Closing of Sturgeon Pt for 2023

[Coldfeet]

So as expected construction of new wall or repair of old will begin this spring. Woth it the marina will be closed. This will leave us with few launch sites to hit the lake.  We already know of all the launches and most we know have very limited parking.  My question is because I've never had to use it. How's Barcelona ?  Anything needed to know? Hazards? Parking limitations and fishing areas?  No need for numbers or "secret" spots. But what's the basic travel distance to decent fish able water. Thanks in advance. 

[mostlymuskies]

Barcelona Harbor is just about completely closed off with sand may not be usable.

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[Coldfeet]

Understand what your saying but does this condition run through summer?? Obviously not looking to launch this time of year. Looking for summer options. 

[mostlymuskies]

No plans for dredging Barcelona Harbor this spring so far.

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[Jimdski]

The State of New York has the numbers of trailer boats yet is unresponsive to the situations. New Lake Erie State operated boat launches could have been installed at the new Dona street road on Smoke Creek in Lackawanna. Woodlawn Beach State Park was used for years and blocked off to boating access. Eighteen Mile Creek had a Marina years ago  and abandoned by state inaction. Buffalo Beach Park in Angola should have a ramp but now no action by local officials. Evangola State Park had plans for a marina and they are piled up in the office somewhere. Cattaraugus Creek can not handle weekend crowds and the NS and CSX trains now are miles long with heavy delays.  Again long distance round drive trips for vehicles and their boats ruin weekend family use trips. The sales taxes and registration fees are used elsewhere in the state. Lake Erie is the greatest food fish producing water in the world and properly unused by local and visiting users. Dunkirk and Barcelona are two to three hour round trips for municipal residents. Come on Albany, get moving on this most productive use of local water resources.

[Norm Moser]

WHAT Jim said, come on Albany its been the same problem for 50 years. Olcott  launch on lake ontario  fixed the up the harbor but did nothing to the docks at the launch, same curled broken wood sticking out of the docks with nails for the last 20 years !!! I even offered to buy new bumpers and put them on and they said NO.

[Coldfeet]

Totally agree that the lake is 100% unutilized by the state or whoever has any control of access points.  This state is a waste of time talking to.  The repair of sturgeon point is nothing more than a bandaid. I worked on the dredging of Buffalo river. The company dredging was from Michigan. The Scow they used was over 100ft long and easily 10 ft deep and approx 15ft width.  The dredge clam held close to 12 yards material per dip.  The Sturgeon Pt sand problem needs to be addressed to remove all the sand to the east of the wall where fuel pump sits it should be dredged at least 15 ft deep and placed in a bottom drop scow and taken 2 miles out and east of the harbor and dropped on the move.  We all know a wing wall of tight sheet piles would deflect sand but I can guess we will never see this in my lifetime.  I took a ride yesterday to obviously look for launch sites.  NY is a joke. I'm seriously thinking of heading to the west.  Ohio, PA at least has launch sites capable of handling more than 50 vehicles each.  

[Norm Moser]

You guys are right this is a joke but its not funny no real improvements in over 50 years if not longer.I find it hard to believe but maybe the people in charge don't know there is a real problem. I wounder if someone on here with good computer skills could get an online petition going that we could all sign and send it to the people in charge. with all the local clubs and fishing sights in n.y. state that is a lot of voices and power the powers that be need to know there is a problem and be held accordingly. This has gone on for way to long and wont change if it dose not get pushed.

[Norm Moser]

Maybe Mostlymuskies has a point come fish lake erie  maybe we should sell our boats and all take charters it sure would be a hell of a lot easier an in the long run cheaper. { iam not picking on you Larry your still the man}

[mostlymuskies]

Norm, Come Fish Lake Erie,a Cares Act funded program to promote Lake Erie Charter Fishing Captains will do a lot to put our great fishery on the map and finishing with a Economic Impact Study will show Erie & Chautauqua Counties they are missing the boat. We are working with $565,000.00 grant that can only promote Lake Erie Charter Fishing Captains that will show case our great fishery.

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[Norm Moser]

Larry iam not attacking you or any other charter captains i am one. what I am saying is maybe I should sell my boat and fish with a charter at the way it going it would be cheaper. No gas, No boat to take care of, no fights at the docks, no winterizing the boat and storage. just catch fish. so when you taking me.

[Coldfeet]

Bottom line. Those incharge of this region only get concerned when tax dollars fall. Queen Hochul is directly tied to this area and her only concern was to plant windmills on spawning grounds. What is needed is to first go after businesses getting the on board showing them revenue that is lost. My lord just look at simple things we use. Bait shops!! We keep losing them and once gone no one replaces them.  Buy local guys frig going to Cabelas Dicks or internet.  These guys run on a shoestring. Give them some reasons to stay open.. this is a drop in the hat. This will never happen in my lifetime but the future of acess to erie for the future depends on more than just us fishermen

[mr 580]

If you want a voice in the Lake Erie fishery as a weekend warrior, sportsman or charter captain then JOIN AN ORGANIZATION AND GET INVOLVED.   Eastern Lake Erie Charter Boat Association (ELECBA) has both Captain, Mate and Associate memberships.  Why should a person join?  Besides receiving Federal Cares Funding from NOAA that requires those funds to be spent only for the direct promotion of the Charter industry in NY waters of Lake Erie, ELECBA has members playing key roles in Erie & Chautauqua County Federation of Sportsmen, New York Conservation Council, voting member of Lake Erie Management Council and NYSDEC outreach with Region 9 WNY Environmental group.  Some recent ELECBA activities- helped get Sturgeon Point opened in 2022, supported building of kayak launches at Hanover, Dunkirk and Barcelona, and updated fish cleaning facilities in Hanover and Dunkirk.  The initial funding requests for Cares Act by ELECBA included adding wheelchair lifts to our harbors and dock rehabilitation in Dunkirk- NOAA would not accept those requests due to the narrow use of the funds.  So there are people doing things and we do have some voice in political events.  However the number of active people is small and we need more voices and active members.   So join an organization and become active- if you don't want to join ELECBA join your local sportsman's club, NYCCC, or County Federation of Sportsman's Clubs - they are all looking for members.  Sportsmen need to realize that there is only a small number of people advocating for them and it is important to take part so your voice is heard.  As Larry Jones has commented that this Cares Act Funding is a big deal and gives NY Lake Erie Charter Fish a big boost with the "Come Fish Lake Erie" initiative.  It also shows that a handful of committed people can get things done with persistence, fortitude and dedication.  It took a couple years and some sweat to make that happen.  Get involved with the group of your choice.  If you want info on ELECBA then contact Larry Jones or Frank Schoenacker.

[mostlymuskies]

We talked to NYSDEC Lake Erie Fish Manager Jason Robinson tonight at ELECBA Meeting all Dredging Permits are issued and Dredging will start around mid May!

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[allcode]

On 2/28/2023 at 6:40 AM, mostlymuskies said:

We talked to NYSDEC Lake Erie Fish Manager Jason Robinson tonight at ELECBA Meeting all Dredging Permits are issued and Dredging will start around mid May!

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Great. 

[Coldfeet]

Understood dredging will start.  Union concrete won the bid to repair the wall. Does anyone have knowledge to what repairs are to be made? What will be done if anything to keep the sand out of the gap?  Simple dredging is pretty much useless as we all know

[RWR1775]

I understand that the work that will be done at Sturgeon will not be patching current break wall, but a new reconfigured and larger wall.  Anyone know similar of different?  I heard this during a seminar at the Niagara Fishing expo but don't remember who exactly said it.

[Jimdski]

When the young kid college oceanographer talked about the futility of operations of The Sturgeon Point Marina "Old Timers" who seem to run this ship for years  ignored him. We need new access points liks Woodlawn Beach State Park, Evangola State Park and Buffalo Beach Park that are more accessible to City Residents. the grid locked small boat ramps that are to far for late and mid summer fishing grounds  in the colder deep waters we have in mid summer. The Gloria Mae fish tug pulled his nets from here on the Fourth of July and spent the rest of the summer off Dunkirk and farther west west. That is where the action is  after the fourth of July.    

[Justin Emerling]

I agree we need more access points to launch into lake erie

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[Aquaman]

I agree we need more access points to launch into lake erie

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Hamburg is under repair but don't know what there planning. Doubt it's done anytime soon. 2 launches on this end 40 minutes apart. Joke

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[mostlymuskies]

I have recieved word that Sturgeon Point Marina Launch will be open for Lake Erie access Saturday July 1st.No Gass dock or Marina slips until later date.

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[Coldfeet]

July 15th is the date. Not the 1st. 

[mostlymuskies]

July 15th is the date. Not the 1st. 

You correct on July 15th,I was given July 1st from a usually reliable source.

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[Coldfeet]

Too much false information has been given.  The dredging of the harbor mouth will be complete and I guess if you need safe harbor in emergency it could be used. But launching won't be allowed till at least the 15th. 

[Thumbburn]

Still 15 bucks to launch…. What a deal


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