thegrumpyfisherman

Hi everyone, thought I'd introduce myself. I just joined a few days ago, I'm about 5 or 6 years into this hobby now, and am obsessed. Here's my boat set-up, works well for inland lakes but I wouldn't dare venture out on Lake Erie in it: I go all over, but my favorite lakes are Onaping, Temagami, and I also like the Moon River area. I also go to a family cottage on Kasshabog a lot in the Kawarthas. I target fish with teeth mostly, rarely going after Bass. I have recorded a lot of my catches on video, so many of my trips are on my youtube channel. I'm still a fishing Newbie, but I'm getting better at it each summer. I have to admit as a guy who started out wading into the rapids on the Grand River with a worm and a weight I've come a long way! I have a couple groups of friends I go with, Nippissing is one such bi-annual trip. Mostly I like going it alone however. Look forward to participating more and chatting with many of you. I have lots to learn still. The youtube link is in the signature line. Keep in mind some of the videos were done for my kids and friends, so they're a long way off from Bob Izumi quality. I have a GoPro now that I take when I go out, and a pretty good editing program, so they are getting better. Tony

You're very convinced Net, I'm guessing there's more at play here than just a fishery by your choice of words. Severely off topic, and I'll keep it short, but they have a legal document that entitles them to what they do, we do not. Arguing that their document shouldn't be valid anymore cuz those who made it are long dead is like saying neither should the Constitution or most of our laws, as they were made by people long dead as well. Blaming one group that you accuse of being non-contributing tax theives speaks for itself. Tony

O And they only reduced it this year, last minute even. Apparently this fishery has been in trouble for a decade now, a bit late in the game to go drastic. Before passing judgement everyone has to wait a few years now to see if this measure works. For all we know the restriction to anglers is all that is needed, assuming everyone respects it. Like it or not Natives have prior rights, and that's an entirely different discussion not even related to sport fishing. If changes are to be made those of us who do it for fun will be the first hit in every case. Crying that Natives should get smacked as well is sour grapes until we know the current efforts aren't enough.

I don't disagree guys, I'm just amazed that the whole focus is the ministry and the natives! Does anyone give creedance to decades of anglers harvesting fish? Even the mere suggestion seems to get smashed to the ground. There are tens of thousands of people keeping fish every day, and they do it year after year after year. When most of these species require 10-15 years to reach a decent size basic math knowledge would suggest its not entirely the indians and the government!

I guess then it is agreed that the problem is overfishing, the debate then becomes by whom? Nippissing and Temagami FN seem to take the brunt for both of those lakes, but what about all the others? Anyone who fishes anywhere in Ontario has to admit the fish don't bite like they did 30 years ago, no matter where you go except maybe Lake Erie. Of course they are still there if you know where to look, but even with all of the stocking programs one would think the bite would be better than it is most days. Worst part is that no matter what got us to this point, we have no choice but to let the fish replenish for a few years. I sport fish so for me it's no big deal. Hopefully things turn around. Tony

K now I'm getting misquoted, "limits aren't always respected either, especially from many Americans who visit" has somehow been converted to "he statement of all of the Americans are raping and pillaging". Sorry I dared to blame overfishing I'll bow out of the discussion now.

I was referring to sun down. Like I said I go spring and fall so maybe I am mistaken Bernie. I know this spring there was literally 10 feet between each boat at the mouth it was so packed all three nights I was there. I just don't buy the netting argument. I go to Temagami, Onaping, Woods Bay, all over. The shortage of fish is not unique to Nippissing. They are there, but if levels were healthy everywhere it shouldn't be a challenge to find them. By contrast you go to a fly in lake that isn't full of lodges and the fish are literally jumping into the boat. My opinion is over angling is the biggest factor. Tony

I fish twice a year near the mouth of the South River. It amazes me to hear people blame netting/natives to be honest. Anyone who has been to that area knows that most nights all summer long there can be 30-40 boats plucking fish all day long from that area. Multiply that 7 days a week with 3 persons to a boat or more and how is it any wonder to anyone the numbers are down? I also know for a fact that limits aren't always respected either, especially from many Americans who visit. I think as anglers we need to take some responsibility. This isn't 1970 anymore, there are tens of thousands of us now unlike the old days, and the practice of mass harvesting for fish frys twice a day have to end for the large groups that go up there. It just can't sustain this, 6 lb. fish take 15 years or more to grow, and today the numbers of anglers is exponentially larger and still growing than it was when most were younger. It's a change in culture thats needed. I go with guys who look at me with borderline anger if I say I want to throw something back, like I'm insane. And the groups I see at the lodges I stay at often show similar contempt. The fishery is what we make of it, just my 2 cents. If you caught 200 fish and next to none of them were over 18 inches, that says a lot about what we have done. Tony

I don't think I'm giving much away here, but Blackstone Harbour is the place to be in that area. Why it's a fish magnet I don't know, but I can tell you I catch stuff every time I go there: http://youtu.be/vI22PG64ORo?list=UUmCnxK-pzx0c2eR908MJZ4w The pickerel are near the buoy in the middle when it is choppy, as are the pike. There's a shoal full of weeds that can attract both species in big numbers at times surrounding the marker. When it's calm and sunny and there seem to be none there cruise around looking in 20-30 feet they will eventually show up on the sonar, then jig worms or minnows. Large numbers of fish seem to stay in that Harbour year round, I would assume its a spawning bay so the food is likely plentiful enough they just never leave. The pike are all over the place in Woods Bay and beyond, any hump thats 10 feet or less when trolling will almost always get you one during summer and fall. I haven't found any other good pic spots yet but it's a lot of water like a previous poster said. Here's another Pike I caught trolling near the marina a couple weeks ago: http://youtu.be/_FKNWe0uBhA?list=UUmCnxK-pzx0c2eR908MJZ4w I'm not a Bass guy at all so couldn't tell you where they are, but the options are endless in there with shoals, weeds, and structure just a matter of making enough casts I would assume. Two summers ago in August on a weekday morning there was literally a school of dozens of pike surfacing and diving in the middle of Blackstone in about 20 feet near the North End. I don't know if this is a regular event or not but it was quite the day of fishing I never saw anything like it before or since.