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The St Catharines Game & Fish Association is proud to announce that the 43rd annual Spring Salmon will be running from Sat April 7 to Sat June 9 We are thankful for the support of our generous sponsors and all the participating anglers over the years which has allowed us to keep this event running and to offer the prize structure that we have. Back again, is the Early Bird Draw; purchase your Spring tickets by Mon March 26 and you will be eligible to win a Scotty HP 2116 Downrigger! (Cutoff is 5pm for online sales and at Peters & Grimsby Tackle) Tickets will be sold up until the time of draw at our March General Meeting, on Mon March 26 We will also be having an early bird draw for a free 2018 Lunch Ramp Pass in Port Dalhousie. Everyone who purchases a 2018 SCGFA Membership by March 26 will qualify. We have also expanded the Junior Division; there will now be 3placings, for all 4 species! While we are at it we are also pleased to announce that our Summer Derby will also be back from Sat June 16 to Sat Sept 15. Yes we have decided to combine our Summer & Fall derbies into one, and to offer the exact same prize structure as in the Spring! For all of the guides and charter boats who purchase boat tickets for our derbies, we will be adding a listing section on our website to link to your websites and/or social media pages. There is no additional charge for this and you will be added to it shortly after your purchase is complete. Please contact us if you are not listed and should be. We appreciate your support! Finally all those who purchase Spring & Summer derby tickets will again eligible to win an additional Scotty HP 2116 Downrigger, which will be drawn at our Derby Awards Night on Fri Sept 28 Our ticket Prices have not changed with the exception of a $1 surcharge added to online purchases. We do encourage participants to purchase tickets from your local outlet if possible. Tickets & Memberships can be purchased online here: https://scgfa.ca/event/spring-derby/ For online purchases please print your invoice, that will serve as your ticket. Your transaction ID # is your ticket number to enter at the time of weigh-in Please join us Mon March 26 at The Rib Crib & Smoke Shop (106 Lakeport Road, St Catharines) at 7pm for our next General meeting. We are excited to have Joscelyn Leung from Angling Outfitters as our guest speaker. He will be sharing his knowledge of marine electronics and also what’s new, as well as making sure you are getting the most out of your units. All are welcome!

I am heading to Brighton Presqu'ile park area of Lake Ontario for a day on the water. Does anybody have any local insight into species, lures or techniques for the area?? I will be in a 14ft boat, which means sheltered fishing within the bay and canal from a local marina launch. We will have a fish finder and broad selection of equipment to combine with 40 years of fishing experience for bass, walleye, lake trout etc.

Got out on Friday with a buddy for the first fishing trip in the new boat. A few weeks ago I picked up a 17ft Princecraft with Merc 115hp from another member on this forum (Thanks G.mech!) and couldn't wait to get on the water. We launched out of LaSalle Park in Burlington around 7am and trolled along the Hamilton/Stoney Creek shore towards Grimsby. This was our first time fishing Lake Ontario so we didn't have super high expectations, but we each bought a dipsy setup, some new spoons, and I got a new Daiwa trolling combo while he used his Muskie setup (the guys at Fishingworld in Hamilton were a big help getting me setup and giving a few pointers - many thanks) Once we got out from under the skyway bridge we setup the divers and started trolling in 40-50FOW. We marked a few schools of bait fish but that was about it. Water temps early in the morning were 40F but climbed up to 44F by the afternoon. We didn't mark a single fish for the whole morning but it was a great day to be out so we weren't too discouraged. Once 1pm hit we got about 10-15km from the bridge so we turned back and decided to troll a a little closer to shore (20-30FOW) for the return trip. 20 minutes after the turnaround we start marking some good size fish near bottom..not long after that my buddy's reel starts screaming - he's on one. I grab the net and he starts bringing it in. Being new to this type of fishing we have no idea what it could be which made it that much more exciting. I get a glimpse of the fish and see it's a good size, he reels it right do the boat and in the net it goes - a 12lb Lake Ontario lake trout which was the first fish in the new boat, his first fish out of Lake O, and also his first lake trout. We snapped a couple pics and sent it back to be caught another day. We were both really happy to have turned the corner on a slow day, so we got the lines back in the water and continued on our way. Not too long after that my reel starts going so I pull it from the holder and set the hook - fish was off... That happened three more times on the way back but couldn't land another one. I guess the shallower water was they key. We pulled the boat out around 4pm and called it a day with sunburnt foreheads but feeling good about our catch. After that we may try and get out again next weekend but if not we have a trip planned for some Balsam lake pike with a few other buddies at the end of April. Cheers, FF17

Was hoping to fish Lake O tomorrow launching under skyway bridge. Plan was to fish from 6 am to 9:30, but I see winds in the 15-20 k range out of the east. Since I have only fished Lake O twice not sure what effect this would have. I would think not great...hence my question. I am in a 16 8 foot alumacraft full windshield. For those who know these waters...is this suitable to go out in or best to keep the boat in the garage?

If you have any interest in Lake Ontario at all and would like to help with the stocking plan, please visit the OMNRF website and submit a comment. This stocking plan affects anyone who fishes Lake Ontario, the tribs that flow into Lake Ontario, its harbours and connected waters etc. Submit your comment online or to the contact on the right of the page before it is too late! This is a must for anyone that has an interest in Lake Ontario and its connecting watersheds. Don't let this opportunity slip away from you, then complain later. This is the time to have your say and help shape the next stocking plan! Lake Ontario Stocking Plan - EBR 012-3046 Additionally, there will be public information sessions for Lake Ontario where you can have any questions or concerns answered. I plan to be at the Port Credit event. Hope to see some of you there. Whitby - Tuesday March 17 - 6:30 – 10:00 pm Centennial Building Theater, 416 Centre St. South, Whitby Port Credit - Saturday March 21 - 1:00pm – 5:00 pm Clarke Memorial Hall, 161 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga (Port Credit) Grimsby - Thursday March 26 - 6:30 – 10:00 pm Town Hall (Council chambers), 160 Livingston Ave., Grimsby Belleville - Tuesday April 21 - 6:30 – 10:00 pm Fairfield Inn (Churchill room), 407 North Front St., Belleville Cornwall - Wednesday April 22 - 6:30 – 10:00 pm Best Western (Cabaret Ballroom), 1515 Vincent Massey Dr., Cornwall We have many items of interest to both lake, shore and tributary anglers: • We will be presenting a stock status for Chinook Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Walleye, and prey fish (Alewife). • We will be providing some information on the recent Rainbow Trout mortality in the Salmon River NY. • We have results of the angler diaries and a general update on the Lake Ontario tributary angler creel which is ongoing until May 31, 2015. • We will be proposing a Catch and Release season for Atlantic Salmon in the Lake Ontario tributaries for FMZ16 and 17. • And lastly – we will present the Proposed Lake Ontario Stocking Plan which is designed to improve lake, stream and shore fisheries. Hope to see you there.

We had a great evening on August 8. We didn't head out and start trolling until about 6:30pm, however we got onto the fish right away. Having several hit within 30 seconds of each other! Check out the vid. *foul language warning

The MNR is holding 3 information sessions on the current status of lake Ontario and to discuss NEW stocking plans for the lake in 2015 and beyond. I have posted a link with details below. Sessions are: April 22 - Belleville 7:00 – 9:30 pm Belleville Fish and Game Club 170 Elmwood Drive, Belleville May 6 - Port Credit : 6:30 – 9 pm Clarke Memorial Hall, 161 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga (Port Credit) May 8 – Oshawa 6:30 – 9 pm Quality Inn & Conference Centre, 1011 Bloor St. East. Oshawa, Agenda • Status of Lake Ontario fisheries including the Bay of Quinte: The results from Ontario and New York State 2013 monitoring programs for the recreational fisheries, the status of prey fish and the overall status of the Lake Ontario fish community. • Lake Ontario Fish Stocking Program Review: Learn about the Lake Ontario stocking program for Chinook and Coho Salmon, Rainbow and Brown Trout, Atlantic Salmon, Lake Trout, Walleye and more. For more information email [email protected] or call 1-613-476-3255 Presented by: Lake Ontario Management Unit Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources