Volunteer Opportunity for Finger Lakes Anglers

 

Ethan Haley and Dominic Bianchi with their catch of the day. Fish were caught at the same time on Conesus Lake. A quick photo was taken, and the fish were released. These smallmouths were pre-spawn just cruising the shallows during the rapidly warming waters.

Are you interested in the management and quality of New York’s unmatched Finger Lakes fisheries? Consider helping DEC evaluate fisheries management actions on the Finger Lakes and their tributaries by joining our Volunteer Angler Diary Cooperator Program.

You can help DEC continue to provide anglers like yourself with some of the best quality fishing around! Through the Angler Diary Cooperator Program, volunteer anglers keep a diary in which they record information about their fishing trips throughout the year, including lakes fished, number of anglers participating, species targeted, hours fished, length and number of species caught, fin clips (if present), and whether fish were kept or released.

DEC analyzes information from all volunteers and a summary of results is sent to each cooperator along with their original diary. This angler-collected data is vital to DEC’s management of the Finger Lakes fisheries. View the 2022 diary summary reports on DEC’s website.

New volunteer cooperators are always welcome and encouraged!

Anglers fishing Canadice, Canandaigua, Hemlock, Keuka, Seneca, Conesus, or Honeoye Lake, contact Region 8 Fisheries at fwfish8@dec.ny.gov or 585-226-5343 to become a cooperator.

Anglers fishing Cayuga, Owasco, Skaneateles, or Otisco Lake should contact Region 7 Fisheries at fwfish7@dec.ny.gov or 607-753-3095, ext. 213.