Special regulations & trout season

[Baldy]

I tend to fish quite a bit in waters which are posted with special regulations, i. e. single barbless hook, no organic bait, catch & release only, and usually have a higher success rate than other waters that I fish.

These waters tend to mostly be trout waters and I am curious to know why the season is the same as 'catch & keep' waters. I can understand closing the season during the spawning periods and would even support making the prime spawning grounds and nursery areas in to a year round sanctuary. There does not seem to be a reason to close the season on September 30th when rainbows typically do not spawn until the spring or conversely when there are brown trout in the rivers who are usually fall spawners and the season does not open until the last Saturday in April.

It would make more sense to close the waters when the temperatures are unusually high and the fish can become very stressed when hooked.

It just seems strange that if you are a responsible angler and always 'catch and release' because that is the rules, and the fish become bigger and more abundant because of this, why the season could not be longer.

Would more anglers support an increase in waters with special regulations if the season was made longer?

[fishhunter]

Well for me it would be a big NO!!!! I like it just the way it is. Keeps the snaggers where we can see them and the fall running fish such as all kohos,kings, browns, fall running rainbows free to spawn in peace. Lots of water to fish, dont need to be bothering spawning fish. And as responsible anglers this would not be a problem and we would see why its closed and respect that.. Best think that could happen would be a roe free Ontario. Think of all the females that would live because guys like to stock pile roe. No roe no reason to just kill females. No roe fishing more fish every year. Killing fish is ok for food but just for eggs is sad at its best. There are laws in the works for a roe free Ontario and hope I see one day. This will bring out the best in us if it does. How to trick a fish into hitting without killing a female to do it. ANYWAYS JUST MY 2 CENTS. I'M SURE LOTS THAT WOULD NOT THINK THIS WAY AND FOR ONES THAT DO GOOD FOR YOU.

[Jigger]

No roe eh? Thats not a bad idea. I don't use roe, so it wouldn't affect me in the least, but I'm sure alot of guys would have a problem with that. Besides what do you do with the eggs once you've taken a female for food? Caviar anyone?

[majorlifts]

I like this topic and Im glad you brought it up. I am not that educated on the whys all the time, but I always seem to think the MNR has done their research and have come up with some tight math on the subject. But sometimes I feel they have just let it ride because it seems like the right thing to do seasonally. So I think you have a great point.

 

The Canadian Fly Fisher mag Feb April 2007, letters to the editor. The Steve Arndt fisheries biologist comment on past issue of catch release and slot limits is very interesting.

 

I am impatient when comes to getting my flies in the water, because I have to have sooo much patience when Im there. I do think they should really look at the system or body of water each season, and give us the math on the whys. That would probably help us all understand the sacrifice we make each season.

[huntervasili]

Unfortunately i would like to add that making specialized regulations would be impossible considering the massive amounts of rivers and lakes, and the reducing and already minimal MNR budget... If anything the rules WILL get more general and broad in the future

[majorlifts]

True Bill, very true.