Ohrback Lake Survey

Bureau of Fisheries Technical Brief #2018005

Figure 1: Length distribution chart for largemouth bass caught in
Ohrback Lake during 2017 survey.

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Covering 17 acres of the 143-acre Pouch Camp facility in the Staten Island Greenbelt, Ohrback Lake provides a good freshwater fishing opportunity for the local community. Located in the Lower Hudson watershed, the lake averages 3-7 feet in depth. The lake is inhabited by a variety of freshwater fish which attract many local anglers to the lake's grassy shores, and is one of only three New York City lakes known to have chain pickerel. The lake and surrounding land is managed by the Boy Scouts, who issue 150 fishing permits annually to other recreational anglers. A boat electrofishing survey following the DEC Centrarchid Sampling Manual was conducted in April 2017 to assess the status of the panfish and sportfish populations.

A total of 460 fish of five different species, including 92 largemouth bass, were caught during the survey. A large number of 12 in bass were caught from the lake. The catch rate of the adult bass population was more than twice the statewide average. The bass had an average relative weight of 90 which is slightly lean and could indicate a population of bass that can't be fully supported by available prey species. A total of 4 other fish species were caught during the survey including bluegill, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel and black crappie. Despite a high overall catch rate, a low number of bluegill over 6 in were caught. This could be due to the abundant largemouth bass population feeding heavily on the bluegill before they can reach larger sizes. Forty-four chain pickerel were caught making up 15% of the total catch. A majority of the chain pickerel were 10 - 15 in long. Black Crappie were generally large, with many measuring over 10 in. Ohrback Lake should provide a good opportunity for anglers to catch largemouth bass and larger black crappie.

Table 1. Number of fish collected and length categoryi catch rates from Ohrback Lake, 2017.

			CPUE fish/h (Standard Error)
Species	Total no. fish	Time(h)	All sizes	Age-1	≥Stock	≥Quality	≥Preferred
Largemouth bass	92	1.2	76(15)	12(5)	64(12)	41(7)	7(3)
Chain pickerel	44	1.2	36(7)	9(1)	27(7)	17(5)	0
Pumpkinseed	30	0.81	37(14)	4(0)	33(15)	10(7)	0
Black crappie	19	1.2	16(4)	0(0)	16(4)	14(4)	11(2)
Bluegill	275	0.81	340(18)	289(20)	51(14)	4(2)	0

iLength categories (inches) for size structure indices of sportfish and panfish in Ohrback Lake.

Categories	Largemouth bass	Bluegill/Pumpkinseed	Black crappie	Chain pickerel
Stock	≥8	≥3	≥5	≥10
Quality	≥12	≥6	≥8	≥15
Preferred	≥15	≥8	≥10	≥20

Prospect Park Lake Survey

Prospect Park Lake Centrarchid Survey

Bureau of Fisheries Technical Brief #2018001

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Prospect Park Lake in the Long Island Sound watershed is the sole freshwater lake in Kings County (Brooklyn) open to the public. Its 55 acres are accessible to anglers only by shoreline and it was last stocked with bass and sunfish in 1999. As with other New York City (NYC) freshwater lakes and ponds, both New York State (NYS) and NYC angling regulations require catch and release of all fish. To monitor the status of Prospect Park Lake's fish populations, fall boat electrofishing surveys have been performed biennially since 2010; but, in 2017, a spring survey was conducted on the evenings of May 8th and 9th.

A total of 835 fish of eight species were captured, with four carp and two American eels observed but not captured. Largemouth bass were good sized and abundant. The catch rates for largemouth bass twelve inches and longer (39/hr) and 15 inches and longer (29/hr) were greater than catch rates in 85% and 98% of similarsized NYS lakes, respectively. Size structure indices (PSD = 54, RSD15 = 40) were indicative of a primarily balanced population, with a high proportion of large fish. These indices were also high for black crappie (PSD = 89) and yellow perch (PSD = 67) indicating Prospect Park Lake's fishery offers quality fishing for species other than largemouth bass. Average relative weights indicated largemouth bass to be in good condition, and the largest captured was 19.7 inches long and 4.8 lbs. Sunfish were abundant (Table 1) but none greater than eight inches were captured, similar to results of other NYC lake and pond electrofishing surveys. Relative weights for bluegill and pumpkinseed were above 100 suggesting the reason for this is not stunted growth but this should be confirmed through aging fish in future surveys. Survey results indicate that Prospect Park Lake should provide anglers with quality fishing opportunities for a variety of species, especially largemouth bass, black crappie and yellow perch.

Table 1. Number collected and length category catch rates for fish species captured during a boat electrofishing survey of Prospect Park Lake

		Length category catch rate (number caught/hour)
Species	Number Collected	≥6in	≥8in	≥10in	≥12in	≥15in	≥18in
Largemouth bass	197	79	76	61	39	29	3
Pumpkinseed	127	90	0	0	0	0	0
Bluegill	343	150	0	0	0	0	0
Brown bullhead	3	3	3	2	1	0	0
Yellow bullhead	1	1	1	0	0	0	0
Black crappie	74	70	50	9	1	0	0
Golden shiner	18	16	10	0	0	0	0
Yellow perch	71	67	41	1	0	0	0

ⁱ PSD (Proportional Stock Density) and RSD (Relative Stock Density) are indices that allow for standardized comparisons of size classes of fish and provide measures of fish population balance. PSD is the percent of the stock sized population that are quality size, and RSDp is the percent of the stock sized population that are preferred size. Populations of bass that are well-balanced (i.e., have good size distributions) have PSDs of 40-70 and RSD_Ps of 10-25.

Smallmouths on the fly, Rondout Creek

That tree is where several smallies were holed up during this hot summer afternoon.
I had spent the morning trying to find carp.  But they were as illusive as ever.  We saw bubbles
and nothing else.  This part of the Rondout Creek is shallow, with riffles.

I was guided by my Official Guide, Ray Ottulich.  I have fished with Ray many times and I highly recommend him.  RAY OTTULICH Orvis-Endorsed Fly-Fishing Guide.

The fishing didn't pick up until after 3pm, which was to be expected; the water temperature was
85 F.  When the sun began to set I saw panfish coming from out of no where.  Bass began to take flies. I got lucky with a cone head fly and hooked this fish on the west side of the pool.  The water was shaded and a little deeper there.  The fish pulled almost like a carp and I could hear my drag as it tried to pull away.  This was the biggest of the seven fish I caught.

Rondout Creek is a 63.3-mile-long (101.9 km)^[3] tributary of the Hudson River in Ulster and Sullivan counties, New York, United States. It rises on Rocky Mountain in the eastern Catskills, flows south into Rondout Reservoir, part of New York City's water supply network, then into the valley between the Catskills and the Shawangunk Ridge, where it goes over High Falls and finally out to the Hudson at Kingston, receiving along the way the Wallkill River.

The name of Rondout Creek comes from the fort, or redoubt, that was erected near its mouth. The Dutch equivalent of the English word redoubt (meaning a fort or stronghold) is reduyt. In the Dutch records of Wildwyck, however, the spelling used to designate this same fort is invariably Ronduyt during the earliest period, with the present form rondout (often capitalized) appearing as early as November 22, 1666.^[4]

It became economically important in the 19th century when the Delaware and Hudson Canal followed closely alongside it from Napanoch to the village of Rondout, now part of Kingston, which grew rapidly as the canal's northern port. Today it is important not only for the reservoir, but for the fishing and other recreational opportunities it provides.

Due to the Wallkill, it drains a vast area stretching over 1,100 square miles (2,850 km²) all the way down to Sussex County, New Jersey. The high mountains around its upper course and the reservoir, which collects water from three others, also add to its flow.

Almost too hot to fly fish in Prospect Park Lake

This past week the temperature has been above 90F.  Fishing is slow, especially before 4pm.
Due to some family issues I have not been able to fish much this season.  I fished an old graphite
5 wt rod and the Ghost fly reel from Spain.  I've always had trouble with the drag on this reel and the customer service from the online shop that sells the reel is no help!

Normally I like to fish small flies that imitate minnows.  Today I fished one of my favorites flies,
the Hornsburg.  I wet a few leech patterns too.

The area at the Boat house and The Lullwater were covered from shore to shore by duck weed, algae and invasive water plants.  So , a lot of places that hold bass , golden shiners and other panfish
were off limits .  Total fish caught this hot summer week of fishing 3 but it was fun to cast the rod
and catch fish.

Project Healing Waters Fishing Ohrbach Lake William H. Pouch Scout Camp

I volunteer for Project Healing Waters.  It is a program that takes disabled soldiers
and teaches them the sport of fly fishing.  As a result of the September 11th, 2001 attack on the World
Trade Center, I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  I can identify with the issues that my friends have; so I try to help them.

Ohrbach Lake is one of the lakes that are unknown to most New York City Dwellers.  We took
almost thirty, many first timers, to Staten Island's Pouch Boy Scout Camp to teach them the sport of fly fishing.  It was a day filled with a ride on the Staten Island Ferry and catching panfish in this pristine lake.

The weather could not have been better

This lake is fish by permit only but The Boy Scouts welcomed us with open arms.  whether they,
the veterans, were learning how to tie fly fishing knots or how to roll casts a nine foot fly rod, it
was a fun day.

Fly Fishing from the canoe launch.

Everyone caught fish

We plan to return soon.

MISSION STATEMENT

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings.

The 65-year-old Lake Ohrbach covers approximately 17 acres of the 143-acre Pouch Camp facility, which is actually an entity that is separate from the surrounding Greenbelt.

Formerly Flagg Pond, the lake was renamed when the now-defunct Ohrbach's department store funded a man-made dam in the early 1940s.

The blockage allowed the flow from adjacent ponds -- Hourglass, Pump House and Long, to name a few -- to turn the shallow swimming hole into a body of water with some real body to it.

On the outskirts, the lake consistently runs from 3 to 7 feet deep, but averages out anywhere from 7 to 11 near the middle. The lowest trench bottoms out at about 16 feet.

Fishing is the main attraction here with bass, pickerels, catfish, freshwater eels, crappies and sunfish swimming beneath the surface. And the floating docks provide an ideal spot for 125 prospective anglers.

Why that amount? Because the Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America only make that many permits available to fisherman prior to the season.