Spiel

Sewage discharges a major problem around Great Lakes; Environmental groups says $5 billion to $10 billion is needed to fix the problem May 21, 2008 DENIS LANGLOIS / owensoundsuntimes.com A whopping 92 billion litres of raw or partially treated sewage is discharged into the Great Lakes each year in Canada, according to the head of a water protection coalition. Derek Stack, executive director of Great Lakes United, said deficiencies in sewage collection systems, which lead to overflows and treatment system bypasses, are not unique to Owen Sound. They are so prevalent the organization has pushed the problem to the top of its priority list. "It's the next major issue to deal with. It's a problem. It's a major, major problem," Stack said in an interview Tuesday. A Ministry of the Environment report included in last week's city council agenda says millions of litres of raw sewage can flow into Owen Sound bay when heavy rain or spring thaws push the city's waste water system beyond capacity. The problem is mainly caused by combination sewage and storm water systems. During heavy rains, massive volumes of storm water pour into the collection system and is carried, along with raw sewage, to the waste water treatment plant. The volume is too high for the plant to process, leading to bypasses or overflows into the bay. Owen Sound public works manager Mike Crone said bypasses can also be caused when groundwater infiltrates aging sections of the city's collection system. A program to separate the underground storm water and sewage systems has been ongoing since the city's primary treatment plant was built 36 years ago, Crone said, but could take another 30 to 40 years to complete. The obstacle is money. The city separates the systems during road reconstruction projects, but Crone said only one or two blocks are completed each year. Stack estimated fixing the sewage system infrastructure in the cities and towns along the Great Lakes would cost between $5 billion and $10 billion. The projects are too expensive for municipal budgets, he said, and most federal funding programs require municipalities to contribute one-third of a project's cost. Coun. Peter Lemon said the city's main priority must be separating the two systems. "We have to do it so we don't get these outflows," the veteran councillor said. At one time all rainwater that fell in the city's downtown flowed to the waste water treatment plant. The city paid to separate the two systems during the $9-million Big Dig several years ago. A project is now underway to direct runoff from downtown roofs into the storm water system. The city also installed an underground containment tank near the Pottawatomi River to store waste water during heavy rains and direct it to the treatment plant once capacity is available. Another tank is being installed near the treatment plant. The city also separated the two systems during the reconstruction of the 6th Street East hill and is doing so during the work on 2nd avenues east and west and 4th Street East. "It's ongoing and it's really important, particularly given that we get as much rainfall as we seem to," Mayor Ruth Lovell said. "We're doing this on a methodical basis around the city until they're all done."

....I wish I could take the credit Glen as it is amazing work but alas no, it was not I.

....Well I guess it always possible to set new bench marks and apparently I've just found mine. Have a look at this incredible custom rod work. A number of amazing custom rod photos can be seen here.... http://www.fieldandstream.com/article_gallery.jsp?ID=1000021904

Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and Niagara River reports; 05/22/08 Fishing Line Will Elliott / buffalonews.com Nasty weather — cold rain and high winds — have dampened spring fishing runs. Night trollers have had few chances to get on the water and into good post-spawning ’eyes. Day-side trollers have started seeing fair numbers of walleye on runs around Myers Reef. Perch continue to do their yo-yo cruises into shallows followed with runs to deeper waters. A depth of 54 feet seems to be a deep-side holding ground for ring backs on the run. For the few boaters who could get out this past week, Evangola has become the hot spot once again. A few patchy schools of perch appear in spurts around the Catt; on rare occasions perch move into the creek. But the bread-and-butter, bucket-catch numbers remain out deep. Bass anglers have begun moving in closer to work shoreline rock structures, despite the recent chill. Both bottom-bumping jigs and live bait work well on bass. With bass chubs, try to set the hook as quickly as possible to keep the hook as close as possible to the lip for easier catch and release. Niagara River Perch schools have moved in closer at both the Ferry Street and Ontario Street launch sites, but it takes a bit more work to find keeper-sized pike. Bass have moved up current in the lower river, but drifters can still hook into a few steelies and a fair number of lake trout as waters warm. When things get rough — winds and wave activity — Buffalo Harbor breakwaters around the gaps offer good protection from the elements and nice fish activity. When bait movement and water color are right, anglers may hook into everything from bluegills to sturgeon, but the bass population dominates those rock structures along the walls. Lower-river water temperatures average 47 degrees, which hold steelhead and lake trout in areas that should be bass and walleye hangouts right now. Drifters can see a mix of trout and bass on just about every pass at Artpark, Lewiston-Queenston and down to the forts at the mouth. Lake Ontario Nasty winds, often from the north, have pushed bait schools and pursuing trout and salmon in and away from shore. A few smaller Chinook can be found around the Niagara Bar, but boaters in search of sizable salmon have been heading to trolling sites off Olcott Harbor. Trout stocking Randolph Hatchery staffers have stocked trout in the following waterways in time for outings this weekend: Ischua Creek, Franklinville, 3,100 yearling brown trout; Cattaraugus Creek, Java, 1,700 yearling brown trout; Oatka Creek, Warsaw, 1,100 yearling brown trout; and East Koy Creek, Gainesville, 3,300 yearling brown trout.

Students give small fry a start; Bid to restore vanished salmon Fri, May 23, 2008 JASON BUCKLAND / SUN MEDIA PICKERING -- Micailah McIntosh waded in Duffins Creek yesterday with thousands of tiny salmon zipping around her legs. Something was fishy. The 11-year-old student at Oshawa's Coronation Public School had just released a huge watering can full of Atlantic salmon into the water. Her classmates all around were doing the same thing. Micailah was lending her help to a city-wide effort to restore the population of the fish to Lake Ontario by releasing 27,000 salmon fry into its waterways. "It's a great experience to help," said the tiny blonde. "You feel miserable 'cause it's chilly and you're all wet, but it also feels pretty good because you're helping the fish out." Yesterday's fry release was part of a project to bring a self-sustaining Atlantic salmon population back to Lake Ontario within 10 to 15 years. In the third of a five-year program, about 500,000 baby salmon -- some only 1.5 cm long -- will be let go into local creeks and streams by the program's end in 2009. "These waters used to be just teeming with (the fish)," said Deborah Martin-Downs, Toronto and Region Conservation's director of ecology. Atlantic salmon were wiped out before 1900 by farming, development on their spawning streams and overfishing. Pacific salmon were introduced to Lake Ontario in 1968 and have become the basis for a popular sports fishery. Environmental groups have their work cut out for them in restoring the Atlantic salmon population. Only 5% of the fry released make it back upstream to spawn. Still, Marion Daniels, management biologist for the ministry of natural resources, says restoring a piece of our heritage is too important to pass up. "It's like bringing back a little piece of history." If assessments made this fall show the restoration program is a success, it could be expanded beyond 2009. Which goes to show, an environmentalist's work is never finished.

....I'm using old and well worn 6lb Fireline (2lb diam.) and a 3ft lead of 4lb Maixima Ultragreen. Works for me, uni knot to uni knot with a little dab of crazy glue and I'm golden.

Thanks for the advice outdoorguy61. I've never in all these years had to send a reel off for repair. Guess I've been fairly lucky in that anytime I've had an issue I've been able to fix it with stuff laying around my shop or in rare cases get my hands on parts locally. I will take your advice into consideration though before deciding.

....Awesome job, nicely done.

....We pay Greencoachdog a hansdsome wage to take some of the heat off Roy.

Well that's just swell Art. I wouldn't need it till Lakair so I'll let you know.

....I promise you won't see anymore siilyness from Yummyapple!

....One of my personal all time faves....

....Thanks all. I have read some supposed independant online reviews (all good) and I'm still toying with the purchase, just not 100% decided. My post has brought good offer my way which I'm seriously considering. I'll let yous know what I decide.

....There's plenty to read on crude oil pricing just google it. Reading through stuff like this or this just makes my blood boil!

....This Admin will tell you straight up, "I have know idea why it don't work."

....Just looking around for a new reel to sit atop my new heavy casting rod (walleye/pike) and was wondering if anyone has used/heard or know of these..... TICA Caiman DJ Series Round Baitcasting Reels

....You can do it MoiraRiverMan, stay positive and stay focused. After 32 years I'm off them cold turkey for the last four months. I feel better, way better and the money I've saved, well it buys a lot of nice things including new fishing stuff.

End of the line for hatchery grant; Fish hatchery hard-pressed to find $25,000 a year May 20, 2008 Greg Hoekstra / haliburtonecho.ca The future of the Haliburton Fish Hatchery could be in jeopardy unless the Ministry of Natural Resources comes to the table and renews its funding commitment. This June, members of the Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association (which runs the hatchery) will see the end of its four-year $100,000 trust fund from the province, and as yet there is still no word on whether the fund will be replenished. President Keith Hodgson says that while his organization has been unable to arrange a meeting with the Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield, he’s still crossing his fingers that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. “It may be hopeless, we don’t know, but we’re still hoping,” says Hodgson. “We’re still trying to get a meeting so we can reiterate our values to [the Minister].” In a typical year, Hodgson estimates the hatchery operates on a budget of roughly $75,000, which means the province’s $25,000 a year pays for one third of the overall expenses. “We do need that money,” said Hodgson. “Without that $25,000 it’s going to be very tough.” In 2003, when the trust fund was first announced by the Ernie Eves Conservative government, MNR officials said the money was for “base funding” to help “keep the lights on, water running, and fish fed.” And while it’s estimated there is enough money in reserves to keep the hatchery afloat for another year, HHOA Treasurer John Ball says that without the MNR’s trust fund the hatchery will have trouble keeping its head above water after that. “We really need that $25,000. That’s a lot of money,” says Ball. “Where are you supposed to make that kind of money back? How on earth do we make up for that?” Ball says the HHOA already fundraises $30,000 to $40,000 every year – half of the hatchery’s budget – so turning to the community for even more simply isn’t an option. “Fundraising is a constant struggle,” says Ball. “We have tremendous support here in Haliburton, but we can’t be expected to suddenly raise $25,000 more, on top of what we already do.” If the fish hatchery were to disappear tomorrow, Ball says the effect on local lakes would be devastating. “Fishing would deteriorate in Haliburton, no question,” he says. “The Ministry has said they would raise fish elsewhere and continue to stock the lakes, but that would come at an even greater cost to them.” This year Ball says the hatchery raised between 40,000 to 50,000 walleye, 25,000 rainbow trout, and 5,000 lake trout. They also raised approximately 8,000 Haliburton gold trout, a unique strain found only in the Highlands. By stocking area lakes, as well as those in the Bancroft area, Ball says the hatchery helps bring in tourists that benefit the county’s economy. Dysart Reeve Murray Fearrey agrees that the work of the hatchery is invaluable when it comes to attracting tourism dollars. “Fishing is a lot bigger industry than people know about, and if we don’t have good fishing then that’s a big loss,” he says. “[The hatchery] has filled a void that no one else was prepared to do, so I’m just hopeful that the Ministry will come through and support them.” This year Fearrey said the county has pledged $10,000 toward the ongoing operation of the hatchery, and they have also sent a letter to Minister Cansfield outlining the work that the hatchery has done and asking her to continue to support the HHOA’s efforts. Calls to Cansfield’s office by the Echo were not returned. While there is still more than a month before the fund officially runs dry, Hodgson says his organization is already looking at contingency plans to help fill the void. In the future, Hodgson says it’s possible that the hatchery might have to start raising eggs for other areas in Ontario as a way to generate income. However, Hodgson also says that solution is far from ideal, since it would detract from the group’s commitment to Haliburton County, which is why so many volunteer in the first place. “Raising eggs is maybe the way we’re going to have to do business, but we would need a full house to make it pay, and then there is a capacity problem,” he says. “We still want to do things for our county too, and we need money to do them too. “There’s a great deal of community value to the hatchery, but I think that’s sometimes hard to get across to people,” he adds. “It’s not just the act of raising fish. It’s about the history behind it, the science, and, maybe most importantly, it’s about a place for volunteers to go and be part of something special.”

Anglers say walleye opener was best ever May 17, 2008 Terry Curtis / northumberlandtoday.com Can you say "walleye," as in "lots of walleye"? For many anglers who dared dangle a line in Rice Lake this past weekend, that was the scenario. Many lure tossers reported this season's walleye opener on this lake as being the best one they can ever recall, with fish caught from one end to the other. Right from Bewdley on down to the Hastings area, reports were nothing but good news. And, to think only four or five years ago, we were wondering where all the walleye had gone. They were still there, we just didn't adapt our methods for fishing them, as I've stated before. When the zebra mussels moved in everything changed, except for the way we fished for walleye. We still stubbornly fished the same areas with the same methods and lures we always did, then hit the panic mode when we couldn't catch walleye as we always had in previous years. Well, here's the good news. For those few years we couldn't find the fish as we had in years before, it may have been a blessing in disguise. The fish we weren't catching had a chance to feed and re-populate as they never had before in the history of walleye in Rice Lake. And now it seems to be paying off huge dividends for the diehards who never gave up on them, as well as any newcomers who have tossed a bait in the past few days or nights. Fishing from big boats, small boats, drifting, trolling or fishing from shore (in the evenings or after dark), it doesn't seem to matter. Walleye are hot to trot! Of course, there are some things to keep in mind, and here are a few "tips" to put you on track. The majority of daytime walleye are being caught in depths of nine to 11 feet of water, either on the edges of weedlines, or just off them towards deeper water. Mud bottom bays with feeder creeks or small rivers are holding fish in really good numbers (Here's a no-brainer - look at a good map of Rice Lake - not many places like this, are there?) Also, check mud flats that are surrounded by deeper water, even if the change of depth around the flat is one foot or less. The walleye are sitting on the mud flats, resting up before they really hit the peak of their post-spawning feeding frenzy. Here's a word of advice for those guys who have told me the walleye have already recuperated from the spawning cycle and are already in their prime. WRONG! Lots of walleye haven't even spawned yet, due to the high water levels and colder than normal water and air temperatures. Yes, we've been blessed with an amazing early season bite. But, we haven't seen the peak yet. Wait until the lilac trees bloom. They just started to bud this week, and will hit their peak in the next week or so. As will the walleye. Mark my words. Hot bite this week? Bucktail jigs, perch hue crankbaits or plastic finesse baits. The trick is to switch them up fast once one bite dies off. The walleye are changing feeding patterns fast and with no rhyme or reason. Mixing up your lures pays off. One minute they want a fast-moving target, the next they want a slowly hopped or twitched lure. Best lure I've tossed yet? The new Rapala X-SHAD in perch colour. And, spare me the sagas about me mentioning them because Rapala sponsors me. I couldn't care less. I throw what catches the fish, whether I'm sponsored by that company or not. If it works, it works. If it don't, it don't. The walleye know and so do I. That's what counts! The proof is in the livewell!

M.N.R. Minister Cansfield to join celebration of one million Atlantic salmon stocked into Lake Ontario May 21, 2008 For Immediate Release M.N.R. Minister Cansfield to join celebration of one million Atlantic salmon stocked into Lake Ontario Huge milestone reached for one of North America's largest freshwater conservation projects Thanks to the efforts of the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program (L.O.A.S.R.P.), the Atlantic salmon is making a comeback in Lake Ontario, after an absence of more than one hundred years. On May 28, the L.O.A.S.R.P. will celebrate stocking ONE MILLION Atlantic salmon into Lake Ontario. The celebration and stocking will take place on the banks of the Credit River at the Belfountain Conservation Area in Belfountain. The Honourable Donna Cansfield, Minister of Natural Resources, will attend and will assist in the release of salmon fry into the Credit River. The release of a million fish is a key milestone, made possible through the support of the major sponsor, Australia's Banrock Station Wines, which has committed $1.25 million dollars to the project, their largest contribution to any conservation project outside Australia. More than 30 partners and sponsors are taking part in the L.O.A.S.R.P. In addition to Banrock Station Wines, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Liquor Control Board of Ontario, Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association, Fishing Forever Foundation, Fleming College, Trout Unlimited Canada, as well as conservation authorities, local community groups and private landowners are providing support to the program. The L.O.A.S.R.P. is one of the largest freshwater conservation projects in North America. The program includes fish production and stocking; habitat restoration and water quality enhancement; research and monitoring; and education and outreach. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Event: ONE MILLION Atlantic salmon stocked in a Lake Ontario tributary Date: May 28, 10:30 am Attending: Honourable Donna Cansfield, Minister of Natural Resources Location: Belfountain Conservation Area, 10 Credit Street, Belfountain (Caledon) Map: creditvalleycons.com

.....Nice stuff. Man I love laker fishing in the north, praps I best make arrangments to go see Wayne.

.....Dang, I missed another good one by the looks of it. Cold wet and windy is a good time, isn't it? I'm going to have to school Gerritt in the art of never driving in weekend traffic.

....Sad, very sad.

Late spawn proceeds walleye opener Friday May 16, 2008 Garett Williams / Miner and News The third Saturday of May is upon us a little earlier in the calendar year and a cooler spring has also helped pushed back the walleye spawn, leaving Ministry of Natural Resources specialists guessing how well the fishing will be this weekend. “This is a cooler than normal spring, but it’s in the range of spring weather that we get in this area,” Norm Hissa, an MNR fish and wildlife technical specialist, said. “Because there’s quite a variance, walleye are well adapted to spawn earlier or later, they’ve been doing it for thousands of years, so it’s not that unusual. It’s just that for us, we fix a date, but they go by water temperature. The water is a little cooler, the fish are running and they’re spawning now, so it’s hard to say if the fishing will be great or what it will be.” The spawning process is strenuous on the fish, which puts a damper on fishing immediately afterwords, Hissa said. This Saturday may be opening day for walleye in the Kenora District, but the Ministry of Natural Resources wants anglers to be aware that some areas are off limits to any fishing, at least until the end of the month. These areas are MNR-sanctioned fish sanctuaries where all fishing is strictly prohibited. Some of the fish sanctuaries in and around Kenora local anglers must avoid include Sabaskong Bay on Lake of the Woods, Laclu (Belle) Creek in Pellatt Township and the Winnipeg River from the Norman Dam to the westerly tip of Tunnel Island. There is no fishing allowed in these areas from April 1 to May 31 to allow enough time for fish to move in, congregate and spawn. Fish sanctuaries are vital to the local fisheries and the MNR will be monitoring these areas closely until the end of the month. If anglers were allowed to fish in these areas this early in the season, it could disturb the spawn and upset the delicate balance of this aquatic ecosystem. Responsible anglers should fish clear of all spawning sites and throw back the bigger, spawning fish, Hissa said. After all, two fish can make hundreds to put back into the ecosystem. “Sportsmen would probably feel that they should release those big fish or not fish in spawning areas, but it’s hard to say whether they’ll do that,” he said. “Everybody wants to catch a large fish, the biggest fish and some years it’s a little easier than others because of water temperature or how late or early the spring is.” Licensing and regulations There are two licensing options available – a sport fishing licence is $23.79 for Ontario residents, $44.06 for Canadian residents and $66.40 for non-residents; or a reduced limit conservation licence costing $13.87, $26.63 or $40.64 depending on residency status. Single day licences for residents and eight day licences for non-residents are also available. Lake of the Woods anglers with a sport fishing licence have a limit of four walleye, not more than one greater than 46 centimetres. Conservation licence holders have a limit of two, not more than one greater than 46 centimetres. Anglers on the Winnipeg River to the Manitoba corder can catch the same number of walleye. However, the fish must fall between 35-45 centimetres or not more than one greater than 70 centimetres. There have been no regulation changes in the Lake of the Woods area, which lands in Fisheries Management Zone 5, Hissa said, but he recommended all anglers familiarize themselves with the 2008-2009 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary, which also includes where any sanctuaries are located. Fish sanctuaries are noted in the section titled ‘Exceptions to the Regulations’ that follows each fishing zone’s seasons and limits regulations. Changes to the MNR’s new ecological framework for recreational fisheries management in Ontario were delayed one year to the beginning of 2008. The framework is based on managing fisheries on a zone basis rather than on an individual lake basis and replacing 37 fishing divisions with 20 fisheries management zones. “Everybody should review the regulations anyways, to see if there are any changes,” he said. “Don’t just take it for granted that everything is the same.” The summary is available from the Ministry of Natural Resources district offices, licence issuers and on the ministry’s website at www.mnr.gov.on.ca. Call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time to report a natural resources violation or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Invasion Of The Spiny Water Fleas: Drying Anchor Lines Can Help Contain Spread May 13, 2008 / ScienceDaily Reducing the spread of some invasive species into our lakes could be as simple as asking boaters and fishers to dry out their equipment, says Queen’s Biology professor Shelley Arnott. When anchor rope, fishing line and the boats themselves are thoroughly dried, the invasive species and their eggs will die, rather than spreading to another location, she explains. “It’s such a simple thing for the general public to do, and yet it could make a big difference in the way that our lake ecosystems function.” Dr. Arnott’s current research focuses on the spiny water flea, a small invertebrate predator that has invaded more than 100 North American lakes since the early 1980s, after being transported from Eurasia in the ballast water of ships. With graduate student Angela Strecker, she compared the levels of zooplankton – microscopic, free-floating animals that live on algae and are in turn eaten by small fish – in Ontario lakes invaded by water fleas. They discovered that production of zooplankton in the warm, upper layer of water in invaded lakes was reduced by almost 70 per cent, compared to lakes that are not invaded. “This reduction in productivity was likely caused by the direct consumption of zooplankton by the fleas,” says Dr. Arnott, an expert in aquatic ecology. Another explanation for this dramatic reduction is that zooplankton may have migrated to colder, darker waters, where they would be less visible to predators, she adds. As a result there is less available food for the small fish that forage in surface waters, such as lake herring, which are in turn are eaten by larger fish, such as lake trout. Biology Master’s student, Leah James, is now studying herring growth in lakes invaded by the spiny water fleas. “What’s really concerning is that the introduction of water fleas is having a huge impact on the flow of energy in these lake ecosystems,” says Dr. Arnott. “It shows how an invasive species can disrupt the food webs of freshwater lakes by diverting energy and nutrients away from native organisms.” An additional worry is the effect of invasive species like water fleas on lakes that are only now recovering from acid rain, she continues. “When spiny fleas come in, it seems to hit the recovering lakes harder. They’re just getting their zooplankton back and the fleas tend to hammer them!” The combination of environmental stressors – acidification due to sulphur emissions, invasive species and climate change – can have a profound, negative impact on lake ecosystems. But the good news is that some of these effects, particularly from acidification, have been shown to be reversible. And in the case of invasive species, the researcher notes, one simple method of prevention is to avoid transporting them on our boats and fishing equipment.