getting my lake stocked again

[pike slayer]

The last time i believe my lake was stocked was 1987 with specks. I want to find out who i could call/email to find out if there have been any recent studies done to see if the lake is healthy and cost effective to restock the lake. I'm in the sault area.

[Roy]

Try your area MNR office. (705) 949-1231

[pike slayer]

thanks i'll call them this week. does the mnr stock lakes with exotic species into lakes for put and take? walleye would be amazing to have to just walk out my front door and catch

[BillM]

Most of their stocking is for put and take (For the most part).

[chris.brock]

that would be great if they would stock walleye, seems they like to only stock brookies, lakers and splake, let us know what they say

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

I'm going to guess they stopped stocking it because of how many camps/homes are on Prince Lake. Is there public access on the lake or is it all private property surrounding the lake? If it's all private, that could be the other trouble. Tough sell to stock a lake with public money when the public can't legally access it.

 

One option might be to lobby your fellow cottagers/landowners to purchase a few hundred brook trout yearlings from one of ontario's private hatcheries... not sure of the legalities involved, but i know some private groups do their own stocking.

[John Bacon]

that would be great if they would stock walleye, seems they like to only stock brookies, lakers and splake, let us know what they say

 

The MNR does stock some walleye; but they have not been very successful at raising them. There were a couple of private stockers, one for profit and one not for profit that were more successful than the MNR. I am not sure if they are both still in operation.

[pike slayer]

there is public access to prince lake and its right beside my place, its a public "beach/ boat launch" that prince township owns. theres 30fulltime residents and 20 seasonal here at the lake. there is ok smallmouth bass fishing but i rarely see anyone out there. ive been here for 2 years and i've only seen 2 ppl fishing it. only speed boaters that ppl dont like and i know residents are trying to pass it with either just electric motor 10hp and under lake. they are trying to get on with different ontario cottage assocations and trying to preserve nature. the legal battle out here finally went through this past fall and there is no more fulltime residents allowed to move out here. i have to sell my home as seasonal only. i'll be the last guy to live out here if i stay another 20 years, im the youthest person living out here, the next youngest is probably around 40 and i bet the average age for ppl living out here is 60. i atleast hope the mnr hopes to stock it in the future. also if you checkout the mnr maps and look at the stocking there is a few lakes around that have been stocked with walleye. im very doubtful they would stock it walleye but i can dream. i've also looked online about buying specks/rainbows to plant the lake, its about .99cents for a 4-6" speck and min. order of 200. and then comes in the whole legal thing. i would think the mnr wouldnt like that to much and would fine me. i've thought about just catching a bunch of fish at another lake and dumping them into mine but would be highly illegal and i'd never chance it or would i have the balls to do something like that. the fish farms online all seem to be in southern ontario to.

Edited March 5, 2012 by worm dangler

[Musky or Specks]

If the lake has smallmouth in it that's why the MNR has probably stopped stocking it sounds like a midnight stocker put some smallie there so its not very effective to put fingerlings or fry into it. As far as walleye maybe its just not a very good habitat for them. If they use to stock trout in it I'm guessing its clear and not very weedy.

[pike slayer]

the deepest point of the lake is only 20ft its a pretty clear rocky lake with some bays with weeds and an island with alot of weeds around it. can some midnight stocker just dump some pike in and i'll be happy with that haha!

[chris.brock]

with only 20ft it doesn't sound like good habitat for cold water trout species unless there's some springs

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

with only 20ft it doesn't sound like good habitat for cold water trout species unless there's some springs

 

the lake still has a small naturally reproducing brook trout population, (or at least it did within my life time) so it obviously has springs for spawning....

[Musky or Specks]

the lake still has a small naturally reproducing brook trout population, (or at least it did within my life time) so it obviously has springs for spawning....

The smallmouth will solve that remnant population. They've ruined many a speck lake along the 60 corridor in the park.

[jerdog]

MNR stocking related documents are located here. Part way down the page is likely the most relevant -> guidelines for fish stocking in inland waters. All non-MNR stocking requires a License issued from the local MNR. Introductions (species not found or never stocked previously) require an Environmental Screening prior to a License (potentially) being issued.