Survey - Lake Trout stocking in Huron and Georgian Bay

[Michael Hahn]

Bruce,

I was talking to a farmer that was sent a survey from the MNR recently. It specifically targeted the Lake Trout Rehabilitation Plan that has been going on for 60 + years in the lake.

It basically asked - Do you want lake trout stocked? Or not?

It never once mentioned the 3 million Lakers a year that they have stocked all of these years with almost 0% success, but let's not let that get in the way here.

My question to everyone at GBO is this (and hopefully Bruce can put it on as a survey):

Should the MNR continue stocking more than 1 million - 3 million Lake Trout into Huron and Georgian Bay every year.....Yes or No

Should the MNR continue with the stocking program, but at greatly reduced numbers - 100,000 - 300,000 every year......Yes or No

Should the MNR stop all stocking of Lake Trout and focus on Salmon, Rainbow, and Brown Trout stocking every year.......Yes or No

I love Lake Trout. The ones I catch inland up in Northern Ontario are amazing. But when my kids can't eat the ones caught in Huron because they are toxic, why in the heck would you keep stocking them? IMO only.......

I have a very important meeting with the MNR on behalf of the LHFC to discuss the Lake Trout Program in March. The more members that respond to this the better so that I have factual information heading into the meeting.

One more thing Bruce - How many members do you have on GBO?

[miles edrick]

Well I do know the MNR puts a huge amount of money into stocking lakers in Gbay but I don't really know how many people catch and fish for them. Is it true that its only fishing clubs and private groups stocking rainbows and salmon and that the MNR has stopped it all together in Gbay?

I was not aware that you could not eat them? In lake O is it not advised to eat only one a year and only adult males (people eating the fish not big male lakers) ?

Personally I only fish for rainbows and salmon in Gbay and its tribs but I do fish for lakers on Simcoe. I think with the way that the rainbow population is taking off in rivers like the geen that some more stocking should be done by the MNR as its becoming so popular.

Seems the MNR likes to focus on rehabilitating indigenous fish like lakers and not rainbows and nooks. Personally I would like to see the stocking of lakers continue but also more stocking of rainbows and salmon.

Sorry a lot of questions here.

[Josh Choronzey]

Well I do know the MNR puts a huge amount of money into stocking lakers in Gbay but I don't really know how many people catch and fish for them. Is it true that its only fishing clubs and private groups stocking rainbows and salmon and that the MNR has stopped it all together in Gbay?

I was not aware that you could not eat them? In lake O is it not advised to eat only one a year and only adult males (people eating the fish not big male lakers) ?

Personally I only fish for rainbows and salmon in Gbay and its tribs but I do fish for lakers on Simcoe. I think with the way that the rainbow population is taking off in rivers like the geen that some more stocking should be done by the MNR as its becoming so popular.

Seems the MNR likes to focus on rehabilitating indigenous fish like lakers and not rainbows and nooks. Personally I would like to see the stocking of lakers continue but also more stocking of rainbows and salmon.

Sorry a lot of questions here.

To answer ? #1.
MNR doesn't stock salmon. Private clubs stock salmon, steelhead and browns. MNR is becoming more involved in raising steelhead for Huron but not to the extent of private clubs. While the mnr may not stock salmon, they control the #'s stocked by private clubs.

[darryl choronzey]

The MNR is almost totally out of any type of stocking game in Huron or Georigain Bay....except lake trout


Years ago they stocked some rainbow off the Southampton pier for the Saugeen and they were just wasted due to no possibility of imprinting

They supply brown trout eggs for CFip (or whatever you want to call it) programs and a few years ago 'mistakenly gave a few Ganaraska eggs to a south Lake Huron club by mistake. They have a chance to really do something now due to an Ontario Steelheaders / MNR joint program that could really advance fishing across the province, but I'm not counting on it....but who knows????

As for you Lake Huron lake trout program.... Nothing wrong with it. But I would cut the program by at least half for Lake Huron / Georgian Bay and bring in Temagami wild stocked eggs to utilize the hatchery space and help out the bit 'T' and other lakes around it with wild local 'T's strain lake trout...but what do i know.

Anyways, Chatsworth water is awfully cold and would have to be artificially heated to raise rainbow properly and to be honest again..they are bound and determined to keep pounding away big time with lake trout.

Ask yourselves this.....If the MNR really listened to these zone committees...and the majority of members from the zone committees are demanding that the MNR cut back on lake trout stocking instead of increasing stocks...and the MNR keeps status quo or increasing lake trout numbers....does the MNR really listen to these committees???? Don't want to bruise egos, but I don't think so.

[Michael Hahn]

Great feedback Miles. So if you support Lake Trout Stocking, as well as other stocking of naturalized fish, is your preference that the amount of Lakers stocked remains at current levels or should they be reduced and compensated with more Nooks and Bows?

[miles edrick]

Well I would like to see the stocking levels of lake trout stay the same as its nice to see the levels of these natural fish rising in the great lakes but if it was cut down a bit to make room for more stocking of rainbows and nooks I would be happy as well. It would be nice to have the best of both worlds.

Not everyone has a boat to go out for Lakers but many can go out on the rivers and enjoy fishing the runs of salmon and trout with just a rod and reel.

[DaveWallace]

This subject has been discussed here recently. Some additonal info:

http://www.greybruceoutdoors.com/for...ght=lake+trout

[Nick Toth]

I feel that the Lake Trout stocking should continue, but only in a diminished effort in order to keep the species present. The stated aim regarding Laker stocking was to re-establish a former ecology which isn't gonna happen at all.

If a species thrives and delivers benefits to us then it should be encouraged.

Supply your own benefit here. It could be:

a) Bragging rights: Lakers can be huge in Huron and many appreciate this;
b) A strong fight: a big Laker doesn't have the sparkle of 'Bow or Salmon fight but I enjoy its bulldogging and my effort to get it in;
c) Gustatory: everything, except older Lakers and Browns, is safe to various degrees and the rest is a dining treasure;
d) Economic: any of the foregoing benefits are major economic assets to our district because they draw anglers from around the world to the GB/Huron fishery.

Except for the pleasure of landing a large fish, I'm saying that Lakers are a limited draw for anglers. Yet they should be conscientiously maintained as a conservation effort.

I suggest that a goodly portion of MNR budget for Laker stocking should be diverted to the private stocking clubs which are constantly under economic and regulatory stress. We do good work and we work for free and show stellar results.

We have done the work, we enjoyed that work, and we devoted a large part of our living year to it.

So far our government, but not the ministry staff, has pissed on us.

[darryl choronzey]

If I said you should be the next minister of Natural Resources, I would be correct. Nice post.

Some of these volunteers have have no idea how much they are about to be cut back in the very near future

[Nick Toth]

To DC:

I would make a fine minister, Sir.

I would embrace my salary and my perks. And then say, "Screw you, Daryl," as I was whipped in order to maintain my state.

You see then, I'm prime political material, Daryl.

[darryl choronzey]

you know what Elias

I love lake trout too..I love their fight, I love to look for them on bottom...and love eating them

We are just putting too many in the lake when we have tough financial times and most people don't want to chase them, even the commercials . Go over to Southampton and even ask the Richey's what they can sell. The answer is nil...not marketed right and not worth their efforts or they would chase them.

[AbeFroman]

Excellent post, thanks all. Spend the money on bows, browns and salmon. Keep the lakers alive but reduce the numbers.

[Elias Sprenger]

"I love Lake Trout. The ones I catch inland up in Northern Ontario are amazing. But when my kids can't eat the ones caught in Huron because they are toxic, why in the heck would you keep stocking them? IMO only......."

Bit of a strong description no? According to the book the ones you catch up north aren't exactly pristine either and I would think that by the faster growing nature of great lakes lakers they would be less toxic then those.

I keep lakers in the 3-6 lb range regularly out of huron and Gbay, can't say I have issues with the quality of meat either.

Everyone's got their own take on it I guess.

Elias.

[earlmullin]

... come on ... "3 million lakers they have stocked all of these years with almost zero success" and "my kids can't eat the ones caught in Huron because they are toxic" ... hyberbole is a tool used to make a point I guess. But temper the rhetoric.

[Michael Hahn]

Earl,

Can you tell my stance on the Program? LOL