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These may seem like obvious questions, but here they are
Are lakes and rivers ever "owned" by anyone, or is it the land around them that is owned? Like, say the land around a lake is privately owned. Does the act of trespassing only occur when the property is crossed to access the lake? Or is being on the lake an act of tresspassing? (pretend I have super powers and can appear anywhere I want instantaneously, so that I can get on the lake without crossing the property. (anybody else watch Heroes? ))
Also, are there any online resources that shows crown land vs private property?
Scott the water is not owned, the property that abutts it is, there are exceptions but not worth discussing. The MNR or your local municipality can show yuu what is private vs public land, visit them and ask your questions.
Something else to consider is that the MNR does not stock fish in waters without public access. Therefore, if a particular lake or river is stocked, there must be public access points.
Fishboy:
There is a LOT of stocked lakes wich are gated from public, and as examples I can name McCool, Black, Lake of the Hill, Joes, Murphy (all are in St.Patric Mount. area, Brougham twnshp, Calabogie).
You are right. Many roads are gated because the roads themselves are private. However, you still have the right to hike in and fish if the waters are stocked by the MNR according to what the MNR has told me in writing.
I know of a "private lake" in which I fish now and then. It is stocked annually and done so by funding from the locals on that lake. If you want to get to the lake find some hydro poles leading to the lake and follow them in.
I thought it was possible to own a lake. Not talking big lakes, maybe a more appropriate term would be a "pond". There was a gentleman who let us fish on his pond for a few bucks way back when. He owned all the property around the pond, so I am assuming he owned the pond as well. He has since passed away, and I really miss those times we fished there, year after year. Can you imagine owning your own pond -- chock full of big largemouth, pike and perch? It was like a dream, but now I'm awake.
It is possible to own all the property around a lake and, therefore, control access to the lake. However, the MNR will not use public money to stock it for you.
With a possible few exeptions, all lakes are owned by the crown and are therefore public. The shores and land surounding the body of water can be completly owned by 1 owner or many owners. Access roads to lakes can be privately owned as well. The simple fact of being on those lakes would suggest tresspassing and it is not looked upon favorably. Most of these "remote" or "private" lakes are stocked privately and tresspassers are viewed as stealing the fish the owners have paid for.
You can also have remote lakes with public access that have been privately stocked and the owners around those lakes do their darn-dest to limit access. It is much easier to get permission in those situations cause they can get nasty!
The rule of thumb is, if you think you should need to miraculously appear on a lake like a 'hero' to be able to fish there... you probably shouldn't be fishing there! I know. I know, we still want to get on them... THOSE LAKE TEMPTING TO TRY OUT! But that should answer your Q.
When I think back to those glory days on that private pond, I get pretty down knowing they're over. When we got to know the owner personally, there were times when he'd wave away more than (literally) a few bucks or a piece of fresh-baked pie and some conversation. He was a nice guy. We released everything we caught, and you could always count on decent fishing at the least. I don't know whether he stocked it or whether it was self sustaining. I do recall him telling us he didn't fish it himself.
We never had to share the pond with anyone else except a family of loons. ....sigh....
misterminnow wrote:
The rule of thumb is, if you think you should need to miraculously appear on a lake like a 'hero' to be able to fish there... you probably shouldn't be fishing there! I know. I know, we still want to get on them... THOSE LAKE TEMPTING TO TRY OUT! But that should answer your Q.
mm
Just to be clear, I would never knowingly trespass to fish a lake/river. I only described the situation (that required superpowers to get onto the lake that had no public access) to illustrate my question. If I didn't know where a public access was for a lake/river, I wouldn't fish it.
I agree with you though mm...always best to ask beforehand, so that nobody gets pee'd off.
)) 
