Nipfisher

There were groups that caught 15-20 walleye per day and 50-100 perch per day. Depends on where you were fishing and if the outfitter (hut owner) was on the fish. I am expecting to have an excellent summer of walleye fishing on Nip as I learned a few things last year that should help with my success. Most likly smaller walleye but better #s.

Nice fish.....oops I mean daughter. My niece's name is Nora. Beautiful name. Congrats.

Since the 40s and 50s the walleye population and fishery in general has been brought to a shadow of what it once was. Now this has to do with pressure on the fishery. By sport anglers, natives, and environment. So what we take now hyas far more of an impact on the sustainability of the fishery.

Thank you Crosshairs for adding the points of NFN. Thank you to all who participated in this thread and to all those who have bitten thier tongue's on this sensitive issue. If your comments were not productive I appreciate you not posting them. Thank you mods for watching this closely and allowing the discussion to go on. I hope this continues as I believe this forum is capable of adult conversation and discussion.

I believe the 4 net rule is per fisherman. Therefor any band member with a boat or access to one. Band members do not have to be registered with the band but they encourage it and there are benefits to registering. Fish caught by registered commercial fisherman and processed at the NFN processing plant are "Certified Nipissing Walleye" and sold in 2 local shops run by NFN for $14 per pound. Some of the unregistered fishermen sell walleye for $3-$6 per fish right out of their homes. I have sent a message to Clayton. He has not been on here yet this year.

There nets can catch 50 to 100 fish daily and they are allowed 4 nets. I have seen a boat pull in with nets and coolers. Coolers heald over 160 walleye. Mixed in were bass, pike, sheepshead, and perch. They set up an assembly line and process the fish right in plain view. Some who are registered will take it to the processing plant on reserve. The commercial harvest target is about 46,000 kg a year (101,412 lbs.) , but it would be 66,000 kg (145,505 lbs.) if the fishery was at its potential. One point I made earlier is that I have been offered and saw live walleye swimming in an aerated chest freezer. Now that is just plain illegal unless "you are on reserve" .

MB2, I feel I am quite knowlegeable on the resources and fishing pressure on Lake Nipissing. I am also very understanding as well. I love this lake and I love fishing it. The fish are still there and you can still do well but you have to work for them. That is what I like doing. Going out and drifting/trolling to find the fish then trying to get them to bite. I have spoken to NFN peoples and administration in the past about illegal nets, band members selling live fish, and spearing. THey deal with thier people in their traditional manner. Through a justice circle. Those who are caught netting during the spawn are shamed by the community.

Bill the walleye index for mature walleye has been down for 3 consecutive years. There were alot of smaller walleye caught this year but that is in relation to the change in mesh size on their nets.

Roy, I understand this is a touchy subject. I had no intentions of making this about race or politics. Just frustreated with the declining walleye #s being reported but then they target the spawning walleye?

He said a person can usually tell which walleye are females and “conservation-minded” spear harvesters try to focus on males. The quote in the article indicates that the spearers can target males not the females but how many are conservation-minded?

My concern and reason for posting this is from all reports including NFN the walleye index counts are down 3 straight years now. NFN has lowered their netting quotas and still can't reach their # of 60,000 tonnes (from 90,000). SO, why target spawning walleye with nets or spears? Like my o.p. 1 native fisherman can spear 20 walleye per day from April 1- May 10. That is more then 40 days of spearing and potential harvest could be 800 walleye. I believe there are only about 18 registered comercial fisherman within NFN but this srearing right is given to all with status. I agree with many posters here and not all natives use their rights to harvest fish as/when needed, but if even 1 native netted 200 spawning walleye (5 per day x 40 days) it would be (is) devistating to the fishery. Gee, I woneder why they can't meet their netting quotas??????????? What happens on May 11th? What about walleye that were late to spawn?

O.k, just learned some disturbing news. I have been well aware that Nipissing First Nation placed a ban on gill-netting during the spawn "spring spawn netting moratorium that has been in place for several years will continue and is already scheduled for April 1 through May 10". There were still offenders caught netting during the spawn last year. However, I was not aware that they continue to allow spearing during the spawn. There is a limit of 20 fish per boat PER DAY and that is just a recent ammendment. They recently added no night spearing to the regulations as well. Here is the link to the Nipissing First Nation Resources Newsletter for Spring 2012. NFN Spring 2012 Now, let me make this clear. I am not calling out NFN for netting and spearing as I feel they have that right. I am dumbfounded by the quota #s for such a fragile fishery and to permit the NFN fisherman to spear 20 spawning walleye per day. More then 40 days of spearing during the spawn could ammount to 800 walleye per fisherman. Here is a recent article from the North Bay Nugget with quotes from Clayton Goulais (Crosshairs) whom I have had several good conversations with. He is an enforcement officer with NFN. Walleye spawn beginning on Lake Nipissing Admin on Apr 13, 2012 in Local News | 0 comments By DAVE DALE The Nugget - The walleye in Lake Nipissing have started moving into spawning grounds. And Nipissing First Nation is bolstering its monitoring program to enforce the community’s moratorium on gill netting which began April 1 and continues until May 10. “It’s just, just starting and there’s not much activity going on,” Clayton Goulais, Nipissing FN’s resource management enforcement officer, said Thursday morning. Goulais said six monitors will be scouting the lake and boat launches on-and-off reserve to cut down on unauthorized commercial harvesting. Other authority agencies will also be patrolling the lake to enforce water safety laws. Nipissing FN revised its resource management law last year after not meeting a reduced harvest quota twice and fall walleye index netting studies showed a sharp decline in spawning age fish. Spearing is now being restricted to 20 walleye per boat and banned after midnight. Goulais said he knows three people who have gone out spearing and each only harvested four or five walleye, illustrating the early stage of the spawn. “The water is still cold,” he said, adding that rain early this week probably warmed up the creeks and turned on the smelt run, with warmer weather and rain possibly doing the same for walleye. He said a person can usually tell which walleye are females and “conservation-minded” spear harvesters try to focus on males. Goulais said the public can call him at 705-498-3823 if they want to report gill netting activity. Nipissing FN organized a Lake Nipissing Summit April 3-4 and the presentations were recently posted to thewww.lakenipissingsummit.ca website. A plan to study and address environmental and fishery issues is expected to come after stakeholders review the input of summit participants. I know this debate opens a can of worms every time so lets stay on track with this thread.

1st test we did Paul. No oil leaking out and CAN'T access the 1-way valves (3 of them internal) so I am still looking at new pump unit. Just bolts on.

Lots of units available for mine BB. It is a 1995. Some guys want $600 for the replacement unit without a guarantee it works. I hear "it worked when I took it off" but that doesn't cut it and once it has been removed you can't test it until it is under load. Sure you can make it go up and down but need the weight of the motor to see if it will hold.

Terry, is there a difference between check valve and one-way valve? The one way valves in the pump unit are not accessible. If anyone wants to try to fix it let me know. I'll pay gas and time and feed you and let you sleep here. Oh ya, and beer too. Has to be cheaper then $300!.

Wayne, the pump units are sealed so the check valves are not accessible. It has been looked over twice by a Yamaha mechanic and he used my original unit and another one I bought used and made a unit that works for the most part. It will hold in the up position for about 20 minutes so it is good for landing the boat.

I bought this package off of a buddy a few years back. The boat is a Starcraft 170C which is 16.9 feet long. The Easy Hauler trailer is made for up to 16' boats. I was able to use it for the last 2 years but was always worried about my boat rolling off, short of the water, as I launched it. So when I put it away this fall I pulled out the tounge and had a buddy extend it for me. I re-drilled the bolt hole and put it back together. I gained 29" and think it will make a big difference. I know it will be tougher to back up but I hope it is easier to launch and land. Now I just have to fix the trim on the 90hp Yamaha. The unit has already been replaced once and continues to leak down (no fluid leak). It trims up and down fine but won't hold. Also will not allow me to hold the boat re-planed for max speed. I have already spent $300 trying to fix it and I have just committed another $300

I ended up cleaning my whole lot. 145 in total. I made 5 bags of 26 for the freezer and friends and have 15 in the sink for breakfast in a little bit.

Got out for a Smelting last night with Rod Caster and a buddy. Tried our private creek for some bigg-uns and we were not dissapointed. My biggest was just ove 9"! Our buddy caught one even bigger! Ended the night with about 150 to take home and certainly could have got more but 2am is too late for this guy lol. I'm done for this season.

Don't know if you measured that one Ryan, but here is some bigger ones from last night. Only the biggest one is from our secret creek. All others are from same place you were. Sink shot will be in the other Smelt thread.

PIGS! Huge bellies on them perchies.

Good job Ryan, I am going tonight.

Hey Kevin. I checked Chippewa Creek here in North Bay today and no sign of the suckers. I heard a few years back that when the dandilions are opening the suckers are in the creeks. Smelts are not running full yet either.

Noticed that too. Yuck.

That`s a nice fish and a nice looking set up.