Use of Frozen bait

[jimca11]

Can anyone tell me if there are any restictions to using frozen bait (smelt, hearring, sardines). I cannot find anything on the Ministry site. They would be used in a quick strike set up.

[anders]

As long as the lake is not an "artificial lue only" lake. I would say yes.

 

Your best bet would be to call the MNR and ask directly. They would point you in the right direction and give you the best answer.

[GBW]

I just found this on the MNR site (as I was getting the link for another post).

This quote is from the Bait section of the FAQ.

"Many anglers will drain their minnow bucket on-shore then bag and quickly freeze the excess minnows for use another day. Better still; catch your own bait from the lake you intend to fish."

Edited October 2, 2008 by GBW

[TroutnMuskieHunter]

You cannot use smelt as bait in certain Zones and I believe there are certain lakes that prohibit the use of smelt as well....here is a couple of extracts from the 2008 Ontario Regs on some of the Zones.....I did a quick a search for smelt:

 

OTHER ZONE 2 REGULATIONS

Smelt may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait

 

OTHER ZONE 5 REGULATIONS

Smelt may not be used as bait or possessed for use as bait

[4thgen]

Smelt are an introduced species and do alot of damage to native species. I would imagine that the bans are to completely remove the risk of viable eggs being brought into a new system. It's good advice to try and trap bait in the lake that you are fishing, or at least use a species that is present.

[TroutnMuskieHunter]

Smelt are an introduced species and do alot of damage to native species. I would imagine that the bans are to completely remove the risk of viable eggs being brought into a new system. It's good advice to try and trap bait in the lake that you are fishing, or at least use a species that is present.

 

 

I don't understand what "Smelt are an introduced species and do alot of damage to native species" means??????

 

I know more than a handful of Lakes that I fish that have had smelt in them since I can remember and the native species are forging on them

[Woodsman]

Quite legal in most places. Excellent pike bait on a quick strike rig. I have found sardines a little to mushy when thawed.

Check the regs. for exceptions. Food Basics has a good selection of frozen fish.

 

Good Luck: Rick

[jimca11]

Exactly what I was thinking Woodsman, it the bait fish was already gutted I would think it would be hard to introduce the species

[Dabluz]

I can't see how smelt can damage an environnement. They don't grow large, they spawn in the spring in streams or on well oxygenated shores and they don't compete with other fish species other than the fact that they eat plancton and tiny animals that live in the water. I would even say that they are one of the few fish that will benefit a body of water due to the fact that predator fish just love to eat them and they do offer a better food source than other species of baitfish. Unless the body of water is perfectly suited to the smelt's taste, there is no possibility of this species ever taking hold in a body of water....let alone taking control over a lake. The other fish species that will benefit any body of water is brook trout.

 

As for the possibility of a frozen fish ever being able to spawn.....that's impossible.

[Rich]

Smelt eat emerald shiners and fish eggs. Great time to get fish eggs is the spring, when many of the predator fish are spawning. Oh yeah, emeralds spawn in the spring too right in the same areas as smelt.

 

All in all, it's never good to introduce a new species to any waterbody, no matter what it is. Even if it seems harmless it can totally throw the ecosystem off balance.

[CLofchik]

I don't see how zebra mussels could possibly endanger the environment. The don't grow large, they spawn in the spring in areas where no other fish dare to tread, they don't compete with any other species other than the fact that they eat plankton.......

[Rich]

I don't see how zebra mussels could possibly endanger the environment. The don't grow large, they spawn in the spring in areas where no other fish dare to tread, they don't compete with any other species other than the fact that they eat plankton.......

 

They take out plankton which is the main food source of not only baitfish but the young of any fish species until they reach about 3 inches in length.

 

They clear the water so much acting as a filter that bait becomes easier to find for predator fish and therefore it gets eaten faster and pushed deeper to avoid being eaten.

 

Not only that, but zebra mussels clog water intake pipes and outflow pipes like there's no tomorrow.

[greyhawk]

I BELIEVE THE ISSUE RESTS WITH WHETHER OR NOT FROZEN OR LIVE SMELT ARE BEING USED FOR BAIT. REGULATIONS ON THE THE USE OF LIVE SMELT MAKE SENSE. THE USE OF FROZEN SMELT SHOULD RAISE NO SUCH ISSUES. FURTHERMORE, THE REGS POSTED ABOVE IN ANOTHER REPLY, DO NOT ADDRESS THE FROZEN ISSUE.

[Fisherman]

Well I'm going out on a limb, but I'm pretty sure I've read it in B&W that the use of smelt, frozen or alive is not allowed in some areas. What the chances that some frozen eggs could get fertilized, pretty remote, but, you want to be the one that screws up another lake. Smelt are nasty little buggers that compete with other species. If I can find the quote, I'll add it.