Mark Clemente

Have you ever known anybody to catch a goldfish in Lake George, “Queen of American Lakes”? Or, catching lake trout without a rod and reel?  Read on!

Mark Clemente and Dave Kohler have been regular anglers for lake trout on Lake George for a few decades using a flat bottom 14’ aluminum boat that is equipped with a Lowrance depth finder.  In the summer of 2021, they were on the water 12-15 times.

Mark is a retired GE toolmaker and created a device to replace the rod and reel for trolling on the lake.  He uses converted Victrola motors that are spring loaded reels placed in a box in the rear of the boat.  A “reel” was created to hold the lead line and 20’ leader.  While trolling the boat is kept at a SOG between .5 to 1, preferring a ideal speed between .7 and .8.

The anglers sit in the back of the boat and hand feed the line out to the desired depth, usually between 100’-130’, where the fish are usually located in the summer.  The preferred lures are homemade flutter spoons in colors of brass, silver and two tone.  While controlling the lines Mark and Dave can raise and lower the lures according to the changing lake bottom as displayed on the depth finder.  When the line is released the spring loaded reel retracts the line.

On a recent beautiful September day, the anglers were successful in boating a dozen lake trout in six hours of trolling.  When the fish is hooked the line is released and the fish is brought to the boat by the spring loaded reel.  If the fish firmly resists, the angler strips more line out and repeats the process until the fish tires and is brought to the boat and netted.

This day, the 5^th fish to be caught was not seen until it surfaced near the boat.  Lo and behold out of the depths an orange fish rose; goldfish or lake trout. Upon further inspection, Dave and Mark agreed it was a lake trout.  It was 23.5” and weighed about 5 lbs.  After the photo was taken, the lake trout was released and swam well before diving down to rejoin school of lakers.

Upon docking and while the boat was inspected for invasive species, Mark contacted James Pinheiro, Biologist, who works for DEC in the Warrensburg office.  Jim has known Mark for many years as Mark was a key participant in DEC’s Angler Cooperator Program (1978-2014). Anglers kept a log of the lake trout and salmon they caught, weather conditions and number of hours they fished.  The data was used to enhance the Lake George fishery, which today is considered to be very robust.

Jim confirmed the orange fish was a lake trout that is known as a leucistic lake trout.  It is a very rare condition described as a melanistic reduction.  He judged the fish to be 6-7 years old.  All other features of the leucistic lake trout are similar to standard lake trout.  Jim commented that the orange color may lead to the fish being an easier prey and might be one reason there are very few of them.  Leucistic lake trout are edible and exhibit no negative qualities.

Jim did mention that a smaller leucistic lake trout was caught through the hard water a few winters ago.  Although it is anecdotal, Jim said there is a strong possibility that the two fish are one and the same.

Now, you can confidently answer YES to the two question posed at the start of the article.  And as the proverb states, “You have to be in it to win it.”

         This article was published in New York Outdoor News, October 1, 2021.