slot sizes

[captpierre]

It's gotta be a massive buffet for all when fish spawn.

 

Except bass because they nest.

 

It's amazing any walleye make it to the slot.

[Radnine]

water lever fluctuation,and invasive species...have done more damage than anything !!!!! and i have been around the kawarthas as well for 40yrs,and my grandparents ran a fishing lodge as well,and my real name is shawn !!!

 

Shawn is a dumb name.

Jim

[Sinker]

I'm still skeptical about the carp thing.

 

If that were the case, all the lakes would have declined and recovered at the same time, no?

 

I also don't agree with the wild rice on sturg. I find there is less now than there ever has been. A lot of the small bullrush islands have also disappeared.

 

Of course anglers catching fish has an impact, its just so small when compared to other environmental impacts. The amount of fish caught and kept is only a drop in the barrel when a whole year class (or 3) go missing. Look at the big picture, there is way more going on than fisherman. I also don't see any more fisherman now than I did 20 years ago....in fact, I'd say less.

 

Radnine......really? Grow up!

 

S.

[Radnine]

Radnine......really? Grow up!

 

 

There are times when this board takes itself waaaaay too seriously. And a few guys having a big Richard contest over who knows the most about why nature works a certain way is a perfect example of it. In fact between this thread and the Nippising thread, you guys have just about used up the "too serious for the good of the board" quotient.

Yes, like many on the board I could and probably should ignore it, but I just can't help myself.

Try to forgive.

Jim

Edited April 6, 2013 by Radnine

[MJIG]

I also believe Rice come back perfectly times the carp die off. I will check some stuff later. Think 1999 was the carp die off. I'm sue somebody will no.

Rice has been crasy for 6 years now.

 

If you mean the massive carp die-off where the municipalities had to haul the rotting carcasses away, it was in 2007. Here's some evidence of the timing:

 

During:

http://ontariofishingcommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8962

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2007/07/11/carp-bacteria.html

 

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2007/07/17/carp-die-off-short-on-answers

 

Analysis afterwards:

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@letsfish/documents/document/241459.pdf

[Big Cliff]

I wonder what impact cormorants are having on the walleye in the Kawarthas? In the last couple of years Sturgeon Lake has started to develop quite a colony of them. 5 years ago you might not even see one all summer, now there are hundreds of them.

 

I find it really strange that MNR will tell you that if you catch a round gobi to kill it but you can't shoot a cormorant.

[crappieperchhunter]

Good point about the Cormorants Cliff. I don't know there impact either but they sure are ruining a few islands on Sturgeon.

[Garnet]

I believe this be to the best conversatiom in months on this board.

 

The walleye didn't bounce back on shear luck on any of these lakes.

 

Maintaining water levels is huge but just like the carp connection only 1 part. I think it might have been that little bit the walleyes needed.

 

Bass clubs in this area started in 1996 and I fished a club crappie tournament on Rice Lake were most of the crappie were released on Lake Scugog about 300 (not by me I ate mine) and won the tournament. This was wrong but that's how they the crappie moved around so quickly.

[ecmilley]

I also believe walleye populations exploded in the 50-70's because they were invasive (being stocked) and no real predators untill they were completly acclimated to the kawartha's IMO.

otherthings to consider, the lakes has we know them have been around since 1850's or so when dams locks started going in current model of trenst severen is what 1913? with the damning gull, missiasuga, north river and crowe systems.

Anyone been noticing the a mount of silt build up in the lakes over the last several years? laydowns i would fish on in goose are buried some of the shoal areas nice fine layer of crud on them, weeds growing in new places different weeds altogether in other, these lakes are changing and evolving at all times.

[Sinker]

Yes, cormorants have a part in here somewhere too. There are thousands of them on sturg. I would be the first in line to buy a license to shoot a few!

 

Great conversation for sure. Ernie, your right, the lakes are constantly changing. The local guys, like the ones posting up in this thread probably know more about them than the ministry of no results does.

 

Can't wait to get out and do some damage on the slabs! This week is looking good to get some ice gone!

 

S.

[Garnet]

I'd like a loaf of bread and a case of shotgun shells season.

[beagle dad]

for the people who clean a few walleye I hope you chk to see what they are eating

when walleye stocked in the kawarthas yrs ago there was no muskie,bass carp,perch

the kawarthas used to be full of cisco (herring)

1st resort/cottage on pigeon lake was established on trugo island near what is now alpine village area

wealthy American family who paid to have most the game fish speciesyou now catch stocked in the lake

my point is no matter what you bame the stocks on there is a complete lack of baitfish for the population of walleye

have caught walleye with frogs,crawfish ,perxh in them..where are all the minnows?

[captpierre]

interesting, that's news to me about cisco in the Kawarthas. Thought they are a cold water species.

 

I know the MNR stocked walleye way back. But muskie/bass/perch were also stocked? And privately?

[beagle dad]

yes at the time the only way to bobcaygeon was by rail..there was no roads and dams the lakes where more natural

the resort I believe is still on the island but a cottage now

[beagle dad]

there may still be pics on the walls at bobcaygeon legion of what it looked like before dam

and the railway is gone but it was what is now county rd 24

cold water species cisco yes but water gets wormed up with stopping it trent system was more of a river than a chain of lakes as it is today

[Sinker]

I've heard that atlantics use to rrun up the trent all the way to balsam back in those days. Pretty wild!

 

S.

[glen]

"Bass clubs in this area started in 1996 and I fished a club crappie tournament on Rice Lake were most of the crappie were released on Lake Scugog about 300 (not by me I ate mine) and won the tournament. This was wrong but that's how they the crappie moved around so quickly."

 

Dumb move.

 

Looks like a good stocking program. To bad it was not walleye.

[beagle dad]

not just dumb but highly illegal....get caught transporting live fish never mind dropping them in a diff lake than they where caught and I hope u get caught

"Bass clubs in this area started in 1996 and I fished a club crappie tournament on Rice Lake were most of the crappie were released on Lake Scugog about 300 (not by me I ate mine) and won the tournament. This was wrong but that's how they the crappie moved around so quickly."

Dumb move.

Looks like a good stocking program. To bad it was not walleye.

[Garnet]

As staed it wasn't me. And this person was not alone.

 

Sad but true.

[beagle dad]

understood garnet

have fished tournament against you i'm sure

the u was for those that don't understand the impact and responsibilities they has as fishermen

[nancur373]

Lets all eat crappie for a year and leave the eyes alone...

[crappieperchhunter]

Lets all eat crappie for a year and leave the eyes alone...

I'm already doing my part. I haven't had a walleye out of the Kawartha's for at least 5 years...maybe longer.

 

Bluegills crappie and perch only. Not because I can't catch eyes but because I actually enjoy eating those 3 species more.

Edited April 8, 2013 by crappieperchhunter

[ecmilley]

still ciscoes in sturgeon accoring to mnr, seen 1 floater in my time living there, but as i understand it muskie and bass are natural to the system, carp were introduced to the area in the 1800's from escaping ponds and the locks let pike make there way above healy falls and into balsom.

If you drain approx 8 ft out of the kawarthas that would be as close to as what it was as we can get.

[jedimaster]

IMO, the MnR has the single biggest impact on the fisheries in Ontario. Especially the Kawartha lakes. There research, decisions on stocking/limits/regs and enforcement are what keeps or kills a lake.

Edited April 8, 2013 by jedimaster

[jimmer]

Muskie are natural to our lakes. I also believe smallmouth bass to be natural.

for the people who clean a few walleye I hope you chk to see what they are eating

when walleye stocked in the kawarthas yrs ago there was no muskie,bass carp,perch

the kawarthas used to be full of cisco (herring)

1st resort/cottage on pigeon lake was established on trugo island near what is now alpine village area

wealthy American family who paid to have most the game fish speciesyou now catch stocked in the lake

my point is no matter what you bame the stocks on there is a complete lack of baitfish for the population of walleye

have caught walleye with frogs,crawfish ,perxh in them..where are all the minnows?