CrowMan Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 A little history for the young guns (and reminiscing for the old farts)...how the terminology for the species has changed here in Ontario. The "Ontario Fishing Regulations" from 1960....what the gov't called them back then: "YELLOW PICKEREL (Dore, Pike-Perch, Walleye-Pike)" "PIKE (Great Northern Pike and Grass Pike)" "SPECKLED TROUT" "BLACK BASS" "MASKINONGE" Those are the terms I grew up with....the Ontario regs changed the names to Walleye, Northern Pike, Brook Trout, Smallmouth, Largemouth and Muskellunge, I believe sometime in the late 70's. ...and looking at the photo, it seems folks kept and ate Musky...lol 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 The name Walleye didn't become common here till we started watching American fishing shows. Never heard it before about 1970. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrowMan Posted June 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 (edited) On another note...the reg's were a lot simpler back then...a one page tri-fold. Today it's a 143 page (I just counted) novel... Which can be interpreted as a political comment too...government just keeps getting bigger and bigger.. Edited June 15, 2023 by CrowMan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cast-Away Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 I remember on the In Fisherman Al Lindner referred to a Rapela as a "Wrapalah". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 To add to the confusion they still refer to Brookies and Lakers as trout, they're not. And further more, Walleye are not Pickerel even though I grew thinking they were. 😆 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 And ya, "Black Bass" was also a familiar term from youth. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrowMan Posted June 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 (edited) On 6/15/2023 at 4:42 PM, Spiel said: And ya, "Black Bass" was also a familiar term from youth. My in-laws (of all ages), in the Niagara area, to this day still call them "Black Bass"... Edited June 19, 2023 by CrowMan 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrowMan Posted June 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 My Dad and his fishing buddies would call any small (hammer-handle) Pike a "Grass Pike"...and anything over say 30" was a "Northern Pike". 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bacon Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 2 hours ago, Cast-Away said: I remember on the In Fisherman Al Lindner referred to a Rapela as a "Wrapalah". I think that's the proper pronunciation. Listen to their commercials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Willis Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 There are still some anglers that call Walleye, Pickerel. I remember back in the 60's my Dad showing me the difference between Pike, Pickerel and Walleye, and yes he did call the hammer handles Grass Pike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Willis Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 Haha, I just thought of another one, my Dad and a couple of his buddy's showed me and that is - Chain Pickerel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akaShag Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 4 hours ago, dave524 said: The name Walleye didn't become common here till we started watching American fishing shows Darryl Choronzey took this on as a crusade. He convinced me......... Doug 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Willis Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 Darryl lived just down the shore from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, dave524 said: The name Walleye didn't become common here till we started watching American fishing shows My grand pappy called them pickerel...Dad called them pickerel...I call them pickerel... my sons call them pickerel...my grandson calls them pickerel and his son will probably call them pickerel...Long live the name pickerel !!!l Edited June 16, 2023 by Beans 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkpie Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 3 hours ago, Beans said: 5 hours ago, dave524 said: The name Walleye didn't become common here till we started watching American fishing shows My grand pappy called them pickerel...Dad called them pickerel...I call them pickerel... my sons call them pickerel...my grandson calls them pickerel and his son will probably call them pickerel...Long live the name pickerel !!!l The tradition continues in our house! No Americanisms here! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 My oldman still saying pickerel 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted June 19, 2023 Report Share Posted June 19, 2023 (edited) The colloquialism is strong in Ontario. Basically anywhere north of muskoka they are still pickerel. It’s only once you get too close to the border people start saying walleye. I can assure you that the pickerel river is not named after the chain variety lol If you really want to confuse Americans, we tell them that we fry up pickerel and they are lossstttt lol here’s one of my favourites, in Manitoba pike are called jack fish. Edited June 19, 2023 by AKRISONER 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cast-Away Posted June 20, 2023 Report Share Posted June 20, 2023 So in Manitoba they know "Jack" right! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted June 20, 2023 Report Share Posted June 20, 2023 Funny I’m thinking back now and I realize talking to some old timers, they referenced grass pike as well, I’d never heard that before. when I moved to Ontario I’d never heard of a “pike” in fact I think I probably didn’t start using the term until I started fishing with my friends regularly here in Ontario. My old man still calls em a jack. im glad I started fishing more with my friend Zac. He prior to fishing with me did more of his fishing for pickerel up near timmins, so I’ve gotten away from calling them walleye again. It’s back to pickerel, and I’m happy to not use American terminology Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akaShag Posted June 20, 2023 Report Share Posted June 20, 2023 You might call a Chevrolet a Chevy, or call a GMC a Jimmy, but there are actual names, and names in common usage. Who cares? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bailey Posted June 20, 2023 Report Share Posted June 20, 2023 On 6/15/2023 at 3:18 PM, CrowMan said: Which can be interpreted as a political comment too...government just keeps getting bigger and bigger.. But so does the population, the road system, and the consequent pressure on fish. Add to that better research and science on management, and things change. We still have it good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now