Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

Lake Ontario is one of the Empire State's premier destinations for excellent brown trout fishing, giving up state-record browns each year. Through the action is hottest in spring, big browns may be taken from this Great Lake right through the summer -- with another peak in action each fall.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Resources Bureau of Fisheries plans to stock about 455,000 yearling brown trout into Lake Ontario each year.

"We actually get only between 80 and 85 percent of that," said Tom Eckert, a DEC fisheries biologist.

"A number of years ago, we stocked some inland waters with larger 2-year-old brown trout. That requires keeping a portion of the yearlings in the hatcheries, and that took away space for more yearlings. So we're down from 95 percent of the target number we used to stock."

The eastern basin lacks good brown trout habitat, so the majority of stocked browns are poured into the main part of the lake.

"We consider this a put, grow and take program," Eckert said. "Most browns are harvested at age 2, 3 or even 5. The minimum length is primarily to protect newly stocked trout.

"The daily creel limit on browns is three fish, with a 15-inch minimum. We want them to get big and be harvested later. There is tremendous growth potential in that lake."

The 15-inch minimum length is in effect on most of the "put, grow and take" species in Lake Ontario, including coho and chinook salmon.

In 2007, the minimum length on rainbow trout was bumped up to 21 inches. The three-fish-per-day creel limit includes a total of three fish in any combination of trout and salmon species. Eckert said that brown trout anglers have much to look forward to in 2008: "Last summer was quite hot and dry, but browns are stocked directly into Lake Ontario. The water levels were fine most of the year -- a little low in the fall, but nothing to suggest trouble for brown trout.

"We just had a very good year for brown trout in 2007. The harvest rates were up. Things look good for 2008. Of course, conditions in spring are probably the biggest factor.