NAC

moving the earth's axis by 6.5 inches is pretty impressive!

How'd that affect all your GPS locations??

BTW, sorry for jackin' your thread Anthony73.

Spoons, spinners will be good when the temps are up like they have been lately, but as BillM said, minnows/imitations(gulp), and in another month or less, roe.

Here's another tidbit I forgot to mention- "freshly dead smelt being used outside the water it was taken from is not legal" Reason is that the eggs may still become fertilized if the smelts had been mixed in the same bucket/container. Imagine trying to enforce that one!

Who thought smelt for bait was so complicated??

While I have no idea which MNR representative you spoke to at the booth, it's not unheard of that an individual MNR representative provided inaccurate information (who was misinformed themselves).

 

I have no individual source per se rather am interpreting the regulations as they are written. The list of acceptable baitfish pertains to LIVE fish only, dead bait is permitted unless there is a specific exception for a given species.

 

FMZ 1-4 list (in the exceptions) that Smelt may not possessed at bait. The same exception does not apply in other zones, including the Niagara.

 

Further, I have a copy of the 2005 regs in front of me. Although now outdated it states: "Live Smelt may not be used as bait in Ontario. There are restrictions on the use of dead Smelt (see Exceptions to the General Regulations)"...ie my point in the above paragraph.

 

 

If dead Smelt are not actually permitted, I'm missing something in the regulations as they are written or the regs need to be corrected.

You are 100% correct!

Spoke the Aquatic Ecologist/Policy Advisor, and she informed me that the guidelines can be a bit ambiguous but the CO who I spoke with was WRONG.

She also stated "although they are an invasive species, they are not considered a threat except in the area mentioned in the guidelines."

Dead, frozen or salted are legal.

While I have no idea which MNR representative you spoke to at the booth, it's not unheard of that an individual MNR representative provided inaccurate information (who was misinformed themselves).

You could be right. Wanting to know for certain, I called the MNR to see what was the verdict. The first person was convinced it is legal for salted or frozen smelt with the exception of the Northern Ontario lakes you spoke of. Then I told him my findings and he forwarded my call to the "baitfish expert". Left a voicemail around noon today and have yet to get the call back.

will let you know.

This is not correct. The list of permitted baitfish in the regs you refer to is for live bait. With the exception of a few zones in Northern Ontario, it is legal to use dead Smelt as bait.

Confirmed it with the MNR booth at the Niagara Outdoor Show last Saturday. I'd like to know your source though, because I used them in the past too.

Dead smelt

Are illegal to use as they are not listed as baitfish in the regs.

Waiting on the MNR to give answer.

this was caught by Bongo, another OFC'r

I'll be fishing with my good freind Paul Castellano from Cast Adventures on the Niagara later this month , and really want to try them on the bar, I'll post some pics.

good luck with that if there's a fresh run of chrome moving thru...

nice looking baits and great job on the fish!

have a pic from last year of a buddy with a big steelie buck that looks like it has a broken back. We called him quasi too, will have to dig it up.

White River waders at BPS are decent and should be on sale soon. Go neoprene foot and boots(not booted waders) but put a little money into the boots, so they last more than one season.

Backing line, dacron or some cheap heavier mono. Suffix Seige is very good affordable mainline. Coloured mainline is very ghey and totally unecessary if you pay attention the the drift and your float.

these are all just my opinions of course.

Good luck man and will maybe see you on the river!

Here's a new show coming out this spring.

 

looks decent but I'll probably not watch someone get so enthusiastic over 4-10lb fish. Looks like he'll be promoting the blue zone.

fav show would have to be Gillznfinz but fav Canadian show would likely be Big Coast.

Very nice Tyler, and sure would like a crack at those Atlantics if I can ever get up there at the right time.

I think you mean this fish, I don't like it when people take pics of the fish I caught and then claim it was there's

Aha, so I'm not going crazy.

sorry to hear bongo, but some folks will do anything for a bit of glory.

I could have sworn that your report used to say you caught one brown and one steelhead, and you even had a picture of the steelie??? Are my eyes decieving me or are you?

I'll bet a dozen nightcrawlers if the Colts play the Chiefs, at the end of the day the Chiefs will be on the outside looking in...

I'll take that bet.

It's a lot of years of playoff redemption for the Chiefs vs the Colts, and the Colts are ripe for a loss. Goes back before Manning when Harbaugh was QB and the Colts had no business beating them at home in '93.

I'm thinking the winner of the AFC over the Eagles for the SB.

do you lose a lot of weights due to zebra mussels?

nice smallies BTW!

There's lots of great CFL players who'd do just as well in the no fun league.

Yes and they are all kickers.

CFL players are NFL cast-offs or never made the draft. History has proven that it is very difficult for CFL calibre players to make and stay in the NFL.

Players like Joe Theisman, Warren Moon, Doug Flutie are the only names that come to mind of players who crossed between the two leagues with success in both. I'm sure the were a couple others too.

Bring on the Not For Long game!

That chain of lakes has been taking a pounding for a week and a half now. It will be interesting to see how the power boat catches stack up against the those from the Haliburton Kayak Fishing Classic that was just held there on those same five lakes this past weekend.

and yes, good luck to all!

great looking fish Steve, kinda numbs my recent thoughts of fall steelhead

thanks for taking the time to put it together, everyone needs a friend like Tony!

He's good but there's a pile of good canuck players in the majors these days.

Justin Morneau,Jason Bay,Erik Bedard,Ryan Dempster,Rich Harden etc...

Votto is most exceptional though, can't believe they didn't think he was all-star worthy.

It's been a lot of years since I fished the state but there is some very good fly fishing to be had.

Maroon Belles was decent and isn't far from Aspen, Gunnison/Crested Butte was very good for larger cutties and other trout,Leadville had some great reservoirs(bellyboat or canoe/kayak req'd).

Most lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park had decent numbers but smaller trout. I really enjoyed the the hike up to Long's Peak and stopping to fish the several lakes along the way. The view's were astounding!

Best suggestion I can give is to go to the Chamber of Commerce to get free info on the different fishing areas, then make your plan based on that and go visit the local shops for more specific info.

Have fun!

Caught my largest smallie at night .

same here..... love it!

Can't wait to give it a go again this year.

don't buy a sportspal if you plan to do a lot of paddling.

great for fishing but not so much for paddling

very nice fishing up your way right now, congrats!

That male sure looks like a Brown except the dots are mostly on the dorsal side of the lateral line.

how long do they stay near the river now? They don't run until September, no?