Spiel

It's the biggest salmon fishing contest in North America -- and you can win July 6, 2008 KWOK WONG / torontosun.com The 12th annual Great Ontario Salmon Derby kicked off yesterday, but Torontonians won't have to travel far or be pro-fishers to reel in more than $450,000 in prizes for the biggest catches. Just ask first-time salmon fisher Donna Cansfield, minister of natural resources, who helped with the kickoff and landed a 23-pound chinook salmon in the process. "Where else can you go in the world, sit on a body of water, catch a salmon and look at the skyline and see the CN tower," said Cansfield, after a 41/2-hour fishing expedition in Ashbridge's Bay, where she also netted a second 19-pounder. Cansfield's catches won't put her very close to winning the weekly prizes during the 50-day Derby -- past leaderboards have been filled with salmon catches of 30 pounds or more -- but she'll at least have fresh fillets to dine on for the next few weeks. The same goes for the 21,000 expected participants of the derby, the largest in North America. "The fish are safe to eat," the minister stressed. "Lake Ontario is in the best shape it's ever been in." For those lucky enough to land a winning salmon, cash prizes, GPS systems, fish finders, rods, and boats are all up for grabs in weekly "mini-contests." The biggest salmon will land a lucky angler a new Toyota Tacoma, a fishing trip in Quebec, and a lot more. But the Derby, National Fishing Week, which also kicked off yesterday, and the province's Family Fishing Weekend have more to them than prizes and a few hours relaxing on a lake. "If we can go and put rods and reels in the hands of children that'll keep them away from computers," said Walter Oster, tournament chairman and the force Cansfield credits for bringing back the Derby in 1997, after a four-year hiatus. "It'll keep them outside, and put them in a pristine environment."

....If Glen actually hits the possum himself is it still "road kill" or can he now just call it dinner?

....Thats' decent. I hope I can put that info to you use over the weekend sometime.

OINK, OINK !

Sounds like a "done deal" to me.

....Yes please keep us posted Art. I'm guessing it won't affect his typing abilities.

....Every month you say Glen, wonder who thunk that up? I'm sure I could swing it with work no matter the weekend and either way it'd be my B'day present to me. Crikey I may do August as well, nice to have senior picks for holidays!

....Out with the old and in with the new, Upper Canada Marine and Rick have been super to you.

....Happy Canada Day all. Now I have to get busy and head up to Gerritts to drink all his holiday cheer. Couple nice shiny new bikes heading Liams way Bud.

I can say with all honesty that he's been this way as long as I've known him. And this award winning picture, well I'd say you both oughta keep a close eye on her before some modeling agency runs off with her. Good of you to brag for him Monique cause lord knows he wouldn't.

....Now that's a full plate family weekend! And that pike, whoa.....what a hog, nicely done Monique, nicely done!

....Sorry, no website.

....WRONG, wrong all wrong! Take it off and do it again.

....I guess you don't ever let that lucky horse shoe of yours tarnish.

....Fabulous pictures Miss Joey. Looks like you guys had some good fishing after we all left yous. As for are "almost pickerel" fishing well it turns out you didn't even catch a little one! Look at this post to see what I'm talk'n bout. http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21063

....You can try here Bing, you must register first though.

....That's near exactly how mines installed Cliff and I don't have a bow light up front to deal with. Just position it as close as you can to the light (center line) as Roy suggested in the stowed position so that the motor is running over the port (or starboard) gunnel. This will ensure it's not obstructing the floor space at the bow.

....Just buy a new boat.

...If your bored and wish'n you was fish'n you can read some fish'n news. Some recent updates this morning.

....That's some good bass'n for sure. The "long skinny" ones are likely spawned out females or perhaps hungry males who are still sitting on the nests.

....I've met Garry and I know he's a top shelf kinda guy. While I've never experienced sharing a boat with him nor the hospitality of his home I know some who have and they always refer to it as a fantastic time with a wonderful host. I'm glad to read that you also have had a chance to share in his generousity John

Native fish market up and running - VIDEO (add your thoughts) June 27, 2008 Dave Dale / nugget.ca Business was brisk at the Old Chief Fish Market Friday afternoon as hungry customers bought fresh Lake Nipissing walleye harvested by Nipissing First Nation members in the morning. "This is excellent," said Diana Perry as she picked up $26 worth of walleye for supper, with a few fillets wrapped for the freezer. This is the first time the native community has sold fish through a cooperative business model regulated by its own laws and conservation plan. In years past, individual fishers and families operated commercial entities without provincial health inspections of their facilities that allow restaurant resale. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources said it supports the retail fish market approach, with the understanding that all of the fish are from registered commercial fishermen. -------------------------------------------------- Walleye quota explained by biologist June 27, 2008 Dave Dale / nugget.ca The Nipissing First Nation operates it commercial fishing activities with a quota system based on a sustainable Lake Nipissing walleye fishery. Richard Rowe, Nipissing's fisheries department biologist, said the native commercial and substistence harvest and non-native angling estimate will not exceed two thirds of the lake's sustainable level. VIEW VIDEO (add your thoughts)

Costly error for fisherman June 25, 2008 / MNR News Release A Combermere man who failed to remove his ice fishing hut by the deadline is facing the costly consequence. Lyle Zilney, 34, of Combermere, left his ice fishing hut on Kamaniskeg Lake after March 31 in Fisheries Management Zone 15 and was fined $1,000 by the Ministry of Natural Resources. On April 17, the Ontario Court of Justice, Bancroft, heard conservation officers from Bancroft District followed up on a complaint report to TIPS-MNR concerning an unlawful ice hut on Kamaniskeg Lake. Given the ice had recently broken up during a spring thaw, the officers were faced with recovering a floating ice hut. It posed a threat to the lake environment and was a safety hazard to boaters.Although the hut was successfully removed from the lake, the operation monopolized valuable staff time and equipment resources. Justice of the Peace B. Moran heard the case in Ontario Court of Justice, Bancroft, on June 3. Zilney was subsequently fined.

Lake worth $1 billion Report places value on Simcoe's ecosystem June 28, 2008 NATHAN TAYLOR, thebarrieexaminer.com According to a recent report, the ecological benefits of the Lake Simcoe ecosystem are worth nearly $1 billion. The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA), the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and the David Suzuki Foundation partnered to create the report --Lake Simcoe Basin's Natural Capital: The Value of the Watershed's Ecosystem Services-- released Thursday. Using data collected by the LSRCA over the past three years, the study examined the lake's numerous goods and services, including carbon storage, flood control, waste treatment, clean air and water quality, supply and filtration. "Because it's based on science, it's going to allow us to make informed land-use decisions," said Mike Walters, the LSRCA's director of watershed management. "It is based on our factual understanding of the ecosystem." The report states services provided by the watershed's forests and wetlands are worth $319 million and $435 million, respectively, making them "the most highly valued assets." Putting a dollar value on the lake is "crucial to securing a safe water source and a safe local food source," said Danielle Pignataro, communications director with the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. "It begins to level the playing field between the environment and the economy," she said, adding it's the first watershed valuation of its kind in southern Ontario. With a total area of more than 815,000 acres, the Lake Simcoe watershed is a substantial resource that cannot afford to be compromised in any way, she said. "Like the ecosystems within and around its boundaries, if one area of the greenbelt is compromised, it can affect its interconnected parts," Pignataro said, using the Holland Marsh as an example. Area environmentalist Jim Woodford questioned the benefit of -- and logic behind -- tagging Simcoe as a billion- dollar lake. "The state the lake is in, it's probably worth 10 bucks," Woodford said. "I don't think (valuation) is the way to approach this. They've got to, first of all, find out what's wrong with the lake and fix it." High phosphorus levels and the invasive spiny water flea are among the most urgent issues of the lake, he said. "To get a true figure for the value of Lake Simcoe, you would have to subtract all the liabilities, such as the $200 million to reduce phosphorus, stream rehabilitation, spawning habitat renewal, etc.," Woodford said. "The final figure might be minus several hundred million." Full Report Here