Smelt Egg Project 2001

The Lake George Fishing Alliance has obtained permits from the NYS Department of Conservation allowing the collection of smelt eggs and introduction of same to Lake George. This project was initiated due to the noticeable decline in the smelt population on Lake George over the last three years. In the past Lake George has had large healthy populations of smelt throughout the lake. Smelt are the primary forage for our lake trout and landlocked salmon. A similar project on Schroon Lake brought rewarding results by increasing its smelt population. Through trial and error the borrowing of smelt eggs from Lake George and introducing them to Schroon Lake in prior years has proven to be a great success. Val DeCeaseres one member of a group that performed the transfer of smelt eggs to Schroon Lake has shared the procedure that they used to collect, transport and introduce smelt eggs to the streams and brooks feeding the lake. Through Val's years of experience with this process we should see some positive results with this project over the next few years on Lake George. 

The process started with the construction of burlap mats sized to be easily handled and transported. These mats were cut rectangular 21" X 27". The two ends of the mats were rolled onto a piece of 1/2" rebar, and tied with wire. The rebar was used for weight to hold the mats in place in the current of the brooks and to keep the burlap mats lying flat on the bottom. A group of volunteers from the Lake George Fishing Alliance prefabricated the mats and on May 3rd and 4th placed 75 burlap mats on three feeder brooks on Schroon Lake. On May 8th the mats were collected and placed in water troughs and transported to Lake George. With the high water conditions present this year on Schroon Lakes brooks and the quick drop of water about 4 feet over a one week period we were able to transport 50 mats that remained under water. These mats were placed in Cape Cod Brook in the northern basin and Smith Brook in the southern basin. The mats remained in Smith Brook and Cape Cod Brook for a period of about 45 days to ensure enough time for the smelt eggs that were collected to gestate. At the June 20th meeting of the Lake George Fishing Alliance it was agreed to pull the mats from the brooks on Lake George and store for use next year. The project will be repeated each year until a noticeable increase of the smelt population is seen on Lake George.

The Lake George Fishing Alliance would like to thank Nemec's Outdoor Sport Shop of Warrensburg for the donation of all the burlap material used in the project and for loaning us the water troughs to transport the smelt eggs. Curtis Lumber of Warrensburg for donating the rebar used for holding the mats in place. Val DeCeasere of Schroon Lake for his help, advise, and expertise with the project. Bill Miller of DEC for granting permits to proceed with the project.

Respectfully Submitted;
Michael Mollica

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