new regs

[Caseys Dream]

Marc, I am not sure how the Belle River derby kill or many of the other instances have anything to do with alowing a health fishery to be fished with 2 rods per angler for the general population.

Derby officials have the mandate to make sure their derby is run properly, it has nothing to do with me, or the other 99% of the people out there who just fish and are not charter captains, or derby participants.

Charter Captains have the responsibility to fish within the regs.

But it is the Mom and Pop's, the weekend warriors that want to have 2 rods just like other Great Lakes basins, and I thank the local fishing chapters like where G Unis belongs to push for 2 rods per angler.

Self fulfillling? We are ALL self fulfilling, present company included.

[marc Thorpe]

There are more important issues to correct in the name of conservation and preservation before trying to instill 2 rods

The very basic of the demand goes against the basic principle and fundamental values in conservation and preservation,MCI's values as a matter of fact also

[g unis]

so we agree to disagree. thats the norm once again. as long as theres a catch and keep minimum, size limits and mnr regs to follow we all should follow guidelines ,regs. and obviosly enhance cpr on muskies. as for tournaments and laws being passed or new regs put forth yes theres so much more to do. EDUCATIONnot dictation as the world will soon see. our chapter has been involved in many more community and civil projects as time has gone on. . the next proposed issue will be the competeive fishing which will not be a pleasent issue

[Cancatchbass]

One point we should all keep in mind- a healthy fishery can collapse at any time- either due to natural causes or man-made ones.

The St. Lawrence muskie die-off showed that a fishery that was viewed as having recovered and was enjoying a remarkable comeback, was in fact very fragile. There is no way of knowing how serious this die-off was, as there is no data as to the actual fish population. Angler catch rates were down this fall- surprise, surprise. There is a real possibility this problem will recur this coming spring, compounding the losses we have seen.

Although Quinte is viewed by relative newcomers as a healthy fishery, it is a mere shadow of its prime, back some 15-20 years ago. The two rod rule of the big waters (again, introduced to allow anglers to fish effectively for introduced salmonids) just cannot be helping the situation. Again, we don't know the delayed mortality rate of the prime breeders caught in the fall.

The fact that some U.S. waters allow the use of two (or more) rods should not be a consideration. Just look at the reports of Canadian anglers visiting the States. Our fisheries make most of theirs look pretty pathetic. If U.S. based charters are violating the regulations when fishing the Canadian waters of St. Clair, and you witness it- scream loud and long to our MNR. Eventually they will take care of the situation.

When I hear of boats trolling for muskie on St. Clair with multiple lines (such as used for stocked lakers, etc.) then surfing the fish along the surface while maintaining the boat speed, I wonder what the attraction is. Add that the fish are sometimes torpedoed back into the water and it boggles my mind...

CCB

[steve-hamilton]

"When I hear of boats trolling for muskie on St. Clair with multiple lines (such as used for stocked lakers, etc.) then surfing the fish along the surface while maintaining the boat speed, I wonder what the attraction is. Add that the fish are sometimes torpedoed back into the water and it boggles my mind... "

this is what i noticed from the charter boats i witnessed. but i DID NOT witness a SINGLE individual boat, fishing for non profit, doing it....

they all released their muskie the best they could....(it always could be better).

but i didn't witness anyone torpedoing the fish in the water, or even keeping the engine running while reeling the fish in (we do this in quinte, while our spread is out, and it sure dulls the fun)

[g unis]

CCB. do not believe all thats said. there is a large caring group of people who care for the resources. of course theres violaters as in any body of waters. the mnr patrol and enforce the violaters. you can be stopped up to 3-4 times per week. theres so much good happening here but some individuals will only highlight the negatives

[Trophymuskie]

I don't have much to ad that has not already been said but I don't think it's going to help to have 2 rods per angler. Those larger charter boats on St-Clair are alreay using more then 2 rods per anglers.

I even see bait fishermen and walleye guys using multiple rods our here on the Ottawa. Funny thing is less and less muskie anglers recently except for those coming up from Mtl and the states.

I think we need to concern ourselfs with getting more CO's and allow them to enforce the laws we already have instead of looking at changing them.

It's a freging joke out here I can be fishing without licenses for me and my clients, I can be using as many rods as I want and anything else. There are no laws right now out on the Lower Ottawa as I don't think I will ever see a CO. To make things worse the only CO I have seen in 10 years was when I was fishing a small Lake in the middle of no where in early June and he was waiting at the launch to see if we were bass fishing out of season. What a joke he never even asked for our licenses after he saw we were muskie fishing. There are guys fishing for muskies under the guidence of pike fishing in May and bass guys doing the same thing before the season opens. We see so many anglers poaching out here it's a joke, rarely ever see a walleye released, that most likely dictates over limits ect ect.

I think we have a much bigger problem out here on the Ottawa then the 2 line issue on St-Clair.

Glad I got that one off my chest. LOL

Off the soap box.

[Fisheye]

I would like to comment on the 2 rod issue! With all the (Tree Huggers)out there complaing about all the polution we owners of 2 stroke outboards are emitting into the air and the water, would it not be more beneficial for me to go fishing for walleye and catch my legal limit in just 4 hours rather than running my outboard for say 8 hours? We all can't afford 4 stroke motors! I also don't condone (over-rodding)! I too witnessed what Steve saw this past fall! Just asking a Question! Thanks!

FISHEYE!!!

[Steve G]

It's pretty interesting where everyone has taken this 2 rod thingy.

As long as the US side of St. Clair can use 2 for Muskie, there is going to be those of us asking to do the same on the Canada side....is this the most important thing to support the Muskie Status, NO... but it's unfair... ...and we have little chance of changing the US regs....

In all of my days fishing... (not as many as some here). I have NEVER been approached by a CO.

Again this is a great discussion, and why I continue to support Muskie Canada, and live on this board.

Heading out tonight to the Christmas meeting, with new lure in hand, for a draw chance at winning a new combo... that I will use one at a time, with my existing equipment!

Later fellas!

[Muskieman]

It seems odd that on a lake where supposedly the fishing is so great, the anglers there want to increase their odds by using 2 rods. From what I have seen on the lake, besides multi lines per angler on the Canadian side is the surfing of fish to a still moving boat, and then the fish being tossed back overboard. Definitely detrimental to the fish, and ultimately the fishery. Just because the US side does it wrong, doesn't mean we should do it wrong too.

CCB has hit the nail on the head. The way I see it, anything that is done to increase the odds of catching fish is ultimately detrimental to the fishery.

[Relic]

Interesting topic and opinions, funny how it got into a St. Clair discussion I have never fished St.Clair, but the TV show of them "dragging" them to the boat and "chuckin'" em back in didn't help it's reputation.

Never seen a CO up here either. It really pains me to see that there is nobody out there but us to protect what we have.

As far as the two rods, don't matter much to me, it would just come in handy at time's.

[M.T. Livewell]

I think we need to concern ourselfs with getting more CO's and allow them to enforce the laws we already have instead of looking at changing them.

Interesting point.

Best way to get more CO's is to put more $$$ into licensing.

So why not charge a Sport + license for those who want to the ability to put more rods out.
The yanks are doing it anyway, and the govermnent is always looking for a good excuse to take our money.

Call it a 'pay for use' type system. You want 2 rods, you pay a little more.

M.T. Livewell

[Caseys Dream]

Not sure where the information on lack of CO's comes from for LSC. Every year I get visited on the water by the OPP Striper which contains both OPP officers and CO. They pull up right along side and actually ask to see your catch, your license etc.

On Erie this also happens probably more. They know me by the name on the back of my boat by now and go to the next guy with a wave.

Point is, Great Lakes systems who receive a heavy fishing pressure do get CO attention. We could always use more though.

[g unis]

lack of cos on st clair . theres a whole flock of them. we are patrolled by mnr. opp. on board of any policing boat can have immigration officers , conservation officers and police. attached to st clair theres the windsor police rcmp coast gaurd. as said before its the norm to be approched 3 times a weekend. they do their jobs thats for sure. so many mis conceptions of lack of whatever. its sorta like the story a guy gets cut. by the time it goes full circle the guy lost an arm

[Trophymuskie]

lack of cos on st clair . theres a whole flock of them. we are patrolled by mnr. opp. on board of any policing boat can have immigration officers , conservation officers and police. attached to st clair theres the windsor police rcmp coast gaurd. as said before its the norm to be approched 3 times a weekend. they do their jobs thats for sure. so many mis conceptions of lack of whatever. its sorta like the story a guy gets cut. by the time it goes full circle the guy lost an arm

No wonder we never see any CO's out East, they are all out on St-Clair.

I'm serious I think I'll have a heart attack the day that I am approached by a CO out on the Big O. We see the OPP all the time and unfortunatly I get checked way more then I like. But that's just for safety stuff and not anything relating to protecting the resourses.

The funny thing is that there are so many poachers out here they would be making money sending a CO out here. His first day out would most likely bring in thousands in revenue.