Black Lake, NY Forum

Fished Black Lake for the past week. Generally slow fishing besides crappie in a few select areas. However the most exciting thing was seeing quite a large number of sturgeon jumping in the wide part of the lake. Especially in the 20 ft depth zone between Raspberry and Big Island. It wasn't constant jumping but on two calm occasions I either saw or heard one jump every 5 minutes or so on average. The best view of one I saw was about 30 feet away and came about 3/4 out of the water straight up. I would estimate it had to be 60+ pounds. Definitely the biggest fish I have seen in fresh water.

That must have been a cool to see. I know they are protected but are they hooked while fishing for other fish? Anyone on the site ever hook one? I would love to be able to check it off the list even if it was by mistake.

I don't think they are very often hooked by mistake. They are bottom feeders so not much chance of hooking one with a lure. I know of people catching them on worms while bullhead fishing in other places though.

They were jumping a lot this year and it seems like there are more now. During the afternoon of one of my recent trips in September, it got really calm and they were jumping every 5 minutes like you said. You hear different reasons for why they jump. I was told once that carp jump to knock the mud out of their gills while they are bottom feeding. I also noticed one sturgeon had a lamprey eel attached to it when it jumped. So I was thinking maybe that's why they jump. And they do get snagged by mistake. Jim at Log Cabins can show you a picture of one he snagged on a crankbait by accident last summer.

"Jim" can tell you why they jump too. I believe it's to rid themselves of parasites in their gills. Maybe other reasons too.
Did you guys and gals know that fish ladder were being built at the two dams between the lake and the St. Lawrence? The one at EelWire is complete. Ogdensburg is on the plan.
Funding is coming via the USFWS through the operational permits of the power dams. The ladders are being made part of the permit renewal. So, funding is basically being paid by all consummers.

What are your thoughts about the fish ladders? Do you think it will benefit or harm the lake? Were they installed because of the sturgeon or are there other fish that will migrate between the lake and the river?

Do you know if there is any specific fish that is expected to use the ladders to travel back and forth? I think fish ladders are a great idea in general to offset the human influence of preventing migrations. However in this case I am concerned because it seems like an open invitation for Gobies to flood Black Lake which I am surprised hasn't already happened.

Sturgeon are the main "target" of the project. Not sure what else would be able to use the ladders.
On the front of Gobies - I would not be so sure they are not in the lake.

The fish ladder might explain the water level extremes we saw this year. I don't recall ever seeing the water stay that high so late into July and then turn around and get as low as it got in September.

Don't think the ladder was completed till late July. Don't be;lieve it will affect the lake levels. Three things to affect the level of the lake: Rain, locally, the Oswegatchie (drains the watershed from Cranberry Lake) and the Indian River. Rain in either of those two watersheds will have an effect. I saw several days of the lake being "filled" from both ends. There are no controls that affect the water level of the lake. Completely natural glacial lake flow, not man made.

Think. I hooked one once but not sure.0 knowledge on fish ladder but not to old to learn!Want to try the crappie fishing this May if I can get cottage