Division Clarification

[Weeds]

Hi, I've often wondered about this and it's probably been asked/answered before but....where does division 8 (lake Ontario) start and end. I'm curious because I occasionally fish Toronto's waterfront and have never been too sure whether I was fishing division 4 or 8. Naturally 8 would be preferable. If you're standing on shore and casting out into lake Ontario I'm assuming that counts as 8. What if you're fishing in a bay, say Ashbridges for example? Still division 8? And for arguments sake, say you're fishing a rivermouth, let's say the Humber. How far do you have to move up the rivermouth before you switch divisions? I've never come across any kind of clarification in the regs. Any one know? Thanks, Weeds.

P.S. Was thinking of trying for some Pike tomorrow, either way(division) I'm safe but still curious.

Edited December 4, 2006 by Weeds

[setomonkey]

Hey Weeds I don't know about the tribs but I believe this came up before, Lake O. is Div 8 so casting into the lake from shore, whether the main lake or one of the bays, is fishing Div 8.

 

Mike

[Fisherman]

I'll take a stab at it, my understanding, some rivers are open upstream a certain distance, and it will be noted in the regs by something like, "upstream to the railway bridge" (usually close to the shore) or a noted natural feature such as waterfalls, and someimes it's marked by a post with signs. If none of the above apply, then draw a natural line across the mouth of the river that intersects the land on each side. Some small bays are considered part of the shoreline where as other's may be specific.

[ccmtcanada]

Ok...fishing regs for Div 8 are strange...

 

Lake Ontario is division 8 as you already know. The exceptions are noted in the regs and they read....

 

For the Year Round Open Season Division 6 tribs:

 

Regional Municipality of Durham - between the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way and Lake Ontario.

 

Make sure you read up on what species and size limits.

 

For Division 4:

Bronte Creek - Town of Oakville from Hwy. 2 to Lake Ontario.

 

Credit River and tributaries - City of Mississauga from the south side of the Queen Elizabeth Way bridge downstream to Lake Ontario and from the north side of the Hwy. 5 (Dundas St.) bridge upstream to the south side of the Hwy. 403 bridge.

 

Fifteen Mile Creek - City of St. Catharines and town of Lincoln between the Queen Elizabeth Way and Lake Ontario.

 

Grindstone Creek - City of Burlington from Hwy. 2 (Plains Road) to Hamilton Harbour of Lake Ontario - Regional Municipalities of Hamilton-Wentworth and Halton.

 

Humber River - City of Toronto between Eglinton Ave. and Lake Ontario.

 

Oakville Creek (Sixteen Mile Creek) - Town of Oakville from Hwy. 2 to Lake Ontario.

 

Sixteen Mile Creek - Town of Lincoln between the Queen Elizabeth Way and Lake Ontario.

 

Spencer Creek - City of Hamilton from Hwy. 102 (Cootes Dr.) to Lake Ontario.

 

Regional Municipality of Niagara - all waters lying downstream of the Queen Elizabeth Way

 

Regional Municipalities of Hamilton-Wentworth (including Hamilton Harbour), Halton, Peel and City of Toronto - all waters lying downstream of the Queen Elizabeth Way or Gardiner Expressway to Lake Ontario, excluding Highland Creek and the Rouge River

 

Highland Creek - City of Toronto - downstream from the south side of the C.N.R. bridge to Lake Ontario

 

Rouge River - City of Toronto - downstream from the south side of the C.N.R. bridge to Lake Ontario

 

This is not all of them. Be sure to read the guide, cause it depends on what species you are fishing for. The link for Div 4 stuff is http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/fishing/...ap_A_fr2005.pdf

 

The link for Div 6 stuff is http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/fishing/...ap_B_fr2005.pdf

Edited December 4, 2006 by ccmtcanada

[bigfish1965]

It is one of the problems with the current system. The angler and the CO are left with trying to figure out where the different boundaries are with respect to a few different species. Exceptions are given for most trout species in the stream mouths of many tribs. Do not confuse this with division 8 actually being extended into the mouths...it is not.

The best definition I got from anyone in the MNR was that the boundary was the 'natural shoreline'. For the most part this seems easy enough. But when some areas contain fish that have markedly different seasons and limits (like Division 8 vs 3 or 6 for walleye) it becomes troublesome. Now throw a pier or built up area into the mix and one is left wondering where this 'natural shoreline' actually is.

The piers of Bronte and Dalhousie and others actually sit in two different divisions depending on where you are standing. One step to the left and fishing is open all year, one to the right and it close Dec 30th.

Silliness like this makes the laws difficult to enforce, which is part of the driving force behind reducing the number of divisions and making clear boundaries so everyone can be sure of when and where they can fish.