Spiel

Watershed deal aimed at protecting Great Lakes September 25, 2008 Martin Mittelstaedt / The Globe and Mail Compact largely bans massive transfers The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday approved a historic compact that largely bans major diversions from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, protecting the world's largest body of fresh water from massive transfers. The measure had already been passed by Ontario, Quebec, and the eight states along the water system, and goes into effect on Dec. 8. U.S. President George W. Bush must still sign it, but this is considered a formality, because he has pledged to do so. Environmentalists said the new protections go a long way toward removing one of the gravest threats to the Great Lakes - that parched areas elsewhere in North America or abroad would try to grab some of its waters. "It's a good signal to the rest of North America that they can't depend on the Great Lakes water when they get into trouble," said Mark Mattson, president of Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, a Toronto-based conservation advocacy group. "Hopefully, it's a signal that we're going to start keeping water in our watersheds." Although public support has always been overwhelming in Canada for protecting the integrity of the Great Lakes, the need for the compact arose when a former Ontario Conservative government in 1998 approved a plan to allow a company to use tankers to scoop 3 billion litres of water from Lake Superior for sale to Asia. The idea was dropped after intense public criticism, and led the states and provinces to negotiate the water protection pact over the past seven years. "The passage of this is reassuring and very timely," said Adèle Hurley, director of the program on water issues at the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies, which has published research indicating Canada's water isn't well protected from diversion. Ms. Hurley said the compact's approval has come at an opportune time because water levels in the lakes will face pressure from the effects of climate change and from rising populations. She also said that with an economic downturn in the offing, it might have become more difficult to get such a comprehensive environmental protection measure passed. Although the lakes are massive and contain 18 per cent of the world's fresh surface water, most of this resource is the legacy of melting from glaciers at the end of the last ice age. Only about 1 per cent of the water is considered renewable each year from precipitation. The pact is known formally as the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact, and doesn't require federal approval in Canada. Under the arrangement, new diversions of water are almost completely banned from what is known as the Great Lakes Basin, or all the drainage areas where rivers and groundwater flow into the five big lakes and the St. Lawrence. However, a minor exception allows diversions for communities that lie partly within the basin. This occurs in some parts of the United States, such as Illinois and Wisconsin, where parts of municipalities drain into the Mississippi River and other parts into Lake Michigan. These communities will be able to draw water for public supplies. They may also be required to return water to the basin after it is used. Bottled-water businesses will also be prohibited from shipping water out of the basin in containers larger than 20 litres. The Ontario government issued a statement yesterday saying the House approval is "great news" for the province because it "further protects" waters in the Great Lakes.

Maintenance work planned at Woolwich Dam September 26, 2008 / GRCA The Grand River Conservation Authority is going to dig up a small section of the surface of the Woolwich Dam near Elmira to learn why it is settling more than the usual amount and then do any necessary repairs. The work will start Oct. 7 and last about a week. To allow the work to take place, the reservoir will be drawn down early to its winter holding level. Normally it reaches the winter level in mid-November. In addition, the trails around the Woolwich Dam will be closed on Oct. 6, about one week earlier than normal. The Woolwich Dam is an earthen embankment about 12 metres high (40 feet). It was built on the Canagagigue Creek in 1974 to provide flood protection for Elmira and to store water for release to the creek during the summer. It is normal for earthen embankment dams to settle over time, but the amount has been greater than usual. GRCA staff have noted some minor slumping in the road along the top of the dam near the concrete gate structure. As well, a guard rail along the road has started to lean toward the reservoir. Part of the asphalt road and about one metre of soil will be removed from the top of the dam. Staff will examine the embankment, looking for areas of loose or uncompacted soil. When they have found them, they will put new soil in place, compact it to the proper standards and then restore the area. The reservoir will remain at its winter holding level after the work is done. --------------------------------------------- Further information: Dave Schultz, GRCA Manager of Communications Phone: (519) 621-2763, Ext. 2273 Fax: (519) 621-4844 E-mail: Dave Schultz

Cloudy lake is clearly a fisherman’s dream Sept. 14, 2008 Eric Sharp / DETROIT FREE PRESS RICE LAKE, Ont. — We were visiting friends Bob and Barb Campbell at Lake Muskoka when my wife mentioned that our next stop would be Rice Lake, about a two-hour drive away. “Why would you want to go there? It’s cloudy and full of weeds,” said Barb, whose cottage in the rocky Laurentian Shield country sits on some of the clearest fresh water you’ll find anywhere. “The only people who go to Rice Lake are fishermen.” As the kids say, Barb, “Duh!” Who else would be more eager to visit a place that claims to have more fish than any other inland lake in Ontario? That’s why Jim Peterson of Knoxville, Tenn., was there with his brother, Alan, and three friends who have been making a trip to Rice Lake each summer for 19 years. “We’re bass guys, and the bass fishing here usually is really good — better than we get at home. You have largemouths and smallmouths, and there’s a real good chance of catching fish over five pounds,” he said. “I had a largemouth yesterday that went five pounds nine [ounces] and two smallmouths over four pounds. And that was along with seven or eight smaller bass, three walleyes and three perch that were over 12 inches.” Peterson said it was about the same distance from his home to Rice Lake as it was to Lake Okeechobee in Florida, another bass Mecca. “Okeechobee is fun because there’s always the chance you’ll get a 10-pound largemouth. But I’d say Rice is a better all-around bass lake, especially the past few years when the water levels have been so far down in Florida,” he said. I’ve fished Rice Lake several times, always in spring and early summer for its wonderful bluegills and other panfish. When the gills are bedding, you can easily catch and release 50 to 100 in a day on a fly rod or spinning tackle, and some will honestly reach the 11-inch mark on a ruler and push 1z poun 2/3 1/3 . The reason the fishing is so good — and stays that way year after year despite being 90 minutes northeast of Toronto — is that Rice Lake is open to fishermen only from late April through mid-November and is closed to ice fishing in the winter months. This year I decided to try Rice Lake in late summer and look for the big largemouths I’d heard so much about, and it was worth the effort. In about eight hours of fishing over two days, I caught and released seven largemouths, three of them five to six pounds. But I also caught four smallmouths and two walleyes, and when I went in search of bluegills with Yo Zuri Snap Bean crankbaits, I caught enough 6-to-9-inch perch in two hours to half fill a bucket, along with a dozen 9-to-11-inch crappies. For the bass, I concentrated on shallow weedbeds, mostly 3 to 6 feet deep, with plastic critter baits in dark green and purple that mimicked crayfish and salamanders. Several dozen resorts and fishing camps on the lake offer two-bedroom cabins for $80 to $120 a night. Many also rent small boats for $50 to $100 a day, depending on the engine size. For more information visit www.ricelakecanada.com

....Soweeeeet! I'm hoping that the weather is nice enough for me to get out there on Monday.

....The only disappointment is knowing it'll be 9 months befur I see y'all 'gain. And I surely hope Les will be coming back.

....As previously mentioned great company, cold nights and tough fishing. And now for the pics in no particular order.... Walleye hotspot.....perhaps. and a shot of Muskiestudd in search of his namesake.

....Nice to see you again Rob and meet you Glen. Seems the two of you done well out there.

....Isn't that the same thing? Starve a fever, hope you feel better soon. Sore throats and flus have already been through my house.

....You could just stop in at the Lakair Lodge docks and show me/us in person. There will be about 20 or so of us from this board there on the weekend. You might even snag a few tips from some of the regulars to the west arm.

...A heart warming tale Roger, thank you very much for sharing. Kudos to all who helped make it a great day for Jacob.

....Not certain on the distance, exactly. I'd say 3, maybe 4 miles. Lakair would be on your left side just before you pass under the Hwy #64 bridge.

....A very common occurance. While I've never actually used live crayfish I have had good success on crayfish pattern flies. I've caught rainbows that at times rattled they had eaten so many crayfish. I've also seen them full of snails.

....I'll be fishing over that way from time to time. Are you in a rental or your own boat?

It happens very often as salmon have large gaping mouths (picture a panting dog) set lines and long leaders take advantage of this. It is often accidental but it is also practiced often.

....Lining sometimes refered to as flossing is a manner in which the line (often a long leader) itself passes through the salmons mouth. When tension is felt the hook is set pulling the line through its mouth hooking it on the outside of the mouth.

....If a rod is not spined properly the guides may roll to one side or another when the rod is flexed. That is to say the rod will always bend in line with the spine and if the guides aren't lined up with it you'll notice.

....Hey Skeeter I just checked the Google map and it's good. If you zoom in you'll see Musky Island road on the left and Memquisite road on the right. Lakair is just before you get to those roads on your left if coming from Monetville.

....Sheeeesh, I didn't get a chance to ask Lew to leave some musky for me. Hooked and I will be arriving early Friday.

....Personally I have no idea. I think I heard it through the grapevine.

....You should be okay. If it does manage to come loose it won't be for several years. FYI spining, always important for any rod.

....Admittedly I have not fished it in a little more than two decades. But when I did pike, largemouth and walleye were the target. In fact we did very well on the walleye! During the last few years I fished there crappie were taking hold and to my understanding are now quite prolific in the lake. Not sure of this but I believe that the only crappie may be kept these days.

Outloud, no I typed it.

....Hmmmm, personally I find it rather difficult to support my local (or non local) gillnetters.

Yes crayfish are an essential food source for some fish but in this case the Rusty Crayfish is an invasive, destructive species.