Spiel

Scugog's angling for fishermen Durham Tourism looks to shed some light on one of the region's jewels Tue Jul 22, 2008 Chris Hall / newsdurhamregion.com LAKE SCUGOG -- With a sharpshooter's precision and relentless determination, Doug Lavis casts over and over again into the shallow, green waters of Lake Scugog. Under a brilliant blue sky on a recent sweltering Tuesday morning, Mr. Lavis stands at the front of a borrowed boat, displaying the angling skills he's accumulated over years and years of fishing. First swinging back his rod, Mr. Lavis sends his lure flying towards a patch of weeds and lily pads with a mere flick of his wrist. The life-like mouse lure, which he's dubbed 'The Rat', hurtles a fair distance away from the boat, a small splash and some ripples the only tell-tale signs of its arrival as it bobs in the water. The Canada Geese nearby hardly notice. In about 20 minutes on the water, Mr. Lavis has cast dozens of times. Out goes the lure, followed by the slow, steady reeling that drags the hook back over weeds and, in open spots, inches below the water. It's a game of waiting, and Mr. Lavis is prepared to play. With a slight wind pushing the boat, the weeds along the mouth of the Nonquon River get closer. A quick cast out onto the weeds and Mr. Lavis prepares to maneuver the boat away from the plant-life with a stomp of his foot on the trolling motor controls, but he's sidetracked by a sudden and vicious tug on the end of his line. In a flash, his line goes taut and the end of his rod curves, nearly bending over under the weight of a fish struggling on the other end. Mr. Lavis' hands are a blur as he reels in the line and as quickly as the fish took its ill-fated bite, a three-and-a-half-pound bass is being lifted over the edge of the boat. Pleased with his catch, Mr. Lavis closely and carefully examines the fish before unhooking it and tossing it back into the water. "This is a really good lake. It's a got a really good fishery but people don't seem to care because of all the weeds, but the weeds are where the fish are," said Mr. Lavis, 54, a sales manager in real-life but a true fisherman at heart. At the other end of the boat, Joe Montgomery is having just as much fun on the water, but without the same results. He casts over and over and over, trying to entice a fish or two to grab his lure. The countless geese swimming nearby provide most of Mr. Montgomery's entertainment for the morning - other then applauding Mr. Lavis' catches - but he's fished enough in his 85 years to know that sometimes the fish bite and sometimes they don't. He's fished in every one of Canada's provinces and territories, each state in America and throughout Europe in his days. He holds world fly-fishing records. He also spins a great tale or two of his fishing adventures. But most importantly on this day, like Mr. Lavis, he talks of how great the fishing is on Lake Scugog. And that's the point of the day. In an effort to shed a little light on local tourist sites, Durham Tourism officials have pulled all the strings necessary to cobble together three fishing boats, a trio of angling experts, local and regional officials and the media for a morning of fun in the sun on Lake Scugog. For years now, fishing on Lake Scugog has been a well-known pastime, explained Patrick Olive, Durham's commissioner of economic development and tourism. But in these days of skyrocketing fuel prices and competition for tourists, it's time to refocus on what Durham has to offer and to rekindle interest in local day-tripper destinations, he said. "We want to significantly re-establish the importance of fishing in Durham Region and the diversity of fish in our lakes and the fact that Lake Scugog happens to have world-class fishing," said Mr. Olive. The region, he continued from a perch beside the water at Goreski's Lakeside Resort, is a day-trip market and Durham is "anxious to create a destination for families and a place to take the kids, a great place to enjoy." Also jumping on the chance to enjoy a morning out on the water was Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce. Teamed up with professional angler Danny Dunn, the veteran mayor made the most of her time by catching perhaps the nicest looking bass of the day. "The fish were striking well and it was a great experience," she said, recalling with awe Mr. Dunn's wrestling match with a monstrous muskie. "It was fun to get out on the lake and see what it was all about and the fish certainly seem to be alive and well." That was the general consensus of the day. In Mr. Lavis' mind, Scugog has some of the best fish around. They're clean, containing no parasites, bugs or worms, and their health appear to be "just unbelievable. They're nice, fat and healthy. They're very good, healthy fish, as far as I'm concerned." As well, there's plenty of diversity, noted the fishing experts. There's fish of all sorts, from walleye, muskie and panfish to large- and small-mouth bass, and they come in all sizes. Lake Scugog has had its ups and downs over the years, said Mr. Lavis. But, "in my opinion, it's holding its own." Fishing, he continued, "is relaxing for me. It's not to put food on the table, it's a sport. If nothing else, it's a nice, slow boat ride. A bad day on the water is better than a good day at the office."

MNR_Minister Cansfield impressed by Island streams facelift July 30, 2008 Margo Little / manitoulin.ca ASSIGINACK-Motorists travelling the Bidwell Road last Tuesday would have noted the demonstration of some genuine pioneer spirit. On a sweltering July day an army of workers was visible hauling cedar rails, toting large rocks and wading through a once sluggish creek. This was the scene that greeted Ontario's minister of natural resources, Donna Cansfield. Surrounded by members of the Lake Manitou Area Association, the Manitoulin Streams group, the Stewardship Rangers and local landowners, she made her way to the banks of Norton's Creek. The minister received a firsthand glimpse into the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the historical cold water Brook Trout stream. Seija Deschenes, Manitoulin Streams co-ordinator, was on hand to make sure the itinerary flowed smoothly. "Manitoulin Streams wants to rehabilitate the upper creek to help benefit the productivity of native brook trout and to increase the available spawning habitat for the wild Lake Nipigon strain brook trout that have been stocked by the MNR into Lake Manitou," she explained. "It is our intent to improve bank stability by installing fencing that will inhibit cattle access to the river." The minister was also accompanied by MNR representative Bob Florean. "In 2007 College BorŽal students conducted stream surveys on behalf of Manitoulin Streams," he said. "This stream (Norton's Creek) is the most impacted because of cattle erosion over the past 50 years. Just picture the damage caused by a 500-pound steer stepping into the stream for a drink." He showed the minister where volunteers were busy building cedar rail fencing approximately 75 feet back from the creek. "Cedar is a sustainable harvest," he noted. "It's cost-effective to use local cedar and, of course, it will last for a hundred years." Mr. Florean also introduced the minister to the local Stewardship Rangers and Ontario Rangers from Killarney. The group of 17-year-olds was immersed in carrying boulders, creating pool and riffle areas and placing woody material along the shoreline for cover. "Fifty years ago this stream was only two metres wide," Mr. Florean added. "It kept eroding and falling in. But with the help of the rangers, it has been cleaned up quite a bit. They even found a gravel pit nearby to use to improve brook trout habitat." Assiginack Reeve Leslie Fields also joined the tour of the site. She reaffirmed her township's commitment to the Manitoulin Streams project. "Our generation made some mistakes so we are trying to bring it back," she said. "We know we have a responsibility to return things to as natural a state as possible. When the cattle were first placed on this land, there may have been 10 head or so. But as time went on, the herd grew to a hundred so they changed the natural course of things. It's up to us to take action for future generations." For Minister Cansfield, the visit to Manitoulin confirmed that the MNR's funding is producing positive results. She praised the volunteers and the rangers for working together to improve water quality and fish habitat. "They genuinely care about the land and want to make it better than they found it," she observed. "The MNR has contributed $60,000 to the stewardship and ranger programs in the Manitoulin area. The more the MNR can do to support this work the better." In her view, the unique resources of Manitoulin are worthy of preservation. "Preservation of the trout and the coldwater streams is a priority with the MNR," she said. "It is important to do a good restoration job because it will bring in a lot of tourist dollars for the local economy." During her visit the Expositor asked her about the potential of a wild turkey release on the Island in the future. She stressed that an environmental assessment process is underway to determine the feasibility of such a project. "They have experienced extraordinary success elsewhere in southern Ontario," she said. "If wild turkeys were to be released on Manitoulin, it would be necessary to keep it controlled. Hunters would have to be educated and well versed in the turkey shoot. The assessment study is going to show us if it is appropriate for this area. We know there are successful pheasant hunts here so it is not dissimilar to that." Her visit to Manitoulin reinforced the necessity of not only protecting the vulnerable coldwater streams, but the Great Lakes as well. She noted that increases in rain and snowfall this past autumn and winter have helped somewhat. "As we continue to monitor water levels, the provincial government is also participating in the International Joint Commission's five-year study to better understand the cause of low water levels in the Upper Great Lakes," she said.

Key to pros landing fish is in details August 3, 2008 Rod Watson / buffalonews.com When it comes to catching smallmouth and largemouth on a consistent basis, there’s more that separates the pros from weekend anglers than just the endorsements, the sponsors and the $50,000 bass boats. Attention to detail, the willingness to skip favorite spots and try new water, and practice before getting to the lake are some of the reasons Bassmaster Elite Series anglers are competing for a $100,000 top prize on Lake Erie today while the weekend angler is just praying for a bite. What do the weekend anglers do wrong? “A lot of times they don’t pay attention to the area they’re fishing, the subtleties of it,” said Elite Series pro Matthew Sphar of Pavilion. For instance, he said, anglers may catch fish on a point, but not notice that it was the clump of submerged weeds on the point — not the entire point — that was holding the bass. They’ll waste an hour fishing the rest of the point and not get another hit. “There’s so much that our eyes will pick out that the average weekend angler wouldn’t pick out as key targets,” said Sphar. Watching your electronics to pick up what’s on the lake bottom is a key part of that. “If we drive over a boulder, a light bulb is going to click and we’re going to turn around and throw on it,” Sphar said, while the weekend angler will just keep driving. Pennsylvania pro Paul Hirosky said most amateur anglers need to slow down. “Usually, they fish too fast,” he said. Hirosky notes that top-ranked pro Kevin VanDam is regarded as a “power fisherman” who typically has his trolling motor on high speed. But VanDam himself has said that even though his boat may be moving fast to cover water, his lure is often moving slowly — or even sitting still — while in the strike zone. “For every time I’ve seen Kevin fish fast, I’ve seen him fish slow, too,” Hirosky says. Hirosky also advises giving up the psychological security of shallow water and its visible targets. “Spend more time fishing deeper water. A lot of time, going out a little deeper can pay huge dividends,” said Hirosky. “It’s a little harder, you have to rely on your electronics fishing deeper. But the rewards can be greater.” So can the rewards of not being wed to a spot simply because “this is where I caught them last year, or this is where I caught them five years ago,” said pro and TV show host Shaw Grigsby. “A lot of times [weekend anglers] continually fish the same spots,” Grigsby said. While a spot may produce at the same time of the season year after year if conditions stay the same, conditions rarely do. Water levels change, weed beds that were there one year may get cut down the following year — or the following week — or sheer fishing pressure may cause the bass to move. That’s why the pros spend a lot of time motoring around looking for new spots. And one of the best things weekend anglers can do is practice to improve “their casting accuracy and their presentation,” said VanDam. While pinpoint accuracy and a splashless entry aren’t as critical when jigging at 40 feet on Lake Erie, they can make the difference when fishing the docks or shallow weeds in the Niagara River or any inland lake. Big fish don’t get big by falling for sloppy presentations. You have to be able to drop the lure “on top of his nose and get it in the water quietly without a big splash,” said VanDam, the two-time Bassmaster Classic winner. How do you do that? By going out in the backyard and practicing the underhand roll cast, which gives the lure a low trajectory for getting under docks and also minimizes splash. If you can learn to do that, “you’re going to catch a lot more fish,” said VanDam.

DEC Investigating Fish Die-off on Lake Erie Shore Public Advised To Take Care in Handling Fish and Game, Call DEC If Dead Wildlife Is Found July 28, 2008 great-lakes.org The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is investigating the deaths of mudpuppies and fish washing up on the shore of Lake Erie. Mudpuppies, an aquatic salamander, along with smallmouth bass, catfish and sheephead are among the species that have been found dead at locations including Point Gratiot, Sunset Bay, Evangola State Park, and Sturgeon Point. The mudpuppy and fish die-offs can be caused by a number of factors, such as water temperature changes or various diseases. DEC has collected a mudpuppy sample and has sent it to a lab for analysis and to potentially determine a cause of death. Based on the characteristics of the species found to date, there is the potential that the mudpuppy and fish deaths are being caused by Type E botulism toxin, a poison produced by Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium is common in the environment and can produce harmful levels of botulism toxin under some conditions. This specific strain of botulism has affected fish, birds and other species in Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario in recent years. The disease results from the ingestion of the toxin produced by the botulism bacterium and can be harmful to humans who eat birds or fish that have been poisoned by this toxin. There have been no reports of any human illnesses associated with this recent mudpuppy and fish die-off. DEC is continuing to gather sick and dead fish and other species to check for botulism and other potential diseases. The public is urged to contact DEC if they discover any dead wildlife along the lake shore by calling DEC's Fish and Wildlife office in Buffalo at (716) 851-7010 or Allegany at (716) 372-0645. Although botulism has not been confirmed, DEC is encouraging the public to take certain steps to help reduce the potential of the disease to harm humans. Pet owners should prevent their animals from ingesting or having contact with dead wildlife along the shore, as the disease could also harm pets. People are not at risk for botulism when swimming in areas where fish kills have occurred, however swimmers should avoid swimming in water where there are large numbers of dead fish.

ICAST celebrates fishing equipment history July 28, 2008 great-lakes.org Ten influential fishing products created over the past 75 years, from rods to reels to electronics, have helped make fishing the great sport it is today, according to a new survey from the American Sportfishing Association (ASA). The Anglers' Legacy Innovations Awards were unveiled at the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST), the world's largest annual sportfishing trade show. More than 7,000 members of the sportfishing community were gathered in Las Vegas to see the latest innovations in gear and accessories. EFTTA members featured highly in the final top ten list which spanned six categories, including accessories, electronics, lines, lures, reels and rods: Original Floater Minnow (1936) remains one of the most successful and widely copied hard lures in sportfishing's history. Original and current manufacturer: Rapala Spring loaded Bobber (1947) made suspending a baited hook at a desired depth simpler and easier. Even today this item is virtually in every angler's tackle box. Original manufacturer: Nibble Nabber, Current: Various companies Mitchell 300 (1949) was the first commercially successful spinning reel, and is still one of the most common reels used today. Original manufacturer: Mitchell, Current manufacturer: Pure Fishing Creme Plastic Worm (1949) changed the sport forever as the first, and still famous, long-lasting artificial worm that both looked and felt real. Original and current manufacturer: Creme Lure Company Closed Face Spincast Reel (1949) made fishing easy and affordable to everyone regardless of age, size, gender and expertise. Original manufacturer: Zero Hour Bomb Company, Current Manufacturer: ZEBCO Brands Lowrance Fish Lo-K-Tor (1957), the "Little Green Box" introduced anglers to the use of sonar in locating individual fish. Original Manufacturer: Lowrance Electronics, Current: Lowrance/Navico Monofilament Line (1958) improved the durability, affordability and casting ability of fishing line while reducing its visibility to fish. Original manufacturer: DuPont Stren, Current manufacturer: Pure Fishing Minn Kota Trolling Motor (1958) was the first electric gear-driven trolling motor gave anglers the ability to quietly maneuver and position their boats. Original manufacturer: Minn Kota, Current manufacturer: Johnson Outdoors Fenwick High Modulus Graphite Rod (1972), with its super-sensitive carbon (graphite) fibers, revolutionized the method of making fishing rods and how anglers fished. Original Manufacturer: Fenwick, Current Manufacturer: Pure Fishing Shakespeare Ugly Stick (1976), with its special construction, created an affordable, unbreakable and dynamic fishing rod still in use today. Original and current manufacturer: Shakespeare

Fisherman reels in unsuspecting swimmer July 30, 2008 The Local A fisherman made an unlikely catch in Kroppkär Lake after the trolling spoon at the end of his line became lodged in the throat of an unsuspecting bather swimming nearby. The local town council is now set to ban fishing in the area. When Per Pettersson swam out into Kroppkärr Lake near Karlstad in central Sweden on Sunday he felt something pull on his neck. It became hard for him to breathe and he started to get pulled backwards, towards the shore. "It felt like I was being strangled in the water. I was wrenched backwards by the fishing line and the pike hook got caught in my throat," said Pettersson to the Nya Wermlands-Tidningen newspaper. Pettersson grabbed at his throat and was able to detach the spinner's hook but was left with a bleeding neck. He looked down to discover a pike trolling spoon in his hand, he then realized that it was still attached to a fishing line. Pettersson felt a further pull, looked up, and saw a fisherman reeling him in from a ridge some distance away. He then released the hook to avoid any further injury to his hand. The incident occurred in front of a nearby swimming area which is only separated from the ridge by a clump of reeds. Pettersson was one of about 20 people in the water at the time, any of whom could have ended up as the surprise catch of the day. The lay of the land makes its difficult to see if anyone is swimming, and following the incident the local county council has decided to address the problem with signs making it clear that fishing is not allowed near the popular swimming spot. The fisherman extended a profuse apology to Pettersson, who while having suffered minor injuries, nevertheless managed to avoid being battered and fried.

....Can't imagine there's much left to say that hasn't been said.

....My new float reel looks like this.... and it was less than $600.00.

Pilot project shows “great promise” for removing phosphorus pollution Friday July 25th, 2008 Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority July 25, 2008 – Representatives of local and provincial government gathered near the Town of Newmarket municipal offices Thursday to launch a project they hope will remove phosphorus pollution from the streams and the lake. Hosted by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA), the event was held at the Cane Parkway stormwater management pond where a product called Phoslock was applied to the water. The project is being operated in partnership with, and funded by, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. “The lake is a vibrant part of our geography and the symbol for our watershed,” said East Gwillimbury Councillor and LSRCA Chair Virginia Hackson. “Although problems end up in the lake, that’s not where they begin. Problems like phosphorus begin here, upstream from the lake, and solutions need to be applied here.” Phoslock was mixed with water to form a slurry, which was then spread on the surface of the pond. As the mixture sank through the water, it attracted dissolved phosphorus in the water and locked it up so it was no longer available as a nutrient to plants and algae. Through extensive testing and usage around the world, Phoslock has been demonstrated to remove up to 95% of the phosphorus and not to harm the water or the plants and animals that live there. The project will investigate the effectiveness of Phoslock and to determine if it is appropriate for use in other sites in the watershed including the Holland Marsh. “ Phoslock shows great promise,” Hackson said. “We hope new solutions like this will continue to advance our effort to restore balance to our watershed and to our lake. Because balance is what lies at the heart of what we all want – what we’re all working for. Balance will help us achieve an environment that fulfills our needs today, and will be there to fulfill the needs of the generations to come.” Phoslock is made from clay and an element called lanthanum. These substances are not harmful in the concentrations that will be applied in this project. Lanthanum, in fact, is taken internally by kidney disease patients as a medical treatment to reduce phosphates in their blood. Next steps in the Cane Parkway project will be monitoring for the next month to determine how effectively the application has reduced phosphorus in the pond. At the same time, the LSRCA will monitor for other signs of change.

Man dies from freak fishing accident July 30, 2008 MARC BEJA / www.newsday.com A Roosevelt man died yesterday after a freak accident while on a fishing outing with his family last week. Jaime Chicas, 21, was fishing off a jetty at the west end of Jones Beach on Friday when his 3-ounce lead sinker came out of the water and hit him in the face and then lodged in his brain. "Suddenly, we saw him laying on the rocks," said Jose Gonzalez, 30, Chicas' brother-in-law. Gonzalez and his cousin, who both had been fishing with Chicas, ran over to find Chicas bleeding from his head. "We never could have imagined this," Gonzalez said through an interpreter. The trio had gone fishing a few times before and visited the beach often, Gonzalez said. While the sun set, Chicas kept fishing, as the others began packing their belongings. As Gonzalez and his cousin walked toward the beach, they heard Chicas make a whimpering noise behind them. After looking at X-rays, doctors at Nassau University Medical Center, where Chicas was taken, saw that the sinker of Chicas' fishing pole had just missed his right eye and entered his head at the bridge in his nose. The momentum of the weight continued across the middle of his brain into the back left side of his head, where it stopped, neurologist Imran Wahedna said. "There was so much force that it kept going and it lodged through the back of his head," Wahedna said of the lead sinker. "The trauma was simply too severe." Chicas was pronounced brain-dead at 2 p.m. yesterday, from severe head trauma and herniation, Wahedna said. Wahedna and New York Fishing Tackle Trade Association president Gene Young all said they had never seen anything similar to Chicas' injury. "This has to be a one-in-a-billion thing," Young said. Chicas, a native of Lolotiquillo Morazán, El Salvador, had moved in with his sister, Nohemy, 27, and Gonzalez last year. On Sunday mornings, he played soccer at Cantiague Park in Hicksville, where five men in the same soccer league were hit by lightning on Sunday, Gonzalez said. Chicas is also survived by his parents, Jose and Feliciana Chicas; his wife, Fatima, and his 1-year-old daughter, who live in El Salvador; and his brother, Julio Chicas, of Hempstead. Chicas' family is trying to raise funds to send his body back to El Salvador for burial.

Cormorant culls the fed's responsibility: MNR minister July 25, 2008 Tom Sasvari / Manitoulin West Recorder EVANSVILLE-The responsibility for any of cormorant cull is the federal governments', says the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources (MNR), Donna Cansfield, who says she has advised the federal government of the current problem and concern with cormorants in areas around Ontario, including Manitoulin Island. "If a cull of cormorants were to take place, it would be under the federal government jurisdiction, because cormorants are under the migratory act," stated Ms. Cansfield, on a visit to Manitoulin earlier this week. "I have advised them (federal government) of the concerns we have in Ontario. And, I am prepared to work with individual requests for help." The Recorder was able to ask Ms. Cansfield questions on several issues relating to the island, including among them cormorants, turkey stocking, the spring bear hunt, sandhill crane hunt, the aquaculture industry, Gore Bay hatchery and the close of the commercial fishery for sturgeon in 2009 (the latter led to the resignation of local commercial fisherman George Purvis, from the Fish and Wildlife Heritage Commission), during her visit to Meeker's Fish Farm (owned by Mike Meeker), in Evansville. Ms. Cansfield pointed out, "if an individual has requested help because of a danger to their feedstock or product, the MNR can and is willing to help out. And keep in mind any farmer can get permits to protect their property from nuisance cormorants, deer or any other type of nuisance animal." She pointed out the only cull that has taken place in Ontario is at Point Pelee, which again, came under federal jurisdiction. "One of the main problems relating to this issue is that there is a strong opinion from each side of the issue, those in favour of culls and management controls, and those against. What is needed is action that provides a balance between the two. In areas like Pelee Island there is an abundance of them (cormorants) and that is why the federal government called for the cull of adult cormorants." "We are willing to work on individual requests, and if anyone has any creative way so of trolling these nuisance animals, I am certainly willing to listen," said Ms. Cansfield. Groups or individuals need to bring their concerns to us, and we will go to the feds with them, as we have no authority to cull cormorants," said Ms. Cansfield. "Like sandhill cranes, cormorants come under the Migratory Bird act, so it is a federal responsibility. But we will work with them anyone that has a concern, to help out. I hate to say it is someone else's rsponsibility. We need to work jointly at developing a Memorandum of Understanding on issues like this, and are very open to do this." On the issue of turkey stocking, the minister implied that the process is still under way. "A commitment had been made by the Premier to have wild turkeys stocked on Manitoulin, and following on that we have undertaken an environmental assessment," said Ms. Cansfield. "It is true there have been some concerns raised with stocking of wild turkeys on Manitoulin, and we have to do due diligence," said Ms. Cansfield. "We have a responsibility to follow through on the commitment made by the premier, and that is why we need to do the EA to look at all the issues, for and against the stocking of wild turkeys. Manitoulin Island has some very particular ecosystems." Ms. Cansfield stated, "it's because of the two different perspectives, for and against wild turkey stocking, that we are having the EA done. Once this process is complete, then we will have something in place to further discuss this proposal." Minister Cansfield also implied that a similar process will be undertaken before a sandhill crane hunt is approved for Manitoulin. "We know there are a lot of sandhill cranes on Manitoulin and in many other areas of the province," said Ms. Cansfield. "This is an interesting one, but again sandhill cranes are a migratory bird, and come under federal responsibility," continued Ms Cansfield. "Again there is a need to talk to our staff members and get more information before we look forward on this issue." The minister was adamant, however, that the sping bear hunt would not make a return. "The spring bear hunt will not be coming back," stated Ms. Cansfield. "Obviously this has been a topic of great interest in the North, but this year unlike some of the past few years there is a bumper crop of berries. That has eased the concerns and sightings of bear a bit." The MNR continues to use it's bearwise promotional campaign to alert the public of the concerns with encountering bear, and nuisance animals, she said. "Overall the bear population is about the same, there has not been an insurgence of bears," said Ms. Cansfield. "Our biologists and technicians report that the bear numbers are the same, there has certainly not been an explosion of bear since the hunt was terminated." "And, one of the reasons there hasn't been an explosion of bear numbers is because the fall hunt has helped," said Ms. Cansfield. Unfortunately, there was bad news for the Gore Bay Hatchery, which faces closure if no additional funding could be secured for next year. "The town of Gore Bay is looking to make their fish hatchery a year round operation, with a wider variety of fish species being raised, but I don't have this in my budget," said Ms. Cansfield. "There was nothing dedicated in the last budget toward this." "We even have ministry owned hatcheries, such as Normandale that are also facing huge challenges," continued Ms. Cansfield. However, Ms. Cansfield did say, "I'm open to suggestions and business plans, on how to grow and expand fish hatchery operations anywhere in the province. Fish hatcheries are needed in Ontario." The minister also addressed George Purvis's recent resignation from the Fish and Wildlife Heritage Commission. Mr. Purvis announced he would give up his spot on the commission in protest against the close of the commercial sturgeon fishery in 2009. "I appreciate Mr. Purvis perspective on this issue, but my job as minister of natural resources is the protection of all our resources," said Ms. Cansfield. She explained, "other areas, such as California are going through the same thing we are, where Lake Sturgeon are being butchered and left on the side of banks to rot." "So we made the decision to clamp down on the illegal aspect on Lake Sturgeon," said Ms. Cansfield. "And because of this, it is restricting the access commercial fisherman have to Lake Sturgeon. As I said I understand the different points of view on this issue. But my first responsibility is our natural resources, and I am very concerned about the illegal poaching of sturgeon. I want to make sure there is a stop to this.... and quickly." Ms. Cansfield pointed out that, to First Nations people Lake Sturgeon are a very spiritual fish. She noted several First Nations in the North were in favour of the action taken by the MNR on this issue. "They were very supportive of this proposal when we first talked about it. In fact the OFAH (Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters) was also very supportive at first." "This whole issue is not about you, or me, but the fish and natural resource itself," stated Ms. Cansfield. "It is about the fishery, and I take the job of protecting the fishery very seriously." As for the operations at Meeker's Aquaculture, which includes not only the fish farm operation, but composting of fish offal and sawdust, "this is a magnificent operation," said Ms. Cansfield. "I am very impressed at Mr. Meeker's entrepreneurial skills. Not just with his fish farm operation, but taking fish to fertilizer, just makes imminent sense. I am very impressed." "I see a very real future for aquaculture in Ontario," said Ms. Cansfield. "I see a real opportunity in the future working together with the aquaculture industry, in the area of possible expansion at operations such as this or giving other entrepreneurs the opportunity to do something similar to what is being done here (Meeker's)."

Device eases life for kayak fishermen 07/27/08 By Eric Sharp / DETROIT FREE PRESS DETROIT — It’s one of those things you look at, slap your forehead and think, “Why didn’t someone invent this 100 years ago?” And if you’re an avid kayak fisherman, you’ll probably give it serious thought even though it carries a fairly high price tag. It’s the Stinger, a device that kayak dealer, angler and fishing guide Craig Kivi invented as the solution to the vexing problem of anchoring a small craft in shallow water where tide, current or the wind won’t let the boat sit still. Anyone who has tried to handle a paddle or anchor line with one hand while casting with the other knows how frustrating that can be. Kivi’s Stinger makes it nearly effortless. It consists of a telescoping, heavy, stainless steel rod mounted vertically in a bracket at the stern of the boat. A three-eighths-inch line from the bottom of the rod runs up to the stern through a small sailboat block (pulley) and along the gunwale to a jam cleat mounted on the cockpit coaming near the paddler’s hand. Releasing the line from the cleat lets the Stinger drop into the bottom or spaces in the rocks in water as deep as 4 feet. Pulling the line in with one hand raises the rod so effortlessly a 3-year-old could do it. This first version costs $290 — he’s working on a bigger model for bigger flat boats — and Kivi said he figures he’ll be able to bring the price down as sales increase and he can buy the components in bulk. “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time,” said Kivi, who owns Log Cabin Hardware and Golden Drake Outdoors in Pinckney and guides mostly on the shallow Huron River. “It seemed so obvious that when I started a patent search, I couldn’t believe that someone hadn’t thought of it before. “A lot of times you want to stop the boat so you can fish from it, to get out and wade, but a regular anchor is a real nuisance. You have to mess with a lot of line, and half the time either it won’t hold where you want to be or it gets stuck on the bottom so you can’t get it out.” The Stinger I tried with a 12-foot Heritage Redfish sit-on-top kayak worked as well as Kivi claimed on bottoms of sand, gravel, rocks and even in sunken timber. “You want to back-paddle and slow the boat down before you drop the Stinger,” he said. “Some people ask how that blunt tip can penetrate gravel, but it’s all about pounds per square inch.” I love fishing shallow rivers and flats in both freshwater and salt. If I want to fish an area carefully, I usually stop the boat by anchoring or running it up on a sandbar and then get out and wade. I did that at first with the Stingerequipped boat until I realized that I could simply drop the Stinger, fish a spot and then raise the Stinger and slide downstream 20 or 30 feet and stop again with no muss or fuss. Most of the time there was no need to get out of the boat except to stretch my legs. The Stinger is available through Log Cabin Hardware, (734) 426-2256. It will be available soon at goldendrake.com.

....Damn I've been misled. Or so it seems.... X shaped markings? http://www.bio.txstate.edu/~tbonner/txfish...mo%20trutta.htm Great Lakes Brown Trout Click on this image to enlarge. I'm sure I could dig up more.

....Actually a lot of what Clofchik says is untrue! and this one is a brown. The X shaped spot are the identifier.

....My thoughts.... While I'm not certain it's a Coho I am certain it's not an Atlantic. The caudal peduncle, to small and to narrow. The tail to deeply forked which now leads me to this....Pink. Pinks have very deep forked tails. Or a real possibility, Pinook! Oh yes I have caught an seen a handful of Atlantics. A few better shots would help.

....Coho

Lake Erie gives up record fish to Newark man who arrowed it Friday, July 25, 2008 Steve Pollock / toledoblade.com Lake Erie, already known for its highly rated walleye and smallmouth bass fishing, may be notching another list-topper in its Sandusky Bay. That would be carp. A state bowfishing record for carp - 38 inches long, 47.65 pounds - recently was certified by the Outdoor Writers of Ohio, in conjunction with the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Rich Cady of Newark, Ohio, used a bow and arrow to subdue this record 47.65-pound carp in Sandusky Bay, near Lake Erie. It is the second bowfishing record in just two years from the shallow western Erie bay, supplanting a 40 1/4-pound carp taken in June, 2006. "That's where the big ones are," said Rich Cady of Newark, Ohio, the man who arrowed the new record. "I've been trying to set the state record the last 13 years." Cady, who has been bowfishing for carp since the late '80s, is obviously serious about the pursuit. He and buddies Gary McGirr of Newark and Jack Brooks of Buckeye Lake like to prowl the shallows of the bay in Cady's 18-foot flat-bottom boat, the bow of which is rigged with a shooting platform. They pussyfoot along on an electric trolling motor, watching for big fish. On May 28, Cady spied and shot the 47-pounder, an egg-laden prespawn female. McGirr was along the night Cady took the record carp, which had a girth of 31 1/2 inches. His previous best on the bay was a 35-pounder. The record was taken near the old causeway across the bay. But as Cady notes, "it's just hit or miss. They're everywhere." He uses a "just plain old" recurve bow of about 50-pound draw, with Muzzy fish-tips on fiberglass arrows and an AMS Retriever bowreel. For details on certifying record fish in Ohio and a list of state record fish of all species, visit online at outdoorwritersofohio.org, or call Tom Cross, OWO record fish chairman, at 937-386-2752. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Thirteen-year-old Madison Mehl of Haskins caught a few small bluegills when she was a little girl, but never landed a "real" fish until she went on a recent family fishing vacation at Chub Lake near Thessalon, Ont. She proceeded to land a 32 1/2-inch, 10-pound, 8-ounce walleye, which is a notable 'eye anywhere but especially so in the cold, slow-growing waters of northern Canada. A color photograph of teen and fish shows the deep, dark coloration of walleyes found in rocky, cold, northern waters. The daughter of Scott Mehl and Billy Jo Mehl, Madison was part of a crew that included her dad, brother James, 9, and her friend, Lauren Kessler, 12. The girls will be in the eighth grade at Otsego Middle School. "We've been going there for the last 18 years," said Scott of the family fishing vacation ritual. As for Madison's catch, he added, "it was phenomenal. When we got back to camp everybody was down there [at the dock]. "We went out in late evening, almost dark, to a spot I have fished for years," Mehl said. They dropped lime-green jigs tipped with minnows straight over the side in 25 to 30 feet of water, and in less than a half-hour Madison had the lunker walleye aboard. Her grandmother, Barbara Mehl of Holland, initially called attention to the catch. "I just thought it was kind of odd that a 13-year-old would even be interested in fishing." Obviously, some of them are, and they get results. Madison's fish now is in the hands of Mark Lodzinski at Artistic Touch Taxidermy in Oregon and ultimately headed for a wall to spark memorable tales. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excellent walleye action is being found just off the mouth of the Portage River at Port Clinton in 13 to 19 feet of water, according to Rick Catley at Rickard's Bait on Catawba Island. "It's picked up in the last week there," Catley said. "I don't know what the fish are feeding on, but there must have been 70 boats there." The action is occurring off G and H Cans, the southeasternmost along the boundaries of the Camp Perry Firing Range. Drifters are casting both mayfly rigs and traditional weight-forward spinners, or dragging bottom-bouncers with worm harnesses to take limits, Catley added. Gold or chartreuse are the colors. Dead calm and then too-windy conditions inhibited fishing in the extreme western end of the lake at midweek, but action there is expected to resume when conditions settle, said Rick Ferguson at Al Szuch Live Bait. Try off Crane Creek and northwest of West Sister Island to the Toledo Ship Channel. Yellow perch action is slowly picking up, as can be expected for the season. The Ohio Division of Wildlife's picks for perch are off Lakeside, Cedar Point, and west of Kelleys Island. Some anglers also are finding perch around the reefs off Davis-Besse. Dan Tucker reports fish running three to a pound, which is not bad. Inland, the Maumee River finally is clearing and reaching normal summer pool after too much rain and high, muddy water for too long. As a result some smallmouth bass action has picked up (catch and release, please), and so has the action for channel and flathead catfish. "Flatheads are back in the holes," said Chris Martin at River Lures in Grand Rapids. "They're flathead crazy," he said of area fishermen. In other fishing notes, Frank Merritt, ecology director at Pioneer Scout Reservation in Williams County, reports good catching of bluegills at the state's popular, productive Lake La Su An impoundments near the reservation. "In 1997 when I took over for my first full year as ecology director," Merritt said, "I established a 'fishing outpost' where we took Scouts and Scouters to La Su An and fished Lake Wood Duck. This has been a popular outing over the years, with the total number participating usually between 10 and 20. "I have introduced a large number of individuals from Ohio and Michigan to the wonderful resource at La Su An and have convinced more than one southeast Michigan resident that the fishing is better in Ohio there than in southeast Michigan. "This last week was, however, amazing … we took a total of 50 people to Wood Duck and they caught 74 fish in about 2 1/2 hours on a hot sticky night. "Anyone who doubts the quality of the northwest Ohio fishery after that is a total fool."

....Welcome aboard OnTheWater. We have lots of west arm Nipissing anglers here. I'm sure someone will give you the low down on August fishing in that area.

Cortland Flea Flicker Line

Beauty "eye", good job Shawn.

Glad all is well for Diane, Lew. Scary stuff this neuro surgery.

....So it doesn't just happen to me?

Scientists solve riddle of toxic algae blooms Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Ed Struzik / Canwest News Service EDMONTON - This is the time of year every cottage owner both loves and loathes. On the one hand, there's the lovely lakeside cabin, offering refuge from the hustle and noise of city life. On the other, there's the annual scourge of blue-green algae blooms spoiling the swimming, killing the fish and occasionally poisoning local drinking water. After a remarkable 37-year experiment, University of Alberta scientist David Schindler and his colleagues have finally nailed down the chemical triggers for a problem that plagues thousands of freshwater and coastal ecosystems around the world. By pumping various pollutants into Lake 227, a small pristine lake in the Experimental Lakes region of northern Ontario, they were able to pin down which chemical nutrients were key to triggering the blooms. "Phosphorous really is the key," says Schindler, whose study is highlighted in the U.S.-based Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week. "Here in Alberta, it is especially important because the phosphorous content in the soil is naturally high, so you don't have to add a lot to create a serious problem." It's a global problem. In a commentary in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, American scientist Stephen Carpenter said global expansion of aquatic "dead zones" caused by algae blooms is rising rapidly. There are now 146 coastal regions in the world in which fish and bottom-feeding life forms have been entirely eliminated because of a lack of oxygen. One dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is about the size of the city of New Jersey and growing. Fifty years ago, no one knew what exactly caused algae blooms to appear on lakes and rivers. There was some evidence to suggest that carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous, which are associated with agricultural runoff and waste water, were responsible. But small-scale experiments weren't able to show which were more important. Schindler seemed to solve the problem when he and his colleagues conducted a number of groundbreaking experiments in northern Ontario in the 1960s and early 1970s. In a famous 1974 aerial photograph published by the journal Science, two portions of their experimental Lake 226 were highlighted. One side was treated with carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous. The other was treated with just carbon and nitrogen. The side receiving phosphorous rapidly developed a huge bloom of blue-green algae. The side not receiving phosphorous remained in near-pristine condition. The photo and the study that accompanied it were pivotal in convincing governments in North America and Europe to ban phosphates from detergents and to ramp up or build thousands of new treatment plants that removed phosphorous from waste water. That might have been the end of the debate. But over the years, the idea that nitrogen removal is needed to control the chemical buildup that causes algae blooms know as "eutrophication" has persisted. Schindler's latest series of long-term experiments shows that nitrogen removal completely fails to control blue-green algae blooms. He proved this by manipulating nitrogen and phosphorus levels on Lake 227 for 37 years. Nitrogen control, he found, only encouraged algae blooms. In a commentary published simultaneously in this week's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Carpenter predicts that a single-minded focus on nitrogen control would have disastrous consequences for aquatic resources around the world. Schindler warns that western Canada's struggle to control blue green algae is only going to get worse because industrial, agricultural and municipal growth is pumping more nutrients into water supplies that are decreasing in size and volume. Not only does the government have to pull out all stops to control phosphorous, he says, it needs to protect wetlands that remove these nutrients from runoff before they reach lakes and streams. It also needs to set up rules that create natural buffer zones that protect lakes and rivers from agricultural, municipal and cottage developments.

You realize of course Brian that if I screw up I won't be able to fix any of your rods. As for how many, I still don't have one for every application and I'm fixing on having two or three for every application so I best not mess with Canuck2fan's rod.

....Bailing bucket?