[bulletbob]

NY has lousy management.. They stock 1 year old fish, jersey stocks 2 year olds.. NY anglers take EVERYTHING.. I don't know why anyone would think NY has a bunch of conservationists fishing here..An exception might be the Catskill streams and a few Adirondack streams... The Finger Lakes and Great lakes get all the trout because thats where the tourists go.. I live in the Finger Lakes region, and our stream fishing blows.. There are indeed some lakes here that have big trout, Cayuga and Seneca, but they are hit hard by downrigger trollers all year as they are too big and windblown to freeze.. Its all deep trolling from big boats with downriggers, but thats how you have to fish when the lakes are 40 miles long, 2 miles wide, and 600 feet deep.. I personally don't like trolling all day at 125 feet down in whitecaps for a few 4 or 5 pound fish ...Jersey you can catch nice trout in the lakes 25-40 feet down drifting a calm mile wide lake with herring and a split shot.. Good luck with that up here... This is all big water deep trolling, the streams are awful unless you go to Catskills... Yes we have the Lake Ontario tribs, and you can get some trophies, but I don't do it.. Too crazy up there.. No sportsmanship, fights breaking out, cursing, rowdy drunks.. Not for me..
I have been in NY state 22 years, and am looking to move back to NJ, and better fishing is one of the main reasons. We have BIG water here, but keep in mind, bigger is NOT always better.. NJ is easier to fish by far, more productive for some species,[not all] and the fisheries management is much better.. Try walking the shore of these giant deep lakes with a spinnerbait or plug and see if you ever get a hit.. You will at Lake Hopatcong, Spruce Run or Round Valley... bob