Outdoor Journal: Gloversville man catches rare, light-colored lake trout

Mark Clemente of Gloversville caught and released a leucistic lake trout in Lake George. (Photo provided)

Mark Clemente of Gloversville caught and released a lake trout in Lake George the first week of September. The leucistic lake trout was quite a shocker to see when it came out from under the boat. It looked like a giant goldfish. It was just legal at 23 inches, and he would guess in the 5-pound range. It was very healthy, very chucky laker in every way except color. It was in great shape and went back to the bottom like a rocket when Clemente released him.

He used a homemade flutter spoon. He caught it in the south basin of Lake George along with eight other lakers that day. A biologist at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation looked into it and says this is considered reduced color pigmentation called leucistic. It’s very rare.

NATURE CONSERVANCY HUNTING PROGRAM
Ever wonder how to get permission to hunt on Nature Conservancy lands? It wants the damage to vegetation by deer reduced and allow hunters to access their lands. For updated information and how to register on their website, contact Mary Ripka at [email protected].

COHOES KIDS FISHING CONTEST
Next Saturday, the City of Cohoes and the Cohoes Rod and Gun Club will host a free Kids Fishing Contest for Cohoes residents ages 5-15. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Fishing will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at Van Schaick Pond. Lunch will be at 11:15 a.m. There will be prizes for the top three in each age class (5-8, 9-11 and 12-15).

Register before next Wednesday by completing the registration form, which is available at Cohoes City Hall in the Mayor’s office or at Cohoes Rod and Gun Club.

Parents must attend. Call 518-235-2911 if you have any questions.

ANTLERLESS DEER SEASON
There is an opportunity for hunters to help manage localized deer populations. The new season began last Saturday and runs through Sunday. You can find the areas on the DEC’s website.

Youth and senior hunters can take advantage of this new opportunity during warmer temperatures, which is uncommon during regular hunting season. Hunting hours were expanded to include the full period of ambient light from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. This change matches the national standard for big game hunting.

AIR GUNS ALLOWED FOR SMALL GAME
The DEC has adopted a new regulation that will allow small game hunters to go afield with an air gun. Since modern air guns are very advanced and many are designed to effectively take small game. Prior to the recent change, DEC regulations did not clearly allow their use for hunting.

This change permits the use of air guns that shoot a pellet that is .17 caliber or larger, using either a rifled or smooth bore barrel. The air gun most produce a pellet velocity of at least 600 feet per second. Small game includes rabbits, squirrels, ruffed grouse, and hunted furbearer species such as fox, coyote, and raccoon.

Contact Ed Noonan at [email protected].