kickingfrog Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3309195 Muskies resurfacing in Simcoe ‘Viable fishery’ now possible By GISELE WINTON SARVIS – Special to QMI Agency Posted 1:00am Sept 23, 2011 Muskellunge are slowly returning to Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching, but open season for the fishery could be 10 years away, according to Muskies Canada president Ian Young. "There is no chance of the fishery opening soon," he said. Muskies Canada, a non-profit organization with 600 members, along with a dozen environmental groups, have undertaken the "huge" project of bringing back a species from the lakes that was locally extinct. "We have been stocking the lake for six years for a total of 4,000 to 5,000 fingerlings," Young said. Another 2,000 will put stocked this fall at five strategic locations that were known to be traditional muskie spawning grounds. "Several more years of stocking is needed and then assessment before the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) would even consider opening the fishery," Young said. "A viable muskie fishery now and in the future is our goal." The oldest muskie in the lakes come from the original stocking in 2004-05. They are just reaching spawning age and are approximately 20 to 30 inches long. It is a critical time in re-establishing a self-reproducing muskie population, Young said. Re-establishing this top predator has come at a cost of $100,000 and thousands of volunteer hours. The project has won an award as the top fishing conservation project in Canada in 2010. It's Canada's only muskie stocking program. "The last thing you want is to wreck it before it becomes established," Young said. If anyone catches a muskie, they can take measurements and then return the fish to the lake. Anglers can then report those measurements to the MNR. A century ago, muskellunge were so plentiful in the lakes there was a commercial fishery and heavy recreational fishing. Commercial catches were in the 10,000-pound range and there were no limits for individual fishermen. There was no such thing as catch and release in the early 1900s. "They were all killed," Young said. During the 20th century, overfishing, habitat degradation and water pollution all led to dwindling numbers of muskie until 20 years ago when the species was formally deemed extinct. About 10 years ago, the Lake Simcoe Muskie Restoration Project was started with more than 12 partners, including the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and the Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers. Muskie required an abundance of food. They eat perch, northern pike, walleye, catfish, bass, suckers and even a northern water snake. The freshwater species require good oxygen levels and a silty, marshy bottom to spawn. Unlike lake trout, they don't require cold, deep water. Muskies grow to be huge fish. The biggest muskie ever caught was in Georgian Bay. It weighed 55 pounds, was 60 inches long and had a girth of 27 inches. Muskies are only found in lakes in eastern Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the northeastern United States, including Michigan and rivers flowing to the east coast including the St. John and St. Lawrences rivers. Locally, there are viable populations in Georgian Bay and the Kawartha Lakes. The muskies in the Kawartha Lakes have an advantage over those elsewhere because they have little competition for food. The northern pike is the muskies No. 1 competitor and they are absent from some Kawartha Lakes. They are lots of pike in the Lake Simcoe watershed. This poses a striking problem for the return of muskie because both carnivorous species spawn in the spring in similar marshy habitats. "The pike hatch three or four weeks earlier and they eat whatever is around, including musky hatchlings," Young said. It also poses a problem for getting muskie eggs to raise because researchers wanted eggs from muskie parents that have been exposed to northern pike. Therefore, they couldn't get fish from Kawartha Lakes. They did find some from Gloucester Pool of the Severn River. Then the challenge is to raise the fish that are cannibalistic and perpetually hungry to a size where they can stocked into Lake Simcoe, Young said. The minimum size required to keep a caught muskie varies. It's 36 to 44 inches in the Kawartha lakes, 38 inches in Georgian Bay and 54 inches in the St. Lawrence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GbayGiant Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 This is a joke right? There are a few point that are completely wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom McCutcheon Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 It is no joke. However I see where there may be some missed quotes printed. The most glaring one would be the size limit for Georgian Bay. 54 inches not 38. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familyfisherman Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Other than the GB size limit error what else are you referring to? Just curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 No wonder the smallies are so giant!! MMmmmmmm muskie fingerlings.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Ivan Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Good post. There are a few mistakes like the biggest musky caught - no big deal. The point is that this is an amazing project and it looks like it is going to work. I can remember seeing big fish in the 70's being brought in to Miller's Marina in Keswick. It was sad to see them eventually disappear because of the growing pike population. The same thing is now happening to Balsam Lake where more and more pike are being caught. The Ministry is right by bringing musky eggs from Georgian Bay. I believe that the Kawartha strain of musky (that was in Simcoe) and the Georgian Bay strain are two different fish. Maybe the GB strain spawn in deeper water to avoid the hatch being eaten by pike. Anyway, with the type of forage available for musky in Lake Simcoe - Whitefish especially, these fish could grow to be monsters just like their brothers in GB. Too bad I'll probably be to old to throw 3 oz. baits at them when they open fishing for Musky on Simcoe. Oh well, I'm teaching my son to fish for Musky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 That's great... But still pretty sad that there is only 1 musky stalking program in Canada... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adolson Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 (edited) bah, sinclair beat me to it while I was reading Edited September 23, 2011 by Dana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crappieperchhunter Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 For the people involved and for Muskie fishermen I hope it works out cause alot of hard work sweat and money has went into it. However I still feel that Muskie went the way of the dodo bird in Simcoe for a reason and I don't ever see all the hard work panning out. Now if as dedicated a group was to take on a similar project for a more sought after species on Simcoe...pick one...the efforts would have been appreciated by far more people. Again I hope it works out. I just wanted to add my full 3 Cents worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 For the people involved and for Muskie fishermen I hope it works out cause alot of hard work sweat and money has went into it. However I still feel that Muskie went the way of the dodo bird in Simcoe for a reason and I don't ever see all the hard work panning out. Now if as dedicated a group was to take on a similar project for a more sought after species on Simcoe...pick one...the efforts would have been appreciated by far more people. Again I hope it works out. I just wanted to add my full 3 Cents worth. Agree I've stated my views in the past and quit Muskies Canada because of this waste of resources Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Ivan Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 If musky from the Kawartha Lakes were being stocked I could see your point, a waste of time. The Georgian bay fish have co-existed with pike for years. Why wouldn't this work? Unless of course you don't want Musky in Lake Simcoe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Musky have really boomed in the past 10 years in my area... And pike have all but disappeared in the past 10 years... I believe that the pike numbers dropping have helped the musky population... here anyways... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom McCutcheon Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Agree I've stated my views in the past and quit Muskies Canada because of this waste of resources I suppose that the research being conducted on Balsam Lake by the MNR and MCI is a waste of time and resources also. When an angler in the Kawartha's is only able to encounter one or two muskies a season and has trouble keeping the hammer handle pike off the bait, people will be questioning if something could have been done to prevent that from happening. Part of MCI's mandate it to conserve and protect the natural resources we all share. Tom McCutcheon Chairman Kawartha Chapter Muskies Canada Inc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 I suppose that the research being conducted on Balsam Lake by the MNR and MCI is a waste of time and resources also. When an angler in the Kawartha's is only able to encounter one or two muskies a season and has trouble keeping the hammer handle pike off the bait, people will be questioning if something could have been done to prevent that from happening. Part of MCI's mandate it to conserve and protect the natural resources we all share. Tom McCutcheon Chairman Kawartha Chapter Muskies Canada Inc. So... What about guys that enjoy catching and eating pike??? Why stock a lake that has pike that will eat the musky??? Why not just stock lakes without many pike...? Then the efforts being put out will actualy make a difference... Why bother with simcoe? Then the trout... Whitefish... And perch populations get effected... I dunno... Simcoe has a healthy fishery and plent of tourism... Why not put the efforts in somewhere that could use the tourism boost and better fishery? My 2 cents anyways... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crappieperchhunter Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 So... What about guys that enjoy catching and eating pike??? Why stock a lake that has pike that will eat the musky??? Why not just stock lakes without many pike...? Then the efforts being put out will actualy make a difference... Why bother with simcoe? Then the trout... Whitefish... And perch populations get effected... I dunno... Simcoe has a healthy fishery and plent of tourism... Why not put the efforts in somewhere that could use the tourism boost and better fishery? My 2 cents anyways... x2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F7Firecat Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 (edited) I look forward to fishing muskies one day in Simcoe, if not me maybe my son. Edited September 23, 2011 by F7Firecat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 The problem in Simcoe is not being addressed the cart is being placed before the horse. Habitat degradation is destroying several habitats in Simcoe that will never recover. Musky/Lake Trout/Whitefish/Herring. If what you want is a put and take fishery for musky similar to the Lake Trout/Whitefish fishery that is there, then fine but you don't need Musky Canada's time and resources for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom McCutcheon Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 So... What about guys that enjoy catching and eating pike??? Why stock a lake that has pike that will eat the musky??? Why not just stock lakes without many pike...? Then the efforts being put out will actualy make a difference... Why bother with simcoe? Then the trout... Whitefish... And perch populations get effected... I dunno... Simcoe has a healthy fishery and plent of tourism... Why not put the efforts in somewhere that could use the tourism boost and better fishery? My 2 cents anyways... Good questions and understandable. I don't think I am qualified to answer all of them. The muskie fishery in Simcoe at one time was one of the best in Ontario. I don't think they had any problem defending their territory from pike. It was over harvesting by commercial fishing and unlimited size and possession limits which caused the numbers to eventually drop to zero. That along with antiquated taxidermy (skin mounts) as opposed to replica, and catch and release was unheard of in those days. Today we are much wiser and a lot of us release large bass and perch to continue with the gene pool. It is believed by a number of biologists (which I am not) that pike and muskie can co-exist in Simcoe again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Ivan Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 So... What about guys that enjoy catching and eating pike??? Why stock a lake that has pike that will eat the musky??? Why not just stock lakes without many pike...? Then the efforts being put out will actualy make a difference... Why bother with simcoe? Then the trout... Whitefish... And perch populations get effected... I dunno... Simcoe has a healthy fishery and plent of tourism... Why not put the efforts in somewhere that could use the tourism boost and better fishery? My 2 cents anyways... I'll try to answer some of your questions with answers that are strictly my opinion. Guys that enjoy catching and eating pike should have no problem finding a lake where they can do so. Pike are not going to be extinct. Even if musky establish in Simcoe you will still be able to catch pike. Why stock a lake that has pike that will eat the musky? Well, like I said in my previous post - pike and musky have co-existed in Georgian Bay for years showing that it can be done. You just need the GB strain of musky. As for the trout, whitefish and perch populations, I think they are strong enough on Simcoe to support a musky fishery. They supported musky before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Muskie on Simcoe seems like a waste (at least to me) Start stocking walleyes in there or something. They'd flourish with all the baitfish. Would be a fantastic put and take fishery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Ivan Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 The problem in Simcoe is not being addressed the cart is being placed before the horse. Habitat degradation is destroying several habitats in Simcoe that will never recover. Musky/Lake Trout/Whitefish/Herring. If what you want is a put and take fishery for musky similar to the Lake Trout/Whitefish fishery that is there, then fine but you don't need Musky Canada's time and resources for that. I must respectfully disagree with you. If the habitat in Simcoe is healthy enough to support a reproducing pike population (which I believe it is) then musky will be able to survive and reproduce also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Ivan Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Muskie on Simcoe seems like a waste (at least to me) Start stocking walleyes in there or something. They'd flourish with all the baitfish. Would be a fantastic put and take fishery. I agree 100%. More walleye in Simcoe would be awesome! How do we start a walleye stocking program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Bob Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 A water column can only support X amount of fish...if other fish are entered into that lake, then others fish species will suffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 A water column can only support X amount of fish...if other fish are entered into that lake, then others fish species will suffer. Lots of lakers, whitefish, ciscos (herring), perch, smallies and pike. Walleyes would fit perfectly into that equation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Billy Bob "A water column can only support X amount of fish...if other fish are entered into that lake, then others fish species will suffer." Brooktrout and smallmouth in the same lake sucks. I would rather have fish that dont compete in the same lake. Simcoe = lake trout, whitefish, perch and muskie. I hate all the lakes with crappie and walleye. The walleye fishing suffers. Nuke the dam crappie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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