Letter to MNR

[dickie]

There are lots of people that go catch 4, 5 or 6 fish depending on the species & the Limit, go home clean & go back to do this again, 2 or 3 times a day & maybe numerous days in a row, they are worried about getting caught going home but not worried about getting checked when their catch is cleaned & put in their freezer or given away & go back & catch another limit the same day, if you drop the limit to 2 that means if they keep doing that now they will have 6 fish a day taken home in 1 day instead of 15 or 18 fish a day, I really don't think anyone needs that much in their freezer but maybe I'm wrong, 1 easy thing to do is take picture, document what you see & report it

Just My .02 Tight Lines SBK

I don't think that there are too many of these people that do that. Are you saying that that is why nippissing is in trouble?

[Rich Nelson]

If I come once or twice a year, travelling 300 miles, I would love to bring home a feed for my family. TWO DOES NOT CUT THE MUSTARD. Is that asking too much for paying a years licence? I'm a fruit and veggie farmer and cannot take time to fish in the summer. Some people are not meat-hungry fisherman.

Ya, when the fishery is in trouble, then it is too much to ask. If you arent willing to do your part to protect the fishery, then You dont deserve to come the 300 miles to enjoy our resources. Want fish that bad? Buy some fresh Walleye on your way home so you can "cut the mustard"

[Headhunter]

I'll do my part, happily, if EVERYONE does their part.

There's not enough fish in Nip for anglers to take home four, but there is enough for gill nets to be set.

There's not enough fish in Nip so we have to have a slot limit, gill nets know no slot.

There are hundereds of businesses that surround the lake that are going to hurt badly as a result of this change... except one; they will be selling more fillets to guys like you!

HH

edit for spelling

Edited December 15, 2012 by Headhunter

[dickie]

Ya, when the fishery is in trouble, then it is too much to ask. If you arent willing to do your part to protect the fishery, then You dont deserve to come the 300 miles to enjoy our resources. Want fish that bad? Buy some fresh Walleye on your way home so you can "cut the mustard"

Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning? I pay the full licence for the year and I only make up to two trips in the winter because my vocation prevents me from fishing in the summer. I AM NOT A LIABILITY TO THIS RESOURCE. Prove to me that you put less pressure on the resource and I will let you have your say. May that cut the mustard.

[Roy]

Are we going to have to shut this one down too?

[esoxansteel]

Are we going to have to shut this one down too?

 

 

Its just a matter of Time, before this goes down the toilet, and gets locked

[dickie]

Are we going to have to shut this one down too?

If you are referring to what I said then I apologize.I was just trying to say that the only time that I can enjoy to go fishing a couple times a year that I'm frustrated that I can not even give my family a feed of walleye. If everyone took as little out of this resource as I did, there would not be any problem the walleye.

[Rich Nelson]

I agree 100% with your last statement... Unfortunately, everyone doesnt take as little as you from the resource...

[John Bacon]

Want to eat lots of fish? Go to a store. Its usually the ones doing the most complaining, are the type that are responsible for the current state of declining fisheries to begin with.

 

Store bought fish are either commerically caught wild fish or farmed fish.

 

I am not sure how purchasing a commercially caught wild fish from the store instead of keeping one that I caught myself is going to help the fishery. I believe that Lake Nippissing has a commercial fisher on it so the store bought fish may have come from the lake anyway. How is that a solution?

 

Even if it is a farmed fish it has probably been fed food that is manufactured from wild caught fish.

 

I don't see how purchasing fish from a store instead of keeping our own catch is a solution to declining wild fish stocks.

[spinnerbaitking]

I don't think that there are too many of these people that do that. Are you saying that that is why nippissing is in trouble?

 

No I'm saying it's a problem every where, some people just don't care, I'm 52 yrs old & heard of people fishing like that even 30 years ago & have made a few calls to Tips, usually I have a CO return my call

Tight Lines SBK

[Rockview]

From http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/management/myths.html “On any given day, 95 percent of walleye anglers harvest two or fewer walleyes. This generally holds true on every walleye lake in Minnesota and across the U.S.”

 

I’m extrapolating this to Ontario but I suspect that it holds true – an informal survey of other resort owners in the area supports it. If this is even close to correct for Ontario/Lake Nipissing then a reduction from 4 to 2 Walleye on Lake Nipissing will make almost no difference. It’s clear that the MNR is making this change only for the sake of perception but unfortunately the perception for tourists will be that it's not worth the bother to come to Lake Nipissing.

 

Also, for what it's worth the Walleye fishing was great this year for small Walleye (13-16 inches) and will be for the next several years due to strong year classes from 2009 to 2012. The concern is over the very low adult Walleye population.

 

Regulating/reducing the commerical fishery would be one possibility but I have yet to hear anyone suggest how to make this happen. Even if the Province of Ontario/Federal Government wanted to make this happen, I'm not sure they currently have the legal right to restrict it.

 

We are advocating re-stocking as a way to help improve the Walleye population. It might not be the be all and end all solution but it will at least make a positive contribution. Constant complaining about First Nations commerical fishing has acheived nothing.

[fishindevil]

Lets face the facts it's no different than all the other walleye reg changes it's 20 yrs too late just like the kawarthas we all told the MNR back in the early 90s that the walleye pop was way down and it takes forever to do studies and biologist reports when the regular fisherman that fishes it all the time knows long before what's really happening !!!! It's too little to too late and the same thing is going on in the bay of quinte it crashed hard in the 90s and is slowly slowly Comming back but will never be the same !!! It's also the changing ecosystem as well and warmer water and climate change its all a mess and not ever gonna get better !!!!!! Ever...... Private stocking and fishing clubs have to take matters into there own hands !!! Just like all the salmon rearing going on in all the harbors in Lake Ontario it's all about fishing clubs not the MNR !!!! They have cut all funding for fishing projects to the core !!!! So it really is all about us looking after the entire mess

[Stoty]

Lets face the facts it's no different than all the other walleye reg changes it's 20 yrs too late just like the kawarthas we all told the MNR back in the early 90s that the walleye pop was way down and it takes forever to do studies and biologist reports when the regular fisherman that fishes it all the time knows long before what's really happening !!!! It's too little to too late and the same thing is going on in the bay of quinte it crashed hard in the 90s and is slowly slowly Comming back but will never be the same !!! It's also the changing ecosystem as well and warmer water and climate change its all a mess and not ever gonna get better !!!!!! Ever...... Private stocking and fishing clubs have to take matters into there own hands !!! Just like all the salmon rearing going on in all the harbors in Lake Ontario it's all about fishing clubs not the MNR !!!! They have cut all funding for fishing projects to the core !!!! So it really is all about us looking after the entire mess

 

[kickingfrog]

Stocking can help, but as mentioned it is not the be all to end all.

 

Stocking, on its own, often is little more than a ineffective stop-gap.

 

If there is spawning habitat loss then stocking is at best a put and take situation.

 

If cormorants are eating too many baitfish then it doesn't matter how many walleye are stocked, there will not be enough baitfish for them to grow/survive anyway.

 

If invasive species are changing the lake's "make-up"….

 

If anglers are keeping more fish than the lake can sustain...

 

This is a complex issue it can't be solved with a single solution or quick fixes.

[Rockview]

Stocking can help, but as mentioned it is not the be all to end all.

 

Stocking, on its own, often is little more than a ineffective stop-gap.

 

If there is spawning habitat loss then stocking is at best a put and take situation. Fact: Lake Nipissing has plenty of available/underutilized spanwing beds.

 

If cormorants are eating too many baitfish then it doesn't matter how many walleye are stocked, there will not be enough baitfish for them to grow/survive anyway. Fact: There are way too many cormorants on Lake Nipissing. I'm strongly in favour of reducing the cormorant population but I'm not going to jail over it so I need permission.

 

If invasive species are changing the lake's "make-up"…. Fact: Possible but according to MNR biologists and most others this is not having a significant effect on the Walleye population.

 

If anglers are keeping more fish than the lake can sustain... Fact:This is likely true but stocking can help reduce the pressure while still allowing those who depend on Walleye fishing to survive.

 

This is a complex issue it can't be solved with a single solution or quick fixes.

 

There is definitely no single magic solution. Doing nothing certainly isn't a good solution. Endless studying won't help.

 

Trying some potential solutions with limited downside risk and monitoring the results is a good idea. With respect to Lake Nipissing's specific conditions the worst thing that can result from re-stocking is no change. The potential for improvement is significant.

[spinnerbaitking]

I'm not an expert but the people making the decision likely aren't either, take a look at the Saugeen River, different fish & everything but the Stocking done by the Lake Huron Fishing Club & the Ontario Steelheaders have made that an amazing fisheries, so I would think if the stocking is done with the right size of Walleye & the habitat is there it shouldn't hurt & it surely could help, doing nothing definitely won't, people need to jump on board by joining these club to give them any & all the help they need, Numbers talk so lets make these groups bigger so the MNR have to listen to us, could be time to crap or get off the pot.

Just My .02 worth SBK

 

PS: Pay & you have a right to your say don't & nobody is going to listen to a small Group

Edited December 16, 2012 by spinnerbaitking

[capt_hooked]

It's ALL the MNR's fault...!

 

Before the 1920s there were no yellow walleyes in Lake Nipissing....

 

Then the MNR had to go and release millions of walleye fry.. and there went the neighbourhood...!

 

 

And now look at the mess we have to deal with...! sheesh...!!!

 

 

[Headhunter]

I'm not an expert but the people making the decision likely aren't either, take a look at the Saugeen River, different fish & everything but the Stocking done by the Lake Huron Fishing Club & the Ontario Steelheaders have made that an amazing fisheries, so I would think if the stocking is done with the right size of Walleye & the habitat is there it shouldn't hurt & it surely could help, doing nothing definitely won't, people need to jump on board by joining these club to give them any & all the help they need, Numbers talk so lets make these groups bigger so the MNR have to listen to us, could be time to crap or get off the pot.

Just My .02 worth SBK

 

PS: Pay & you have a right to your say don't & nobody is going to list to a small Group

Just to play devil's advocate for a moment... given your example of the Saugeen, I think it's fantastic that a ground level group has done so much to increase angler opportunities, but, and please correct me if I'm wrong here... I don't suppose that any groups on the Saugeen run nets across the river in the spring of fall to harvest these fish?

And if they did, how long would volunteers be showing up to continue the stocking program?

HH

[spinnerbaitking]

Just to play devil's advocate for a moment... given your example of the Saugeen, I think it's fantastic that a ground level group has done so much to increase angler opportunities, but, and please correct me if I'm wrong here... I don't suppose that any groups on the Saugeen run nets across the river in the spring of fall to harvest these fish?

And if they did, how long would volunteers be showing up to continue the stocking program?

HH

 

Nope no nets in the river that I know of but there are in the Lake, it's not really a fair comparison but it shows what volunteers can do, if nothing was done there would/will be no fish, I personally don't fish for the Rainbows or Salmon on the Saugeen but lots of people do, baby steps are better than no steps & lets hope the nets can't take them all.

Tight Lines SBK

[dickie]

Nope no nets in the river that I know of but there are in the Lake, it's not really a fair comparison but it shows what volunteers can do, if nothing was done there would/will be no fish, I personally don't fish for the Rainbows or Salmon on the Saugeen but lots of people do, baby steps are better than no steps & lets hope the nets can't take them all.

Tight Lines SBK

If the lake gets stocked with fish at least if the native's gill net size stays the same we might have a chance of catching a few before they get to them. I'm being a little sarcastic, but I'm sure as heck mad about the fact that the natives really don't give a rat's ass whether the fishery collapses. one way or another we will have to compensate them for it.

[chris.brock]

Go to a store??? Are you serious? You want to support the gill netters! Insane.

I made an early New Year's Resolution not to get involved in stuff like this, but again, I can't help it, yeah Roy, I can see why this would get locked down

 

Gerrit, Bladerunner gave his polite opinion, an opinion I happen to agree with. You've complained before about trolling and "winternet", I think you're as guilty as anyone. Bladerunner and I might not be in the boys club, but I think his post was just his opinion, no "name calling" and without prejudice.

 

If you're fishing to fill the freezer, you won't get any respect from me. I'd rather catch plenty of fish, all sizes. Meat hunting is unsustainable in Southern and Central Ontario. That's just my opinion.

[Gerritt]

I made an early New Year's Resolution not to get involved in stuff like this, but again, I can't help it, yeah Roy, I can see why this would get locked down

 

Gerrit, Bladerunner gave his polite opinion, an opinion I happen topp agree with. You've complained before about trolling and "winternet", I think you're as guilty as anyone. Bladerunner and I might not be in the boys club, but I think his post was just his opinion, no "name calling" and without prejudice.

 

If you're fishing to fill the freezer, you won't get any respect from me. I'd rather catch plenty of fish, all sizes. Meat hunting is unsustainable in Southern and Central Ontario. That's just my opinion.

 

Old boys club? No such club exists ....

 

That said I am not trolling I am voicing my opinion. I would rather not support the commercial netters, by purchasing their products.... But if you want to buy all your fish at sobeys..... That's your choice I suppose..

 

My point is simply we are being targeted. While other groups are not. I would rather NOT support the commercial fishery on nipissing plain and simple.

 

Nor do I take my limit home.... But if I wanted to take 4 fish I would..... 2 fish wouldn't cut it if I wanted to sustain my family.

 

Take it for what you will.

 

G.

 

Edit to add. I never called anyone a name.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Gerritt

[chris.brock]

If I come once or twice a year, travelling 300 miles, I would love to bring home a feed for my family. TWO DOES NOT CUT THE MUSTARD. Is that asking too much for paying a years licence? I'm a fruit and veggie farmer and cannot take time to fish in the summer. Some people are not meat-hungry fisherman.

the money spent on gear, licences, gas etc., can't be expected to be recouped from keeping fish from a week at the West Arm or Callender Bay. It can be argued that if nothing is done, limits won't matter because you'll catch none when there's none left.

[moxie]

If I have to give money to a governmental agency(in this case the MNR) or risk fishing and/or hunting illegally, I expect these monies will in turn be used to fund the agency and its encompassing ventures whether it be filling potholes on the approach to a launch ramp or to serve stocking efforts in various bodies of water where need be. That cheddar is ours to be used to benefit us, not commercial interests who make off like bandits. When that money is stolen from the designated purse and used to fund other pet projects these mildewed brained morons see fit to steal these funds for it drives me crazy. As for Vic Machiavellian sending a letter a la "Boo Hoo", off to his Partners in Crime, he can go pound salt lest he think anyone believes he did so for any other reason but to save his own ass. Hell, The MNR's speech writer probably wrote it for him.

 

 

 

Edited because I got me a new, bigger spoon for which to stir it up.

Edited December 18, 2012 by moxie

[fishindevil]

Stopping the native netting would be the biggest single thing to do period !!!! Everyone knows it all the resort owners and all the legal fishermen and the MNR knows it !!! So why is it not happening ?? And it is all about money as most if the walleyes end up on the black market for sale !!!! So how do they explain that as in their native right ?? The bands even admit they have illegal netters and will police their own ??? Ya right ....it's all Bull but we can't speak the truth cause someone gets offended and thread gets locked ....

Edited December 18, 2012 by fishindevil