Spiel

MNR considers stocking Bay Lake March 12, 2008 Craig Sebert / bancroftthisweek.com The Bancroft Ministry of Natural Resources wants to improve the quality of lake trout fishing in Bay Lake, but first, they need public support. On March 4, MNR expressed their intent to change fishing regulations in the lake. Rules currently state that no fishing can occur on Bay Lake between Dec 1 and the end of May. During the open months, fishers are required to release lake trout sized at 40-55 centimeters. "People have complained about the state of local fishing, specifically to lake trout in Bay Lake," said Erin McDonald, area biologist for the Bancroft MNR. "It is a general concern we have had for several years now." Changing regulations is no easy process though, and takes two years to complete. "Fishing regulations fall under the Federal Fisheries Act. So to change any regulations, you have to get public support, go through a lot of paper work and work your way up the chain through the province, and that takes a while." For now, MNR says they can still stock the lake with lake trout to at least improve some fishing there. Upon completion of the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery, it was decided that hatchery management would focus on lake trout rehabilitation in L'Amable Lake, instead of Bay Lake. According to MNR's report, submitted at the Hatchery's annual general meeting, there were several factors that were not favourable for rehabilitation of a native lake trout population in Bay Lake. "We decided not to go with rehabilitation stocking using the locally adapted strain of lake trout that will be raised at the hatchery." Lake trout require deep, oxygen-rich water to breed and flourish. Bay Lake unfortunately has not enough oxygen, and is too shallow. Advertisement Because of these factors, the lake trout population has continued to decline, to near extinction, in the lake even with the current fishing regulations. "Without good water quality and spawning habitat, it would be very difficult to try to re-establish a reproducing and self-sustaining lake trout population." According to McDonald, there were attempts to improve spawning conditions in Bay Lake in the 1980's, but were unsuccessful due to the large calcium deposits in the lake. But stocking is still a possibility. "Given the state of the water quality and habitat, the best option for establishing a lake trout fishery is likely to move towards a put-grow-take stocking situation." McDonald says MNR has coordinated with the provincial fish hatchery system, and asked for any leftover lake trout from restocking initiatives, for diversion into Bay Lake. "For the most part, you have to ask two years ahead of time to let the fish grow. But since they have an excess of fish, we may actually be able to stock as early as this spring." For more information, call MNR at 613-332-3940.

Strong feelings on both sides over cormorant cull March 16, 2008 Doug Edgar / owensoundsuntimes.com Parks Canada is proposing a cormorant cull on Middle Island in April. Middle Island, south of Pelee Island, is well outside our area, but cormorants sure are on the radar of local outdoors enthusiasts, including birders and anglers. There's been more than one call for a cull in Georgian Bay. The big aquatic birds stir up animosity among anglers because they eat fish. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has certainly taken a strong stand in favour of culls, saying the birds are at 250 times their historic levels in Ontario and are damaging shoreline habitat and threatening water quality because of their droppings. The organization claims each cormorant eats a minimum of a pound of fish per day. On the other hand, there are many people who are strongly opposed to the culls. They say the birds' spread is a natural process and we should have learned our lesson by now about interfering in such things. There is also a pretty strong distaste evident among many on this side of the fence for killing any animal. An umbrella group called Cormorant Defenders International sent out a news release this week saying the proposed cull would probably push the birds to colonize other sites. They may have a point, but it seems to me the birds are doing a pretty good job of spreading out as things are now. On the other hand, considering how rapidly the birds have spread, I bet there will be new cormorants lined up to take the place of the culled birds. I suppose the truth is somewhere in the middle. But finding it can be tough with such strong opinions on both sides. One source is the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, which has accumulated studies about the birds. In a nutshell, most of the research they've put together seems to indicate the birds do eat game fish, but they mostly target forage fish. Of course, since everything's connected, that doesn't mean their rapid increase in numbers is not having an indirect effect on other fish and birds. The thing I'm most concerned about locally is the impact they might be having on some of our inland lakes. I've noticed more cormorants and fewer fish - especially small bass and panfish - in some of those lakes in the last few years. I'm afraid they may hit the little lakes hard, then fly off to better hunting grounds after the fish population has been decimated. The MNR started a study of cormorants in Georgian Bay and the North Channel a couple of years ago. I hope to take a look at what they've found for an upcoming column. I was told in a quick chat with one MNR official that the birds population may have peaked. Parks Canada's biggest concern about Middle Island seems to be the effect the nesting colony is having on the island, Canada's southernmost point. Their plan, which could change, is to reduce the number of nests on the island from about 4,000 to between 440 and 840 in the next five years. Park officials have said in interviews that although cormorants are native, they have caused an imbalance on the island. The birds' droppings kill vegetation and the cull is being proposed to protect the island's rare Carolinian ecosystem, which supports nine federal species at risk. An interesting bit of background from the fishery commission says the birds were first reported nesting at Lake of the Woods in the 1700s and spread east throughout the Great Lakes by the 1930s. By the 1950s, steps were taken to cut their numbers due to concerns about competition with sports and commercial fisheries. But it was chemical pollution that really hit the birds hard. DDT and PCBs caused weak, easily broken eggs and fatal deformities in young birds. Their numbers began to rebound after those chemicals were banned or better controlled.

Ice conditions dangerous: police March 20, 2008 / yorkregion.com Georgina; Police services surrounding Lake Simcoe are warning you to stay off the ice as mild weather and rain are creating dangerous conditions. Last weekend, the York Regional Police marine unit responded to four separate emergency calls to assist snowmobilers and their passengers because they did not heed warnings the ice on Lake Simcoe is no longer safe. On three occasions, snowmobilers did not spot hazardous pressure cracks in the ice and crashed. This resulted in four people suffering injuries. In one of the incidents, an Innisfil man lost control. The driver was not injured, however, the passenger was transported to hospital. After investigation, the 23-year-old driver was charged with impaired driving and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm. Sunday, a 34-year-old Innisfil woman was injured when her snowmobile struck a metre-high pressure crack near the mouth of Cook’s Bay, west of Roches Point. The woman was snowmobiling south on the lake at an estimated 50 to 60 km/h when she struck the wall of ice and the machine rolled over. She suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The crack runs east from the Innisfil shoreline and then south into Cook’s Bay for about two kilometres and was difficult to spot due to drifting snow, according to South Simcoe Police. Another incident involved a man who was driving his pickup truck several miles off shore when it broke through the ice. The owner managed to remove his vehicle safely and no injuries were reported. Two Virginia men died when their snowmobiles crashed through the ice near Georgina Island on New Year’s Day and a Toronto angler fell through the ice and drowned in January. York Regional Police issued a warning this week that lakes and streams are not frozen and are unsafe. The ice is beginning to thaw, so you are warned to stay off it. Ice fishing season ended March 15, but anglers are still going out on the lake to fish for perch. The ice road to Georgina Island is rough. Before venturing to the island, call the Chippewas of Georgina office at 705-437-1337 for conditions. Police caution anyone who ventures onto Lake Simcoe, to follow these safety precautions: • Know the condition of the ice before you go out and take into consideration the recent changes the weather may have had on the ice; • Be suspicious of grey, dark or porous spots in the ice as these may be soft areas. Ice is generally strongest where it is hard and blue; • Wear the appropriate survival clothing and flotation devices. York Regional Police reminds the public snowmobiling and ice-fishing are inherently risky activities occurring in an uncontrolled and unpredictable natural setting. For more information and safety tips, contact the York Regional Police Marine Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext 7300.

Cormorant nests dwindle on Huron due to natural ebb and vigilante culls MNR survey shows nine colonies 'shot up' on Georgian Bay, N. Channel March 20, 2008 Jim Moodie / manitoulin.ca NORTH CHANNEL-Vigilante culling of cormorants at Lake Huron colonies reached a new peak last year, according to observations made by Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) personnel during their annual survey of nesting sites. Findings obtained by the Expositor through a Freedom of Information request show that nine cormorant colonies between Parry Sound and Blind River, including several in the vicinity of Manitoulin, were raided last spring by unknown individuals who left a trail of smashed eggs, dead chicks and spent ammunition in their wake. Jim Sloss, chair of the United Fish and Game Clubs of Manitoulin (UFGCM), said his organization had no role in this blitz. "We haven't organized it and haven't taken part in it," he said. "Nor have we asked people to go out and do it themselves." He does, however, understand why it might have occurred. "People are very frustrated by the lack of action on cormorants," he said. "Studies have shown this is a serious problem, but nothing is done about it." The UFGCM was poised to conduct its own citizen-led cull in the spring of 2005, gaining hundreds of signatures of volunteers who were prepared to take part in the act of civil disobedience, but backed off at the last minute. "We withdrew our position on that, and that's the way it has been," said Mr. Sloss. "It's not something we propose as a proper method. It's definitely a last resort." While the renegade culls have contributed to a decrease in active colonies and a general downswing in the cormorant population on Lake Huron, they could not have been the only, or even the most significant, factor in this trend. Almost a third of the colonies (32 of 114) visited by the MNR in 2007 were found to be deserted, and it wasn't the case that cormorants were breeding in more concentrated numbers at the remaining sites, as 1,199 fewer nests were found across the North Channel and Georgian Bay study area. Nor were the birds establishing much in the way of new hatching grounds, as only one new colony, containing 59 nests, was documented. A collapse of the alewife population, due to winter weather and salmonid predation, is cited as the main reason for the downturn in the number of cormorants, which peaked in 2000/'01 and has dwindled since. The most conspicuous type of fish seen around nest sites last year by the MNR was round gobies (an invasive species) and crayfish, along with yellow perch, rock bass and burbot, but in general "the amount of fish seen at nests this season is much lower than in previous years," the report notes. More surprising and disturbing to the MNR was the level of colony destruction that occurred last year, as such activity is both a violation of laws protecting the bird and a threat to public safety. "The cormorant is a federally protected bird," said MNR spokesman Barry Radford. "And the time when they're hatching is also a time when people are coming to their cottages and are out in boats, so safety is of major concern with actions like this." The MNR estimates that between the birds that were shot (or clubbed), and the eggs that would have hatched into birds had they not been crushed, about 3,000 cormorants were removed through the rogue action. One colony, according to the MNR report, "had approximately 50 dead chicks which appeared to be shot with shotguns, with many eggs smashed in nests." Another was strewn with 250 carcasses of adults and hatchlings, while only 20 adults and one chick remained alive; among the nests, the MNR found empty shotgun shells and cartridge box for a .22-calibre rifle. The most carnage occurred at an island where all 493 nests "contained dead young birds or smashed eggs," according to the MNR report. Three adults had been slain by a shotgun and the ministry observer estimated that 250 chicks "were shot or clubbed." Frontier justice carried out the preceding year had left a lasting impact in at least one location. "This colony was shot up last year (2006) with dead young left in tree nests," notes the MNR observer. "All nests appear to be abandoned this year." Other evidence of human disturbance found at colonies included a scarecrow that had been erected at one site, and yellow paint that had been splattered around the nests of another. For Julie Woodyer of Cormorant Defenders International, such behaviour is "sadistic and cruel." Particularly offensive to her is the notion that someone might club a chick in its nest. "It's one thing to kill an animal," she said. "But to beat them and leave them to die in the nest is heartless." The animal rights activist said that, apart from being a violation of the Wildlife Act, incidents of this nature could be considered a criminal code offence, as section 446 of the code can be brought to bear on anyone who would "willfully cause or allow unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to an animal." Ms. Woodyer said she is "not surprised" to learn that some people have taken the law into their own hands to deal with cormorants. "It has occurred on Lake Ontario previously, and I know people in the North are frustrated because they feel the MNR isn't doing anything and they're told by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters that it's a big, serious problem." But the problem is being overstated, in her view. "If cormorants can survive here, that means the lakes are starting to heal and there are lots and lots of feeder fish," she said. At the same time, cormorant numbers are on the ebb across the Great Lakes. "It's how it goes with nature," she reasoned. "It gradually gets to equilibrium, and we're pretty much there with cormorants now." The situation doesn't seem so rosy to Mr. Sloss, who maintains that the birds have done irreparable harm to the sport fishery, and that MNR studies, including the latest one conducted on the Island's inland lakes, bear that out. "Having all this information, there is a strong need for an action plan," he said. "But I don't see that happening." The MNR began its long-term study of cormorant impact on Georgian Bay and the North Channel waters in 1999, with several rounds of experimental egg-oiling conducted in the ensuing years to see if this method of control would yield appreciable results. The tactic was abandoned last year as it was deemed ineffective in a limited scope. "One of the problems when you get into cormorant control is that when you remove some, other cormorants just move in," said Mr. Radford. "If it's done, it has to be done on a massive scale, and in a controlled fashion that takes public safety into account." The Natural Resources minister has not yet been convinced that such a far-ranging program is warranted, although the matter is still under consideration, said Mr. Radford, and the Georgian Bay/North Channel study, though scaled back, is not entirely wrapped up. "We're just part of a more international research effort now," said the MNR spokesman. As for the incidents of colony disruption, Mr. Radford said an investigation was launched but no individuals have yet been charged. He noted that it's difficult to catch anyone in the act, as the sites are generally remote and someone could "go in and do a heck of an amount of destruction within an hour, while watching the horizon for any boats that might be approaching." Consequently, the ministry is hoping the public will come forward with tips regarding the incidents.

Feds look at listing coaster brook trout as endangered John Myers, Forum Communications Company Thursday, March 20, 2008 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday announced it is considering placing the beleaguered coaster brook trout on the federal endangered species list. Agency officials said a petition by conservation groups to list the trout has merit and that the agency now will closely evaluate the status of the fish that’s found only in the Great Lakes and their tributaries. The Sierra Club’s Michigan Chapter and the Huron Mountain Club sued the government to force the issue. Under a settlement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service now has until Dec. 15 to make a final decision whether to list the fish as endangered. A federal listing could place new restrictions on harvesting brook trout in and near Lake Superior and may affect some human activities near the trout’s traditional spawning areas. And it could attract additional federal funding to help recover the population. Coasters were once a fairly common form of brook trout found often near the mouth’s of rivers that flow into Lakes Superior, Huron and Michigan. At one time, coaster brook trout were reported spawning in at least 50 Lake Superior streams on the U.S. side of the lake. Now, there are only four viable, self-sustaining coaster populations on the U.S. side Lake Superior – one in the Salmon Trout River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, which has fewer than 200 coaster brook trout, and three in Isle Royale streams. Marvin Roberson, forest ecologist with the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club, said the group wants brook trout restored across as much of its former range as possible. Roberson said federal protections could be especially critical in restricting mine development planned for the headwaters of the Salmon Trout River near Marquette. “Sulfide mining often leads to sulfuric acid runoff, and coasters are extremely sensitive to pH levels,’’ Roberson told the News Tribune. “If we can’t keep our one remaining population, it won’t look good for any other restoration.’’ Coasters are considered a unique type of brook trout because they spend part of their life in rivers and part in Lake Superior. Efforts have been underway for years to restore coaster populations through stocking, habitat repairs and regulations. State, tribal and federal natural resource agencies have worked cooperatively, with limited success, to restore the trout. For example, anglers are allowed to keep only one brook trout in Minnesota, Wisconsin or Ontario waters of the lake in a coordinated effort to keep more fish in the lake. But experts say it will take decades for the fish to recover, if they ever do. Coasters are highly susceptible to changes in water quality and habitat. And they are not wary fish, making them easily caught by anglers and subject to over-fishing. While low levels of brook trout survive in upper rivers, they aren’t doing so in any sustaining levels near the big lake. Moreover, experts aren’t even certain what makes coaster brook trout different, if anything, form their stream-staying cousins. Dennis Pratt, area fisheries biologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Superior, said damage to streams from logging practices in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s may have irrevocably damaged the ability of coasters to reproduce. Despite stocking millions of brook trout in Lake Superior streams in recent years with hopes the fish would move in and out of the lake, few have done so. The DNR counted only 8 brook trout migrating up the Brule River in 2006 and only 2 last year, Pratt said. Brook trout in the upper Brule are not making the trip to the lake. “The only place we’ve seen any real success with coasters is on the Canadian side of the lake, in Nipigon Bay, where you had both suitable habitat and a remnant population of (wild) fish, and where very restrictive angler limitations were in place early,’’ Pratt said. “In places where habitat was destroyed beyond where the fish could reproduce, it’s just not happening.’’ The Fish and Wildlife Service’s finding on the petition to list the coaster brook trout as endangered appears today (Thursday) in the Federal Register. Comments and information about the coaster brook trout should be submitted to the Service by May 19 and sent to www.regulations.gov or to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R3-ES-2008-0030; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. For more information on the coaster brook trout, go to www.fws.gov/midwest.

Catch Limits Recommended for Lake Erie Walleye and Yellow Perch for 2008 For Immediate Release / March 19, 2008 Contacts: Canada: John Cooper: 519-873-4613 USA: Marc Gaden: 734-662-3209 x 14 NIAGARA FALLS, ON – Lake Erie fishery managers from Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario and Pennsylvania today recommended a 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of 3.594 million walleye and 10.160 million pounds of yellow perch*. Both the walleye and yellow perch TACs represent a decrease in allowable harvest from 2007. The managers, meeting as the Lake Erie Committee, noted that poor walleye and yellow perch year classes in 2002, 2004, and 2006, and a below average year class in 2007, necessitated the lower harvest in 2008. WALLEYE The Lake Erie Committee recommended a binational TAC for walleye in 2008 of 3.594 million fish. This compares to a TAC of 5.36 million fish in 2007. The Committee’s Walleye Task Group—comprising scientists and field biologists—reported that walleye hatches have been poor in 2002, 2004, and 2006 and below average in 2007. Because of the continued low level of new fish to the harvestable population, the Lake Erie Committee recommended the TAC reduction to maintain and protect the remaining stocks. This reduction reflects the consensus of the committee that the fishery is becoming ever-reliant on the dwindling 2003 year class. Actual walleye harvest in 2007 was 4.486 million fish. Lake Erie agencies together monitor the status of walleye spawning and recommend walleye TACs to ensure the future of the fishery. Based on the data collected and interpreted together by the Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions on Lake Erie, the reduced 2008 TAC will allow the agencies to adhere to their objectives of allowing harvest while protecting future spawning. Under a 2008 TAC of 3.594 million fish, Ohio will be entitled to 1.847 million fish, Ontario 1.556 million fish, and Michigan 0.191 million fish. The TAC is recommended by the Lake Erie Committee and is allocated to Ohio, Michigan and Ontario by an area-based sharing formula of walleye habitat within each jurisdiction in the western and central basins of the lake. The walleye fisheries of eastern Lake Erie remain outside the allowable catch management area. YELLOW PERCH Like walleye, yellow perch spawning was poor in previous years such that the committee recommended a reduction in allocation to 10.160 million pounds in 2008 from 11.39 million pounds in 2007. An area-based sharing formula determines the allocation of these fish among the five jurisdictions on the lake. For 2008, Ontario’s allocation is 4.861 million pounds, Ohio’s allocation is 4.389 million pounds, and Michigan’s allocation is 0.128 million pounds. New York and Pennsylvania will receive 0.098 million pounds and 0.684 million pounds respectively. In 2007, actual yellow perch harvest was 9.685 million pounds. The committee will complete its yellow perch management plan in 2008. *Walleye are allocated by number of fish; yellow perch are allocated in pounds. BASIS FOR TAC DECISIONS “Walleye and yellow perch fisheries in Lake Erie fluctuate based on annual spawning and survival,” said Lake Erie Committee chair Mike Morencie of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. “This means that the Lake Erie Committee must assess the state of the lake continually and recommend annual total allowable catch limits, based on the science that all jurisdictions collect and discuss together. Our top priority is to provide sport and commercial fishers—on both sides of the border—access to the resource while at the same time taking the necessary steps to ensure that the fishery is managed properly for the future.” “Members of the Lake Erie Committee work very closely with their constituents to take into account their needs and concerns and to advise them of long-term trends in the Lake Erie fishery. The committee notes, for instance, that spawning and recruitment of walleye and yellow perch in Lake Erie have not been strong in previous years, with the exception of the massive 2003 year class. As the committee did last year, we advise constituents that the outlook for higher catch limits is unlikely for the foreseeable future. We appreciate that lower harvest levels are hard on both commercial and recreational fishers and on local communities. We remain committed to working together to minimize those hardships while taking into account the management actions that must occur to ensure the continued health of the fishery.” Committee vice-chair Bill Culligan of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation added: “All of the jurisdictions on Lake Erie enjoy a long-standing, cooperative relationship in managing the lake for the benefit of the fish and our constituents. We appreciate the chance to work with those affected by the decreased harvest levels and we remain committed to incorporating human needs into the decision-making process.” LAKE ERIE COMMITTEE The Lake Erie Committee comprises fishery managers from Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario and Pennsylvania. The committee’s work is facilitated by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, a Canadian and U.S. agency on the Great Lakes. Each year the committee recommends a total allowable catch for walleye and yellow perch. Total allowable catch represents the number of fish that can be caught by sport and commercial fishers without putting the stocks at risk. The individual agencies implement the recommended total allowable catch. For more information, visit the Lake Erie Committee online at www.glfc.org/lec

Look for great fishing on Erie; Weather permitting, of course Sunday, March 16, 2008 Steve Pollick / toledoblade.com Weather permitting. That's just the term Lake Erie anglers don't want to see or hear when whetting their appetites for walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and steelhead. Weather trumps all, when it comes to both fishing and spawning success. But fishermen are the original, eternal optimists - or they would never fish another day. So with that, and hopes of fair weather in mind, be prepared for an exceptional fishing season on the greatest of the Great Lakes. That is the word from biology guru Roger Knight, the Lake Erie program coordinator for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "Lake Erie remains one of the greatest natural resources in our country," added Knight. He said anglers have good access to good fishing in the western and central basins via numerous public launch-ramps, private marinas, and shoreline sites. He presents the following rundown of species' potential for 2008: Walleye - The bulk of the catchable stock again will be from the 2003 megaclass of fish, which remain in good but slowly declining numbers, as happens with all year-classes as they age. The best part is that these fish will be dandy in size, 20 to 24-inchers, which ought to be a boatload of fun especially in the jig-and-minnow season. Larger fish, 21 to 27 inches, from earlier hatches will spike the action, and fish from the decent 2005 hatch will add to the variety at a just-legal 15 inches on up to 18 inches. Occasional bruisers in the 28-inch-plus trophy class remain from strong hatches in the late 1980s and mid 1990s. Remember also the daily creel limit is four fish in March and April. Yellow perch - Excellent numbers of 9-to-12-inch fish should be available from the excellent 2003 hatch, though overall perch numbers will be down from 2007. Fair to moderate hatches in 2005 and 2006 will add some smaller fish to the creel, with a few jumbos also remaining from 2001. Stay tuned for a possible reduction in the daily creel limit for the western basin when the Ohio Wildlife Council votes on April 2. Currently it is 30 for all Ohio waters of the lake, but it could go to 25 for the western basin this year after July 1 because of the reduced stocks there. Smallmouth bass - Bass action should be good in 2008 with contributions from hatches in the 1990s and 2003, with fish ranging from 14 to 21 inches and ranging from 1 1/2 to 5 pounds. Biologists are waiting for what are thought to be several good hatches in recent years to come on-stream. Remember that the minimum keeper length, if you absolutely must keep a smallmouth instead of releasing it, is 14 inches. Keep in mind the keeper season is closed May 1 through June 27 for all smallmouth and largemouth bass in the lake. Bass must be released immediately during the closed season. Steelhead trout - This fishery should maintain its consistent goodness in the lake's tributary streams, thanks to consistent stocking of some 400,000 hatchery-reared fish a year. Streams from the Vermilion River on east should provide most of the fishing in fall, winter, and spring, with good offshore trolling opportunities, mostly between Vermilion and Conneaut, for 17-to-29-inch fish in June through August. White bass - This "bonus" species provides great incidental angling, particularly when a hungry school boils up a school of emerald shiners to the surface. Much of the catch will be 10-to-14-inch fish from 2005 and 2003. Some 2006 fish from that moderate class will run 8 and 9 inches. On bad-weather days when you cannot get onto the open lake, or just for something different, Knight reminds anglers that bays, harbors, and marinas provide excellent opportunities for panfish such as crappie and bluegill, plus largemouth bass and, in weedy areas in spring, northern pike and muskellunge. A host of other information is available on the state Web site, www.wildohio.com, and at www.thenaturalresource.com.

BoatU.S. launches magazine for boat-owning anglers around the country March 18, 2008 / boatusangler.com ALEXANDRIA, Va. — BoatU.S. ANGLER magazine premieres this month. The premier edition will be the first of three issues delivered each year to members of the BoatU.S. ANGLER program, select fishing clubs and West Marine locations across the United States. The new magazine's goal is to provide fishing information to boat owning anglers among the 650,000 members of the association and to spread the word of its specialty services for fishermen. 'BoatU.S. ANGLER' is intended to benefit fishing-minded boaters of all ages. Mike Pellerin, director of the BoatU.S. ANGLER program is editor-in-chief and Taylor Wilson is managing editor. BoatU.S. ANGLER features will include fishing and boating information from experts, and the latest on bass, walleye and crappie as well as near-shore saltwater angling. Writers will include Bill Dance on bass, Wally Marshall on crappie, Gary Roach on walleye, and Nick Honachefsky on stripers and near-shore species. In addition, readers can get answers to angling questions from pro angler and guide Steve Chaconas and fishing legend Bill Dance in the magazine's Angling Answers column. Each issue will offer something for the entire family, including recipes, young angler stories and tips, quizzes and crossword puzzles. The overall goal is to make fishing a more enjoyable and a safe, worry-free pastime. Other regular topics will include technical tips and advice, trailering information, boating safety, conservation and do-it-yourself articles from other award-winning BoatU.S. publications. The magazine will also promote the association's various benefits such as specialized fishing boat insurance, on-the-water and on-the-road towing assistance programs, discounts at BoatU.S. Cooperating Marinas and member rebates on equipment purchased at West Marine stores. For more information on the BoatU.S. Angler program, visit http://www.BoatUSAngler.com or call (866) 906-0013.

What Mike said, "TEXT"

....Stats show most of them to be unemployed! JK, sure all colours will work at one time or another. What, where and when?

Gerritt you promised me that you were going to get help?

....Ouch ! Hard to believe I didn't get out there this year Joey but I haved enjoyed it vicariously through your posts.

....Yep springs if'n you can find them. Stealthy approaches and light line tethered to a small heavy spoon or a hair jig for me (occasionally tipped with a small peice of worm) and allowed to sink down to the bottom then jigged back.

....I used to do a lot of interior painting (hated it) and would more than love to help Cliff if'n I was only closer. Alas that is not the case but the offer is a generous one, I surprised you're not getting more bites.

....Great to have you here Mike. Always thought of hitting Lac Seul some day before I die.

....You're killing me Garry. 3 1/2 months to go here before I can play topwater games with the local bass population. Nice to see you and Buck are having a ball down there.

....Welcome a "board". Can't help you with the fishing down that way but I'm certain someone will.

....Well Lord tunder'n, bout time you got on board Gary. So when's perch dinner? and remember "Post count is NOT a sign of intelligence", suposedly it's the content that counts?

Lake Ontario fishery threatened by invasive species March 14, 2008 Thomas J. Prohaska / buffalonews.com LOCKPORT — Invasive species and fluctuating populations of game fish and their prey will continue to keep the Lake Ontario fishery in a state of flux, state officials said at a meeting here Thursday. The Department of Environmental Conservation’s “State of Lake Ontario” session drew about 50 anglers and charter boaters to Cornell Cooperative Extension’s 4-H Training Center at the Niagara County Fairgrounds. Robert O’Gorman, a field station supervisor for the U.S. Geological Survey, told the audience that populations of alewife and rainbow smelt in the lake have fallen to near-record low levels. Those species are among the favorite foods of trout and salmon. “I can’t really give you a reason,” he said, although he speculated that the heavily stocked trout and salmon species used to bolster the fisheries are simply chowing down heavily on their favorite prey. He also said antipollution measures that sharply reduced the discharge of phosphorus into the lake decades ago may be hurting the alewife and smelt. O’Gorman said that’s because phosphorus triggers the growth of plankton, which the alewife and smelt like to eat. Dan Bishop, a DEC regional fisheries manager, reported that the average weight of the chinook salmon in the lake, a popular fish among anglers, is lower than a few years ago. But Vince Pierleoni, owner of Thrillseeker Fishing Charters in Olcott, said that’s not all bad. He said his customers think the slimmed-down chinooks fight harder. “That’s the sport,” he said. “They have less fat. We think they’re more physically fit.” But one thing his customers don’t like is lake trout with gashes in their sides caused by sea lampreys, a parasite fish that’s on the rise. Dan Connerton of the DEC said the lake trout population has fallen by about 80 percent of its levels of 15 years ago, while the number of lamprey gashes in the lakers they’ve tested are on the rise. He said with the lake trout population crashing, lampreys are attacking other trout species and also going after salmon. Pierleoni said lampreys like clean water, and the Great Lakes are getting cleaner all the time. “There’s an international effort to restore lake trout across the Great Lakes,” said Jana Lantry, a DEC biologist. But she said first-year survival of stocked lakers has been “really poor” and no one knows for sure why that is. Pierleoni said lampreys like to eat freshly hatched lake trout. Lantry said 453,000 baby lakers were stocked in Lake Ontario last year, and that number should rise this year. O’Gorman said another alien invader has entered the lake in ballast water discharged by foreign merchant ships: the “bloody red shrimp.” The quarter-inch crustacean has been found in large numbers in the stomachs of alewifes, perhaps meaning that they could make a food source for that key species. But O’Gorman said no one is quite sure what the shrimp are eating, and it might take a decade to figure out their overall impact. “It’s a whole new lake, a whole new ecosystem, a whole new food web,” he said.

Chinook catch differs between lakes Friday, March 14, 2008 Howard Meyerson; Press Outdoors Editor / mlive.com After hitting the bottom in 2005, the Lake Huron Chinook salmon fishery is showing a bit of recovery. Meanwhile, the Lake Michigan salmon fishery is at its peak, according to state fisheries officials. "The Chinook catch in Lake Huron has been increasing very slightly over the last two years," said Donna Wesander, with the DNR's Great Lakes Fishery Research Center in Charlevoix. Wesander recently presented charter catch data to a roomful of captains in Grand Haven. "The fish appear to be looking a little healthier," she said. "In Lake Michigan, we are at the peak. The numbers have been steadily increasing over the last six to seven years." Chinook catch rates, or the number caught by charter anglers in an hour, inched up to .08 per angler hour on Lake Huron in 2007. They hit .294 per angler hour on Lake Michigan. "The Lake Michigan charter catch is the best it ever has been," said Dave Clapp, the head of the Charlevoix research station. Lake Michigan anglers caught 84,600 Chinook salmon in 2007, the best year since 1993 which was the bottom of a Chinook salmon crash due to Bacterial Kidney disease. Anglers caught more fish on every excursion, though the big salmon were smaller than in the past. There were few 20-pounders. Thirty-pounders are virtually unheard of now. The top port for big kings was Ludington, followed by Grand Haven, Manistee and Frankfort. Coho salmon catches were best at Ludington, St. Joseph, Grand Haven and Manistee. The ports with the highest number of salmon and trout combined/per excursion were Pentwater followed by Michigan City, Saugatuck and Ludington. "They were getting 14 fish per excursion at Pentwater," Wesander said. On Lake Huron, it was lake trout that filled most of the coolers. Grindstone City proved the top port for trout and salmon. "They caught 2088 fish in 184 excursions," said Wesander. "Most of these (1987) were lake trout." "The problem on Lake Huron is the lack of forage," said Clapp. "Salmon survival has been poor mainly from a lack of forage. But we still see a good Lake Huron fishery for lake trout and walleye." Some have called what happened on Lake Huron the perfect storm. Factors converged to make it tough for young fish to survive. No one knows for certain why the alewife population disappeared. But catch rates don't lie. On Lake Huron they peaked at .2 per hour on in 1997, bounced up and down until 2002 and began a three-year slide to the lowest point in 15 years.

....Oh boy I love B'days, especially when they ain't mine. Hope your day was swill Glen

....Looks like a great way to spend a morning. And don't sell yourself short Doug, like Cliff and Carole you too are fine folk and great host.

ONTARIO HELPS YOUTH DISCOVER FISHING McGuinty Government Teaches Youth About Fish And Conservation March 11, 2008 Ontario is encouraging young people to fish with $25,000 in support for Kid’s Fishing Day. Organized by the Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows, this program gives fishing kits to youth across Ontario and financial support to fishing day events organized by various organizations. The funding was announced at the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show, where Danning Amy Sun, of Toronto, was named the overall winner of Ontario’s 5th annual Kids’ Fish Art Contest. Sun’s picture of a muskellunge will be featured on the 2008 Young Angler’s Licence. Sun receives a $2,000 Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) from Northwest Mutual Funds. Her entry placed first in the Grade 10-12 category. She also receives a day of fishing with Canadian Sportfishing Television Host Italo Labignan and a four-day fishing excursion at Red Pine Wilderness Lodge, near Temagami. Other winners, Marica Villeneuve of Bolton (Grade 7 to 9) and Christophe Young of Cornwall (Grade 4 to 6), ­each receive a $500 RESP, Crayola products for their schools and a complete set of fishing gear from Lucky Strike Lures. QUOTES “The Kid’s Fishing Day provides an opportunity for our youth to experience Ontario’s outdoors, learn new skills and develop an appreciation for our environment that will last a lifetime,” said Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield. QUICK FACTS - Last year, Kid’s Fishing Day gave 4,000 rod and reel kits to youth across Ontario. - 461 young Ontarians entered this year’s Kids’ Fish Art contest. The contest is open to Ontario students in Grades 4 through 12. - Approximately 135,000 Young Angler’s Licences, a free fishing licence for youth under the age of 18, will be distributed in 2008. LEARN MORE See this year’s winning entries and learn how to enter the Kids’ Fish Art Contest. Learn how to get a fishing licence and read about Family Fishing Weekends.

....T'is a strange world we live in.

Not all of us have a choice.