100.000 Walleye Stocked in Hamilton Harbor

[Fish Farmer]

There will be a media release sent to the local papers (including the Spec) that the MNR will send out shortly. July 5 and 6 the MNR stocked 100,000 walleye into the Bay. BARC members and other Fisheries and Bay stakeholders. Watch the Spec for an article.

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the small pictures but thats all I had

Edited July 18, 2012 by Fish Farmer

[Live2fish85]

Kind of a waste of a good fish lol.

[Musky or Specks]

I remember when we use to transfer pike from the Grand to the harbour trying to keep the sucker and carp population in check. Maybe this means they feel that that has finally happened.

[danc]

Good news I suppose. Personally I support the "clean the place up, build/protect new spawning areas, change the laws to protect what's there now, and let nature do it's thing" theory. That would be a success story imho. I just was never a big fan of stalking fish. To me, it's like throwing in the towel.

[solopaddler]

As a Hamiltonian it's nice to see.

 

But seriously, those fish will never be edible. What else are walleye good for?

 

Hopefully they eliminate the massive cormorant population before the stocking. Doubt it though.

[hotsky]

Cool, maybe I'll fish the Harbour more often.

[Fish Farmer]

Kind of a waste of a good fish lol.

Was my thought as well. The amount of sewage thats dumped in the bay and other, why waste good fish. The size got me. Maybe there trying to feed the other fish

[Live2fish85]

Was my thought as well. The amount of sewage thats dumped in the bay and other, why waste good fish. The size got me. Maybe there trying to feed the other fish

 

I agree with trying to feed other fish. They won't last long with all the pike in there. As much as it will be nice, just pointless. I guess there are some of the crazy ones that will eat the fish out of there.

[smally21]

I don't really know how walleye act when inserted, but they don't have shock collars on. Do they just hang in the area that were entered in? Eating gobies and taking shade in the algae bloom? Is it possible they will just make a run for Lake Ontario??

 

Just pack their things and head to Niagara Falls or Toronto or something??

 

I had heard a while back about a huge walleye release in the Grimsby area into Lake O. Anyone have an idea?

[Harrison]

Should name them Pickeral in the article, 2/3's of the readers have no idea what a walleye is.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Harrison

[Live2fish85]

Last year I think it was, there was a good sized walleye caught in the harbour. It was posted here I think.

[pikehunter]

Wonder if they will behave like lower Grand R. walleye. Spend time in the lake when the water gets too warm and head back into the harbour in the fall? In that case they will have spent a little time in water that is somewhat less polluted.

[bucktail]

They didnt learn from the first time they did this????

The fish simply left, I dont think a single fish was ever caught from the first time they stocked eyes in there.

What a complete waste of money and time!

 

They should put 10,000 fingerling muskies in there to help clean up the rough fish population and then you may have a fun catch and release ( not consume ) fishery.

 

Darren

[Steve]

bucktail - you are correct.

 

this has been done before.

 

(I was fortunate enough to catch "one" in 2004, a product of the first stocking attempt, but overall ....)

 

I think it should be some good bass bait until they are all eaten.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Steve

[craigdritchie]

I think it's a great move, and I do hope a handful of them will survive to start eating the gobies that have pretty much taken over.

 

Unfortunately, deep down I think they're just expensive bird food. The cormorants in that area truly are out of control.

[jedimaster]

Wow they stock fish that small? I thought they would all be yearlings or something. Kinda cool I guess, but I am with others that cleaning up that toilet tank would be a better idea. Maybe they will make the cormorants taste good.

Edited July 18, 2012 by jedimaster

[Sherriff]

Great news. Hope they survive, stick around and end up being like Quinte sized walleye!

 

Really hope to see the harbour delisted in my lifetime. Great work done so far by BARC and the City to help clean up the bay!

 

Sherriff

[GreenCanada]

Those sure are some small walleye. I'm glad to see that people haven't given up on HH!

 

Where is all this "sewage" coming from that people mentioned?

 

The treated wastewater effluent from both the Skyway Wastewater treatment plant and Woodward Ave wastewater treatment plant both contain less suspended sediment and pathogens than many rivers that flow into the Great Lakes. Additionally, the combined sewers that discharged untreated storm and sanitary effluent during heavy rain events have had storage tanks added that prevent nearly all these infrequent events.

 

So, I wouldn't necessarily say that Hamilton Harbour is the way it is because of sewage. I would say that it is the way it is partially because of the high density of industrial processes occurring on the banks of the bay. I could be wrong, but this is just my observation from years of research I've conducted on the subject. As part of my research I have also been developing a novel technology to address this very issue in collaboration with various government agencies and a NGO.

[fishindude]

Unfortunately, deep down I think they're just expensive bird food. The cormorants in that area truly are out of control.

 

x2

 

You can't imagine the frustration in me every time I'm driving south over the Skyway and look over on the right to see the army of these useless birds.

[Sherriff]

Those sure are some small walleye. I'm glad to see that people haven't given up on HH!

 

Where is all this "sewage" coming from that people mentioned?

 

The treated wastewater effluent from both the Skyway Wastewater treatment plant and Woodward Ave wastewater treatment plant both contain less suspended sediment and pathogens than many rivers that flow into the Great Lakes. Additionally, the combined sewers that discharged untreated storm and sanitary effluent during heavy rain events have had storage tanks added that prevent nearly all these infrequent events.

 

So, I wouldn't necessarily say that Hamilton Harbour is the way it is because of sewage. I would say that it is the way it is partially because of the high density of industrial processes occurring on the banks of the bay. I could be wrong, but this is just my observation from years of research I've conducted on the subject. As part of my research I have also been developing a novel technology to address this very issue in collaboration with various government agencies and a NGO.

 

The bay has had a bad history so Some must think that they are constantly dumping crap into the bay without a care in the world like a 100 years ago. The cso tanks are helping for sure and I understand that the treated wastewater is put back into the lake cleaner than before it was taken.. Good news for the bay and lake O.

 

Again, it's great to see.

 

Sherriff

[John Bacon]

What is the temperature in Hamilton Harbour right now? I would think that is too warm for stocking fish.

[Live2fish85]

Not that warm. The bays on Erie right now are 74 on average. And Lake Ontario doesn't heat up that quick. The bay included.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Live2fish85

[Rich]

Sweet. Since most people are apt not to keep hammer fish, they might actually repopulate, unlike the completely decimated inner long point bay walleye population that will never return.

[uglyfish]

Last tuesday the bay water temps were low 80's on average.

 

And the water there isn't as bad as most ppl make it out to be. There is a healthy fish population there, and walleye could thrive down there given the chance. Proof the water isn't so bad, smallmouth bass reside in there, smallmouth won't live in heavily polluted waters.

[Stoty]

Should name them Pickeral in the article, 2/3's of the readers have no idea what a walleye is.

 

That drives me nuts.... whoever nicknamed them "Pickeral" in the first place needs to take up a different hobby!

 

A Walleye is a Walleye... a Pickeral is a Pickeral....