Salmonidstalker

3rd base is a power hitting position, just like left field. For a 3rd baseman, I'll take a power hitter with an ok arm, good defence and moderate speed over the profile of Lawrie. It just doesn't make sense to have Lawrie at 3rd. And in his last days with the Jays they finally pushed him to 2nd base in an attempt to keep him on the roster. But he failed there too. Just way too many strikeouts. But if he actually could put 30-40HR and 80-100RBI on the board consistently, then his strikeout amounts would be acceptable. But enough of him, he's gone now which is a good thing.

They dont need to have cookie cutter builds, I didnt mention anything about his physical characteristics. But certain positions need to be complimented with certain areas of expertise. Lawrie's bat, speed and arm were best suited for a 2nd baseman. Thats where he will shine, but only he if he doesnt strike out as much as he does. Every position on the field has a predetermined set of skills needed to place the correct player in each spot. There are exceptions, but reserved for only the exceptional player. IMO, Lawrie should not be in the majors. He reminds me of a guy I played with when I was younger, Scott Thorman. Drafted number 1 by the Braves. A true Giant at his age, with pure talent. Unfortunately, the Braves brought him up too quickly because they invested so much money into him that they needed him to pay back on their investment, and in the end, he did not perform.

I never liked him. He does not pose the power to be a 3rd baseman. When he was playing for the Jays I always wondered why he wasn't at 2nd base. He has the speed and the defence for 2nd base with a decent bat for that position. Other than that, if 2nd base doesn't work out, he should be sent down to the minors.

Pro's and Con's here. You're also out of the elements, you are able to "feel" for the game better than when its cold and/or raining. No Sun, wind etc. It actually makes playing easier as the stadium is always consistent. Chances of getting a hit are increased from the fast surface, singles into doubles, doubles into triples. Runners are faster on turf, more steals etc. I actually prefer grass but Im just saying there are pros and cons to both grass and turf. I doubt for one second any Pro out there is complaining about playing on any field though or making into a big deal. I also think the game is way to slow, and their back and knee problems mostly stem from just standing around for 3 hours. I loved playing the game when I was young, but watching it puts me to sleep. A game much better played than watched IMO.

Too hard on their bodies? They play indoors during the colder days, and never have to deal with rain or any other elements lol. And what is the difference between Toronto, NY, Detroit etc. when it comes to weather/temperature. Having played in the Skydome/Rogers Center during my baseball days, its a great field, just very fast. The bounces are always true unlike playing on grass. The game of baseball has changed in the past 20 years as have a lot of sports. None for the better. I liked watching ball during the 90's. What a great feeling the game had then! Phillies, Braves, Toronto, etc. every game was fun to watch.

The Blue Jays are the entire MLB's farm team. Blue Jays groom them, they get too good and move on to win a WS or for more money. Jays are an 80-85 win team, at best; said it every year, and they never let me down. Their management needs to change and frankly I'm surprised the team hasn't moved yet.

What I don't get is how the new young angler needs a picture of every fish. You exhaust it, let it flop on the bank until it stays still enough for a picture, and a terrible picture at that. Whats so great about a fish lying on the ground covered in mud and grass? A real wall framer right there! All of its protective slime comes off, its completely stressed and the chances of it dying after release becomes higher. Just because it swims away doesn't mean it lives. Gotta get pics to post it on facebook, instagram, twitter, text etc. Why don't you net the fish and keep it in the water while unhooking it. Get your buddy to have his camera ready, two three quick shots and then back it goes???

Also keep in mind how you plan to liquidate if the need arises to sell. I can see these businesses very easy to buy, but come time to sell it could be a very lengthy process taking years to unload your business. In my honest opinion, I couldn't imagine running a fishing business now or especially when Im retired. I love to fish and I believe that turning it into a business would sour my passion for the sport. I also know a few who do it and have done it, and the story is the same over and over. Too much work and not enough pay. I hope when I retire Im not thinking about working. Life is short, enjoy your family and friends and all the little things in between.

Facebook is for little high school girls. My idea of being "social" is being out and about with people and sharing real "face time". The world or facebook, instagram, twitter, text messaging etc makes me kinda vomit. I like to talk to people.

might be tough to get an answer on that one.

This discussion is not about getting away from the "snaggers" you're associating all river anglers to be. This is about making right decisions in the interest of all anglers. Making a better fishery for everyone to enjoy. Thats a great thing to teach a kid; "stick to the lakes son, don't meet other anglers that share your same interests". Yeah right! You can stick to your lakes if being alone is what makes you happy. I want to see positive change for our fishery; unfortunately I've seen the ball dropped many times over by the MNR. Anyone who has been involved in some form of management group or stakeholder committee knows the hurdles that need to be jumped and red tape that needs to be cut in order to put opportunities for anglers to enjoy. The politics involved are horrendous speaking from actual experience. I am curious though as to how many guys on this board participate in giving back to our resource? Like the thread title "Its your fishery". You should all care about it!

You keep buying into the MNR data, but what fishery have they provided us in the past years. The only two amazing fisheries that I can think of are on the Credit River (thanks to CRAA) and the Saugeen River (thanks to the Ontario Steelheaders). I cant really think of any amazing fisheries that the MNR has provided. I am highly sceptical of their science. Just because they print it, doesn't mean its right. Science is highly subjective depending on the bio or company orchestrating the research. Explain the amazing Brown Trout fishery on the Oak Orchard River or 18 Mile Creek and other NY tributaries. They stock browns in those rivers and they return year after year. You can wish in one hand and crap in another, and see which one gets filled first. Sorry, MNR data is flawed.

I know about Bluffers Browns.....its no fishery, but then again it depends on what your idea of a "fishery" is. Mine certainly isnt the odd fish or two roaming around North Shore. The MNR's data is wrong. It just backs up their decisions to stock off break walls or harbours. Any bio with a head on their shoulders know that fish should be imprinted in rivers to keep them localized or at least part of the time but even then it doesn't mean they will stick around. For every theory that proves x there is a theory that proves y. Like I said, there is a fishery on the south shore because of the warm water but stocking more wont change anything. They will migrate to NY waters where the bait is most plentiful. And the ones that do come over to the CDN side is because the warm water also does spill into the south shore via the various water ways. NY takes advantage of what they have to create fisheries. The brown trout fishery on the NY side is world class. They know they will stay close to home because of the conditions the lake offers. It creates an amazing Spring, Fall and Winter fishery in the lake and in the rivers.

So where are all the Browns going that are currently being stocked off the break walls on the North Shore year after year? Shouldn't there be a fishery after all these years of stocking? Sorry, they migrate to better waters. Not sure where you get your information or science from.

Browns are on the south shore because of the warm water, plain and simple. The four sisters is a perfect example as is Pickering Nuke Plant (there wasn't much stocking going on at the four sisters), but Browns found the warm water at the four sisters and it provided them food which provided a fishery. When the four sisters stopped discharging warm water, the browns left. Explain otherwise??? Find warm water and browns will be there regardless of stocking. Browns are opportunistic feeders, where there is bait, browns will be there. Lake Erie warms and discharges into Lake Ontario via the Niagara River, Welland Canal and Port Dalhousie. The warm water attracts bait and the browns follow. Thats why there are Browns there. The south shore of Lake Ontario receives some of this warm water discharge from lake Erie but the majority goes over to the NY side (watch satellite imagery occasionally and you'll see). When its blown across the south shoreline, the browns will migrate up all the way toward Hamilton Harbour and close to Bronte. The only true way to keep Browns in an area is to imprint them into a river and capture them there or around the piers during their migration to spawn. Other than that, dumping off of break walls or harbours will not keep them there. Its not rocket science guys, its nature. Fish are simple creatures to figure out. My point is, you can stock more browns, but they will migrate to the water that offers the most food which is on the US side of the south shore.

You have no idea what you are talking about. Young and old people abuse the fishery so please spare me the old man speech. Maybe the rivers you fished brought out the worst in people. I enjoy fishing with everyone I pass by on the rivers. Share a drift a chat and move on down. And I do own a boat, and fish Lake Ontario and know quite a bit about Lake Ontario and its tributaries. Im just trying to make it better. As for Steve's comments, Browns should be stocked where natural reproduction does not take place. So anywhere from Hamilton Harbour down to Niagara is best. And alternating sites from year to year as well. But keep in mind, the browns will always migrate down to Niagara and to the NY side of the lake to feed where they all do. Its not stocking, its nature. Warm water flows out and to the east of Niagara. Thats where the bait is and thats where ALL the fish go.

By your response it shows me that you know very little about the dynamics of tributaries and how important they are in the health and population of fish in the Great Lakes. Just because I want to see positive change does not mean I am angry. I want to see people enjoy themselves, fish ethically and give back to the resource. Do you give back to your resource? Or just sit on the computer and flame those who care.

Your image or idea of river fishing is narrow minded. Fishing a river for salmon or trout is an amazing experience. If you focus your attention on the wrong do'ers, then you will never understand what it really has to offer. There are unethical anglers everywhere unfortunately, but all you can do his help the situation, not turn a blind eye.

Your point has no merit. I have no problem with harvest. I encourage selective harvest. I encourage proper fish handling. Steve, maybe the river anglers you associate with do that but the one's I fish with do not. You need to help educate to help the fishery not paint everyone with the same brush. Thats why I said most lake guys are clueless about river fishing. Maybe you don't know that much about the rivers.

I didn't say "his" spots. I said he would give you some access points or some general areas to fish. Graham is a good guy and will help in any way he can.

The lake guys are mostly clueless when it comes to anything upstream of the harbour. Most river guys know what it takes to make a great fishery. But dont mistake anger for passion. The fishery could be amazing if it wasn't for the politics that come from the MNR. If the fishery was handled properly, harvest rates could be increased, not decreased.

If you're new to the notty, your first call should be to Graham Bristow. He will show you the ropes and put you on fish. Consider it an investment. Im sure he will provide you with access points all over the Notty, while you pound chrome all day long on a drift boat trip.

Anyone who fishes the Credit or has a bit of knowledge of the river in a whole, absolutely knows that the Salmon runs on the Credit are pathetic. They have been decreasing for years. The MNR gathers their eggs from that location only because its the safest place to do so, not because the Credit has so many. 1000 adult Salmon take up a lot of real estate below the Streetsville dam. Do you fish the Credit? If you are just a volunteer who helps with egg collections at the dam, then you know that the only fish you are seeing are right at the dam, in the fishway, and around the bend downriver. The rest of the river is void of fish. FACT! Any good river would boast 10-30k of Pacific Salmon. If Salmon could make it above Streetsville, then we would have insane numbers of Pacific returns. The habitat is suitable for reproduction of Pacific Salmon below Norval, and because the smolts are out in the spring, there is no concern of the river temperature affecting the offspring. Steelhead are a different story, they need cold water, and above Norval they should be going. We will have to agree to disagree on the Pen Project. Yes, they do create a few fish back, at best would be a 10% return. So at 5000 smolts in total, with a maximum of 500 adult returning fish, it does little as far as I'm concerned. When you think of all the time, money, man hours, logistics etc to make that happen when 100 pairs of Salmon could reproduce those returns without lifting a finger. It makes no sense to me whatsoever. Let them swim.....is that so difficult.

Im not to sure what you mean by "these are originally ocean dwelling, west coast fish". Steelhead and rainbow trout have proven to reproduce quite well on the Great Lake tribs. They can thrive just as well here and provide a fantastic fishery. As for Bronte, on low water years, the dams are more difficult to pass. A few years of low water can wipe out a decent run quickly. Bronte has a lot of problems, and water being one of them. Too many water permits on that trib.

The momo's on NPS are not real pro-staffer's, they are internet pimps. There is a difference. Not to mention spot burners.