered black spots.

Brown trout are generally faster growing and longer lived than brook trout. Fish more than ten pounds are fairly common, but in streams they seldom grow larger than two pounds. Many anglers enjoy fishing for brown trout because they are relatively wary and a challenge to catch. Brown trout can withstand heavy fishing pressure better than other New York trout.

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Natives of the Pacific Coast, rainbow trout were introduced into New York waters in the 1870s. Like brown trout, rainbows are more tolerant of warm water than the native trout and are found throughout the State.

Rainbow trout are often very colorful fish. They have gray-blue to greenish backs and light colored sides with dark spots. Rainbows get their name from the pink or red band often present on their sides. During spawning, this band turns a deep red. Like other trout, adult rainbows tend to be more silvery when living in large lakes like the Great Lakes.

Quite variable in size, mature rainbow trout may weigh one or two pounds in streams and more than 15 pounds in the Great Lakes. Whether the fish is small or large, fishing for rainbow trout is a popular pastime for many New York anglers. Not quite as wary as brown trout, rainbows often put up spectacular fights when hooked, frequently making a series of acrobatic jumps.

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Great Sacandaga Lake Bass | Recipes

Seldom reaching more than 12 inches in length, white perch are the smallest members of New York State's true bass. They are easily told apart from other true bass because white perch have no dark stripes and no patches of teeth on their tongues.

White perch are prolific breeders. Schools of spawning white perch crowd into tributary streams or along gravelly shoal areas in lakes and large rivers to deposit their eggs. The tiny eggs sink to the bottom and attach to vegetation and rocks. Young perch eat plankton and insects while older perch feed mostly on fish.

White perch are tasty fish with white, flaky flesh

Great Sacandaga Lake Sunfish | Recipes

Bluegills are generally found in slow moving or standing water where there is plenty of vegetation or other shelter. They are a pretty fish, green to brown on their backs and upper sides shading into brown, orange, or pink with traces of vertical bars along their bottom sides. The breast is yellow to copper-orange, and the sides of their heads have metallic blue and green overtones. The large, square-shaped, blue black gill flap and conspicuous dark blotch on the back of the soft-rayed portion of their dorsal fins distinguishes bluegills from their close relatives, the pumpkinseed. Bluegills average four to ten inches in length.

Like other true sunfish, the bluegill eats mostly insects and crustaceans. But unlike its cousins, the bluegill will also consume some plant material.

Bluegills fight hard when hooked, providing good sport for anglers. They bite just about any bait, artificial fly, or small lure dropped in the water. Because of these qualities, they are frequently stocked in farm ponds and other impoundments.

Pumpkinseed

Of all the sunfish in New York State, the pumpkinseed is the favorite of children. It is one of the most catchable of all freshwater species, occurring in large numbers in shallow water close to shore and readily biting small pieces of bait.

Pumpkinseeds have similar feeding habits to other true sunfish. They eat a wide variety of prey, including insects, crustaceans, and small fishes. Spawning takes place from May until August. Like bluegills, pumpkinseeds construct their nests close to shore in colonies. Nests are usually found in areas of submerged vegetation in six to 12 inches of water.

Pumpkinseeds provide hours of fishing fun for all anglers. They are strong fighters and have sweet-tasting fillets. Pumpkinseeds often provide good sport when other fish are not biting

Largemouth bass are another major sportfish in New York State. While they are not the spectacular fighters their cousins the smallmouth are, largemouths can be just as challenging and exciting to land because of the habitat they prefer.

Largemouths thrive best in warm, shallow, well-vegetated areas of ponds and sluggish streams. They are rather solitary fish, preferring to stay among dense aquatic vegetation or close to submerged cover, such as stumps, logs, or dock pilings.

Largemouth bass are primarily fish-eating predators. They lie in wait in the cover of weeds and ambush prey as it swims by. Crayfish, frogs, and small animals, such as mice, are also eaten by this large sunfish.

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Smallmouth bass are one of New York State's most important gamefish. They are famous for their fighting ability when hooked and have the reputation for being, inch-for-inch, the best sporting fish around.

Smallmouths are probably the most cold water adapted species of sunfish. They prefer cool, clear water areas of lakes and flowing streams with a gravelly or rocky bottom and moderate vegetation. Adult smallmouths are usually found near the protection of rocks or near submerged logs.

Smallmouths are opportunistic predators, eating whatever live prey is available. The bulk of their diet consists of insects, crayfish, and other fish, but they will occasionally eat tadpoles and frogs. Early morning and evening are their most active feeding times.

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Rock bass are most abundant in rocky and gravelly shallow water areas in lakes and ponds, and the lower, warm reaches of streams.

Rock bass are small to medium sized sunfish, reaching six to ten inches in length. They are brownish in color with several dark bars or blotches mottling their sides. Their bright red eyes have earned them the nickname "redeyes" among many New York State anglers.

Rock bass have similar feeding habits to other sunfish, eating mostly aquatic insects, crayfish, and small fishes.

Rock bass are popular with many New York State anglers. They generally occur in groups and readily bite live bait, small spinners, plugs, and poppers. Since rock bass are often found with smallmouth bass, bass anglers sometimes consider them a nuisance.

Black crappies average eight to twelve inches in length and are easily recognized by their highly compressed, diamond shaped bodies. They are dark green to golden brown in color, with mottled patches of dark scales.

Typical sunfish, black crappies spawn from May to July. The nests are built in ten to 24 inches of water in sand or gravel areas with some vegetation. Most nests are kept five to six feet apart.

Black crappies provide good fishing opportunities. Usually occurring in large schools, they can provide fast and furious action for anglers. This is especially true in early to mid-spring when large numbers gather prior to spawning. And, like the rest of the sunfish family, black crappies make a delicious meal.

Great Sacandaga Perch | Recipes

Yellow perch are important panfish in New York State. They are relatively easy to catch and are often one of the first fish caught by youngsters and beginners.

While yellow perch are found throughout the State in a variety of habitats, they prefer shallow, weedy protected sections of rivers, lakes, and ponds. Ranging in length from six to 12 inches, yellow perch are easily distinguished from other perch by the five to nine black vertical bars on their yellow sides.

Yellow perch spawn in April or May. Adults migrate into shallow weedy sections and randomly release long strings (up to seven feet) of transparent eggs. The egg masses eventually adhere to submerged vegetation, where they remain until hatching.

Yellow perch are most active in the morning and evening. They eat a variety of organisms, including aquatic insects, crayfish, and fish.

Yellow perch are very tasty and are popular year-round, especially with ice fishermen. When handling the fish, care should be taken to avoid their sharp spines and sharp gill plates.

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Walleye, the largest members of the perch family, often exceed 20 inches in length.

Walleye are similar in body shape to both sauger and yellow perch. However, walleye can be identified by the dark spot found at the bottom of their first dorsal fin and their large canine teeth. Saugers lack the dark spot and yellow perch lack the large teeth. Most walleye are yellow, but occasionally a variation occurs which gives the fish a blue color. Called "blue phase," these fish are not blue pike.

Walleye prefer the deep water sections of large lakes, streams, and rivers. They have large, light-sensitive eyes that help them locate food in poor light. To protect their eyes from the sun, walleye stay in sheltered or deep water during the day and move into shallower water at night. They are voracious predators and use their large canine teeth to catch a variety of minnows and the young of other fishes. Yellow perch are often a favorite meal.

Walleye are popular sportfish and play an important role in New York State's tourism industry. Anglers and non-anglers alike hold walleye in high esteem due to their excellent taste.

Great Sacandaga Pike and Pickerel | Recipes

The chain pickerel is widely distributed in lakes and rivers south of the Adirondacks. A modest-sized fish, it averages one to two pounds in weight and 15 to 20 inches in length. Its fully scaled cheeks and gill covers distinguish it from the northern pike and muskellunge, while its large size and distinct chain link marks on its sides differentiate it from other pickerels. The chain pickerel is green to bronze in color, with eight sensory pores on the undersurface of the lower jaw and a conspicuous dark bar beneath each eye, which extends straight down or slightly forward.

Pickerel prefer quiet waters with heavy weed growth. They are among the first fishes to spawn after ice-out in spring (April-May). Mature adults migrate into swampy or marshy backwater areas to spread their adhesive eggs. Early spawning increases the young chain pickerels' chances of survival, because they are large enough to feed on the newly hatched young of other species.

Chain pickerel are favored game fish, especially when one is ice fishing. On light tackle, they are capable of explosive runs which test an angler's ability. Their meat is delicious, but quite bony. To eliminate problems with bones, the fillets can be ground and formed into fish patties.

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Northern Pike

Northern pike are among the State's most important sportfish. They are relatively easy to catch, can grow to over 40 pounds, and put up a good fight when hooked.

Northern pike are very adaptable and occur in a wide range of habitats. They are one of the most widely distributed freshwater fish in the world, and the only members of the pike family to occur in arctic environments. Northerns prefer weedy portions of rivers, ponds, and lakes, but large adults will often move offshore into deeper waters.

Northern pike can be distinguished from their cousins, the pickerels, by the scaleless lower half of the gill covers. Their bodies are dark green to brown with light bean-shaped spots. There is no distinct dark bar beneath the eye. The undersurface of the lower jaw has eight to 12 pores and there are often bright gold markings on both sides of the head. Northerns can grow to be quite large - the current New York State record is a 46-pound two-ounce monster taken from Great Sacandaga Lake back in 1940.

Northerns are delicious to eat. Their meat is white and flaky, and because of their large size, their bones are more easily removed than those of pickerels. Northerns can be taken through the ice as well as in open water, and provide an important winter fishery. Ice derbies are common sporting events for these prize fish in many parts of the State.

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Great Sacandaga Salmon

Kokanee, also called red salmon, are the landlocked form of sockeye salmon. When confined to fresh water, as they are in New York, kokanee are the smallest of the Pacific salmon, rarely exceeding 15 inches in length or one pound. Despite their small size, kokanee are highly regarded sportfish because their orange-red flesh makes a tasty meal.

The kokanee salmon is found in only a few lakes and ponds in New York State. They occur at all depths when water temperatures are cool in the spring and fall, but during summer most of their time is spent in deeper waters where temperatures are below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Kokanee are unusual among the salmonids, as they are highly dependent on plankton for food throughout their life. Their gills have many long, straining filaments called gill rakers, which help them capture planktonic organisms very efficiently.

During the fall, kokanee seek small streams for spawning. At this time, the males attain the brilliant green-head red-body color combination commonly associated with their sea-run brethren the sockeye. Female kokanee exhibit similar colors during the spawning season, but the color is less intense than in the males.

Kokanee may be caught by anglers using small spinners, spoons, and even artificial flies, but one of the most effective methods is to fish with a piece of worm baited on a small hook. A spinner or other attractor should be attached above the worm and hook.

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The Atlantic salmon is one of the most highly regarded sport fish in North America and Europe. Known to many as "the leaper," Atlantics are noted for their spectacular fighting ability, which usually includes several jumps completely out of the water after being hooked by a lucky angler. In New York State, Atlantic salmon spend their entire lives in freshwater and are usually called landlocked salmon.

Many New York State anglers are surprised to learn that Atlantic salmon were not only native to some of our waters, but they were extremely abundant. Atlantics were historically found in Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, Lake Champlain, and in many of their tributaries. They were so abundant that spearing them was easy and netting could result in catches of more than 100 fish per boat on a good night. Unfortunately, the rapid settlement and development of the state occurring during the mid to late 1800s spelled doom for this species. Dams blocked spawning streams, pollution choked waters, and widespread deforestation filled headwater nursery streams with sediment. By 1900, Atlantic salmon were all but extinct from New York State waters.

New York State anglers use a wide variety of techniques and tackle to catch Atlantic salmon. During springtime, trolling or casting lures or flies that imitate preferred baitfish produce the best catches. After lakes stratify in the summer, downriggers or lead-core line are needed to place lures and bait at the correct depths where salmon occur. Fall fishing focuses on spawning fish moving near and into rivers and streams. Since spawning salmon greatly reduce their food intake, the fish must often be enticed to strike bait, lures, or flies. Patience and perseverance are often the key to hooking a big adult Atlantic salmon in the fall. Although salmon fishing is limited in the winter, ice fishing is permitted. Tip-ups with live minnows work well.

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Great Sacandaga Catfish

The brown bullhead is a medium sized fish - averaging about eight to 14 inches in length. It has the typical catfish appearance of a broad, flat head and dark barbels around the face. Its square tail and mottled side coloration distinguishes it from other members of the catfish family. The brown bullhead is generally dark brown above and yellow to white on its belly, but as is the case with most fishes, its color may vary with its surroundings.

Brown bullheads are probably the most adaptable member of the catfish family and live in a wide variety of habitats. They exemplify the hardiness of catfishes in general, tolerating both high water temperatures and low oxygen levels. They are present in many cool Adirondack lakes and often abundant in warm water ponds, lakes, and larger, slow moving streams. They occur in areas with or without aquatic vegetation and can be found over both muddy and gravelly bottoms.

Brown bullheads are delicious to eat and a favorite of many. During the spring, anglers can catch them by the bucketful and large bullhead feeds are popular especially in New York State's Great Lakes counties

Carp

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Carp can grow quite large in New York State's waters, more than 40 pounds! They eat a variety of plant and animal material and are often spotted by the cloud of mud they stir up as they feed. It is not uncommon to see and hear carp sucking in floating insects at the water's surface.

Carp display interesting spawning (reproduction) habits. During late spring and early summer, they thrash and splash their way into very shallow, weedy areas and broadcast their eggs. Their bodies are sometimes completely exposed out of the water and the splashing they make is quite a sight to see. A 20-pound female carp will lay nearly 10 million eggs.

Originally from Asia, carp were first brought to New York State to provide another food fish. Over time, however, they have become less popular as a food item and instead have picked up the reputation of a "polluted fish." Although carp can tolerate polluted waters, they prefer clean waters. Carp taken from clean waters are excellent to eat. Carp are commercially marketed live, smoked, or cleaned and iced.

Endangered & Threatened Fishes | Larger Unusual Fish| Smaller Unusual Fish | Sturgeon | Minnows | Prey Fish | Herring

*** Information provided by the DEC - This article first appeared in the November/December 1989 issue of The Conservationist magazine. Recently updated. Author- Eileen C. Stegemann. Second in a 14-part series describing the Freshwater Fishes of New York.

Persons interested in finding more detailed descriptions for any member of the temperate bass family can refer to, "The Freshwater Fishes of Canada," by W.B. Scott and E.J. Crossman and "The Inland Fishes of New York State," by C. Lavett Smith.