Last regular stocking program on the Great Sacandaga Lake by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was in 1973. GSLFF was formed in 1984 and was originally made up of various fish & game clubs. The GSLFF is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the preservation of the fishery of the Great Sacandaga Lake. The first stocking program by the federation was from 1984 – 1988 when over 500,000 smelt were stocked as a forage fish. These smelt were netted in Indian Lake and were transported by members to various locations around the lake.		Click on Image for Larger View
Click on Image for Larger View		The DEC issued a stocking permit for Rainbow and Brown Trout in the lake in 1988. With this permit, just over 500 fish were stocked in the fall of 1988. Stockings have increased in numbers and annually been held each spring since 1989. Fish stocked range from 14” to approximately 22” in length and are supplied by Avery’s Trout Hatchery in Gloversville. Avery’s transports fish to locations around the entire 27-mile long lake. Trout that were stocked from 1990 to 1996 were tagged so they could be tracked. Results over the years showed return rates and lures of choice. Due to cost of tags and similar results year to year the tagging program was stopped.
Since inception, approximately $220,000 has been spent to reach this milestone of the stocking of the 50,000th adult trout. Funds for the stocking program come from membership in the GSLFF and the fishing contests and raffles we hold each year. Money has also been allocated by the newly formed Great Sacandaga Lake Advisory Council, Saratoga and Fulton Counties, towns around the lake, occasional legislative grants through Senator Farley, fish & game clubs, businesses and other area associations.		Click on Image for Larger View
Click on Image for Larger View		The GSLFF is participating in an angler diary program on the lake. Results from this yearlong sampling of what anglers are catching will be compared to a similar study done in the late 1970’s. In addition to Trout, we recently acquired a permit to stock Perch and Bullhead in the lake providing we can find a source acceptable by the DEC. The GSLFF has been an intervenor and signateur in the settlement agreement to relicense the E.J. West hydroelectric facility at the Conklingville dam since 1993.

Randy Gardinier has been chairman of the GSLFF for 5 years and is past Treasurer (2002) and currently Chairman (2003-2004) of the Great Sacandaga Lake Advisory Council. The GSLFF can be contacted at P.O. Box 991, Northville, NY 12134 or e-mailed at gslff@hotmail.com.