PROPOSED NEW FISHING REGLUATION ON THE GANARASA RIVER

[chessy]

https://www.ontario.ca/page/proposed-new-fishing-rules-lower-ganaraska-river?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2giMLVk7u1JXmtW4dbma3DsQl1R06cNdGzTAYXwV88H6AkNXq5juDIC3c_aem_c8mKkK3qOF7OcSYAikScqA

[BillM]

Let's hope this happens.  

[CrowMan]

Yes, makes perfect sense. Shut down the clown show during the Salmon run, but allow more opportunities for Steelhead and Browns later in the autumn.

[Spiel]

Personally I think shutting down a couple of weeks earlier (mid August) would be prudent.

[bigbuck]

It has been a zoo for as long as I can remember. I remember seeing clowns gaffing fish. It needs to happen and it needs to be enforced. 

[BillM]

Nets, spears, gaff, it's a **** show down there.   People complaining about the low # of returns should be all over this.   I'd say extend this reg into the spring season as well and your steelhead returns would probably double.

[chessy]

6 minutes ago, BillM said:

Nets, spears, gaff, it's a **** show down there.   People complaining about the low # of returns should be all over this.   I'd say extend this reg into the spring season as well and your steelhead returns would probably double.

low numbers. nope .. 30000 over the dam last year and that's over the dam... not what stayed below 

 

[CrowMan]

43 minutes ago, BillM said:

  I'd say extend this reg into the spring season as well and your steelhead returns would probably double.

From January the 1st, the entire river is already shut down right to the CNR bridge at the mouth on Lake Ontario, until the 4th Saturday in April. Only a short stretch of frog water in the harbour is open. Not sure what you mean by extending the reg in the spring. Unless, you're suggesting moving the opening of Trout season later into May.

The Ganny has never been stocked...all the fish are naturalized and wild. Given that the Chinook run is currently 30,000 fish, and Steelhead are at almost 10,000 fish over the ladder, I'd say this proposed reg change is more about managing "human behavior" than managing the resource. Yes, the Steelhead run approached 20,000 back in the late 80's...but the decline isn't due to over-harvest of returning adults. Most studies indicate the river is already at full carrying capacity for smolt production. Reducing harvest at this point isn't going to produce any more fish.

I like the proposal...I'm looking forward to the return of some autumn Steelhead fishing like we had in the 70's and 80's, when I first started fishing there. And yes, something had to be done about the Gong Show in September especially along the "steps".  It was either this change in the reg's, or hire a bunch more CO's and have them stationed there 24/7.

On another note, interestingly some Browns, Atlantics and Chinooks have been moving through the ladder all summer long this year...

Edited July 29 by CrowMan

[BillM]

1 hour ago, chessy said:

low numbers. nope .. 30000 over the dam last year and that's over the dam... not what stayed below 

 

All people have done for the past 15-20 years is complain about numbers..  

[CrowMan]

I have no complaints about numbers of fish on the Ganny...numbers of people is another matter. The issue with the Ganny (with the exception of the Sylvan Glen stretch) is that most of the river above the dam flows through private posted land. So people concentrate in the few areas that are open to the public, making for a less than ideal fishing experience...especially on opening week. 

That's why, several years ago I joined the GVFC.  We have exclusive access to several km's of prime river over 7 different large private properties/ farms. Awesome fishing and no crowds...and because it's a club, the members observe proper fishing etiquette, like rotating through pools and not leaving trash behind. After opening weekend, we often fish all day and rarely run into any other anglers. Worth every penny.

[akaShag]

On 7/29/2024 at 12:31 PM, CrowMan said:

I have no complaints about numbers of fish on the Ganny...numbers of people is another matter. The issue with the Ganny (with the exception of the Sylvan Glen stretch) is that most of the river above the dam flows through private posted land. So people concentrate in the few areas that are open to the public, making for a less than ideal fishing experience...especially on opening week. 

That's why, several years ago I joined the GVFC.  We have exclusive access to several km's of prime river over 7 different large private properties/ farms. Awesome fishing and no crowds...and because it's a club, the members observe proper fishing etiquette, like rotating through pools and not leaving trash behind. After opening weekend, we often fish all day and rarely run into any other anglers. Worth every penny.

I have not fished the Ganny since the 80s, and it was a zoo back then.  Fishing shoulder to shoulder with other anglers , with the odd dickweed chucking a spoon upstream was not my idea of a good time.