Taking Trout off the Reds?

big guy

Well-Known Member
This past Sunday, my son and I went to Port Albert for the day. Lots of guys, as was expected. There were still quite a few rainbow too, as was also expected with the late spring and all. Now, what I really didn't like was the guys taking the spawning pairs right off their reds as they were fanning their nest. To me this is wrong, and I hope I'm not alone here as this is the future of our fishery.
I stated my case very clearly, only to be met with something not of the "english" language, but I got the message all the same(so did he). Am I wrong in feeling this way and getting upset? I try to educate as many folks a possible, but some aren't getting the message. This year, especially this year, the trout have been hit hard. The season opened a week earlier, and spring was a month late in coming, leaving a lot of fresh and not yet spawned out fish still in the rivers. One saving grace is all the rain and resulting dirty water to hide the happy couples. [B)]
 
Yeah fishing for spawning fish isn't real sporting and unfortunately its common practice. To many people just don't care as long as they get free fish out of the deal.

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I would like to thank Denali custom rods, The Rod Gloveand Live Eye Jigs for their support
 
probable the ppl from my work as they brag about it up that way but nothing you can do about it. I wish they'd close it till spawn out but once the lakes fisheries die off then they will, kinda like the ganny and the humber, credit and the rest of them as well might as well throw the moose seasons in there too. i could not agree more as a matter of fact i quit rainbow fishing till the summer on the lake so i do my part to not target spawning fish.;) thats all i can tell you.

will hunt for food
 
Port Albert is always like that after opening the season. It seems folks think that once the seasons open they can clean the river out of any remaining fish. I personally don't fish for bows in the spring anymore I'll wait for fall and winter. The ministry should look at these smaller flows and try closing the river for an extra week. I know the Nine Mile has a sanctuary up near Dungannon that is closed for a week longer but it's a ways upstream.

My two cents on the subject
 
It is sad to see.I have been met with a similar response at Meaford.
If they could regulate it somehow I would also be in favour.
 
I agree %100 with what you're saying about taking the spawners off their beds! But just as a thought, what's the difference between catching a keeping a trout that's in the river on opening day or keeping a fall or winter steelhead that's just moved into the river? Either way it ain't going to spawn! lol
 
Don't let it bother you.........That's par for the course at the 9 below the dam. To be honest, fishing for spawners at this time of year in the lower stretches of a river isn't gonna do much damage. Those fish are not gonna succesfully reproduce in that water anyway and lack the superior genes that are required to make it to upstream sections where the suitable nursery habitat is. That river is a fish factory and a vast majority of them safely made it past the circus to do their thing in peace this year......

Josh
 
On another note, I had to plead with an old guy today to let my fish go. He seen me releasing it, and got all rattled, asked if he could have it... he already had one on rope. Never expected to get such a hard time for releasing my own fish lol...guess some people love the taste of trout.

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Port Albert has always been a place I never venture to,way to many people and arguments.I was very glad to see not good conditions on this opening day as there is not a bid slaughter like some yrs. I love the maitland,lots of water and way better scenery.
 
I don't get you guys. If these people have a licience and the season is open, what is the problem? Stream beds can only support so many spawners, the late spawners just dislodge the eggs of the early spawners.It is not like you are taking gaurd fish off the nest for godness sake. If someone wants to catch a fish and eat it, that is perfectly legal in Ontario. (In season of course) Just because they are not catching them the way you want them to does not make it wrong. Maybe the guy doesn't have a boat to go out in the lake with, ever think of that?
Is it any different if you take a fish off the bed or catch it a week earlier at the stream moulth, or through the ice in winter?

When I was a younger man I wanted to do things to "help the fish" too, but as I have watched fisheries change over the past 5 decades I have come to realize that you can really screw stuff up even if you are trying to help and do the right thing. As long as the water quality is there, the fish will be too.

And for all our sakes quit trying to get more sanctuaries in place. All these thngs do for the most part is take away angling opportunities and do little to help the fish. Lots of kids have their first fishing experience off the shoreline or in a river, but near where I live a lot of the shoreline is sancuary and kids can't fish there now because someone tried to do sdomething for the fish( smallmoulth bass) The fish are doing just fine but how many kids are taking up fishing? Not enough, that's for sure.

My advice to you is think about things with an open mind. Just because you don't think something is right, that does not make it wrong.

Best of luck to everyone this fishing season.
 
I dont have a boat, and I fish ethically, and no, the fish wont be there if they are in everyones freezers.

Where is there a river sanctuary for small mouth bass? Just curious.

LOL, just because you dont care about maintaining a valuable fishery, you dont have to harp on the guys that do. I dont recall you at the Spring River Clean ups? What good things do you do for the fisheries?

Obviously you havent seen the area in question, before the season is even open.

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You are right, I have not seen the area and was just talking in general. Like I said, if the people are liciened and in season there is no problem. If they are fishing out of season can you not call the MNR?

I do not mean this as a personal attack, and I comend you for trying to do what you think is right and for the fishery. The idea of my coment was to creat some different thinking on what you are proposing.

You have to be very careful when you propose closing an area to
fishing, cause once they close things, it is very hard to get them
open again, should things change years later. Just be careful what
you ask for, thats all.

Years ago I was very involved in what I truley believed were improvements to the fishery.Now years later I can see some of the things I thought would make things better didn't, and in fact have made things worse. As a general rule, anything that reduces angling opportunities is a bad thing.

Everyone wants a better fishery. People justify what they do as ok, it is always the other guy that is messing things up. It just makes me nervous when people want to limit things to artifical only,close places to fishing, and so on. Where will it stop.

Erie is full of rainbows, if people with a licence, fishing in season, catch a few I don't see anything wrong with that. Gill nets in Erie kill more game fish than anglers ever will.

I am sure you have the best of intentions and that is good. Just remember to be very careful what you wish for, because change does not always bring about the results you seek.

Catch em all

Yellowfever
 
Yes I understand. It is just sickening to see what goes on "out of season". People will come up with any excuse...

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quote:
Originally posted by yellowfever
I don't get you guys. If these people have a licience and the season is open, what is the problem? Stream beds can only support so many spawners, the late spawners just dislodge the eggs of the early spawners.It is not like you are taking gaurd fish off the nest for godness sake. If someone wants to catch a fish and eat it, that is perfectly legal in Ontario. (In season of course) Just because they are not catching them the way you want them to does not make it wrong. Maybe the guy doesn't have a boat to go out in the lake with, ever think of that?
Is it any different if you take a fish off the bed or catch it a week earlier at the stream moulth, or through the ice in winter?

When I was a younger man I wanted to do things to "help the fish" too, but as I have watched fisheries change over the past 5 decades I have come to realize that you can really screw stuff up even if you are trying to help and do the right thing. As long as the water quality is there, the fish will be too.And for all our sakes quit trying to get more sanctuaries in place. All these thngs do for the most part is take away angling opportunities and do little to help the fish. Lots of kids have their first fishing experience off the shoreline or in a river, but near where I live a lot of the shoreline is sancuary and kids can't fish there now because someone tried to do sdomething for the fish( smallmoulth bass) The fish are doing just fine but how many kids are taking up fishing? Not enough, that's for sure.

My advice to you is think about things with an open mind. Just because you don't think something is right, that does not make it wrong.

Best of luck to everyone this fishing season.



Yellow if you think that water quality is the only factor that affects our fisheries you are seriously mistaken. As long as the water quality is there so will the fish? Seriously? Overharvesting, increased pressure, poaching, unethical fishing practices etc. can have serious negative impacts on many fisheries, even if the water quality stayed the same or even improved.

Also, please do not make such uneducated comments like "please stop trying to get sanctuaries put in place, for the most part they only take away angling opportunities and do little to protect the fish." They do a lot to protect the fish. Go do some research and you will find sanctuaries are implemented for a reason and are a very effective conservation tool to protect certain fisheries in certain areas. The experts and conservation organizations clearly do not encourage sanctuaries to take away angling opportunities but because they do make a difference. If you want there to be a variety of angling opportunities available for your children and their children then you need to think more pro actively about the big picture. Or, you could keep condemning fish sanctuaries as useless and there will nothing but carp, suckers and gobies for your grandchildren to fish for.

Cheers

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OH Quinn you remind me of a young and often naive fella that I used to be. We will have to spend a few wasted hours doing some drifting. I understand where you are coming from but the world throws too many curve balls at us.

Stick

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"Rivers are living things, sometimes swollen and discoloured, other times thin and anaemic. Spend enough time around a particular river, you learn to read its moods, like a spouse reads a partner."

Gord Ellis ONTARIO OUT OF DOORS
 
stick i am all for contructive criticism. if i am saying something wrong or off base myself please let me know! you have much more knowledge than me on these issues. what was i being naive about?

cheers

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Quinner - Stick is not implying that you are wrong; moreso making a statement that as one gets on in years, the youthful enthusiasm enjoyed in one's younger years tends to fade - or sometimes quashed through the experience at coming up against strong opposition or negativity whether warranted or not. Its just the way the world seems to work.

To that, I say maintain your plight and passion - it will serve you well. However, any crusade will be met with opposition - be forewarned as to not become discouraged. And remember that 'experience is the teacher of all things'.
 
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