Stocking Lake Huron & Georgian Bay

Two Ontario conservation groups are working together to boost the sports fishery in Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.

In a one-time move the Wiarton based Bruce Peninsula Sportsmen’s Association is donating 5-thousand dollars to its fish-stocking partner The Lake Huron Fishing Club. The Lake Huron club has in the past supplied the Wiarton club with milt and roe to help support the BPSA hatchery.

The money will help the Lake Huron Club operate its Port Elgin and Kincardine hatcheries.

The Bruce Peninsula organization had hoped to expand sanctuaries at Gleason Brook and Colpoy`s Creek to protect spawning rainbow trout. However the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters rejected the idea, claiming the BPSA plan would interfere with fishing opportunities.

As years went by, fishing pressure at the mouths of Gleason Brook and Colpoy`s creek resulted in a shortage of trout eggs for the Wiarton club's hatchery. So the Lake Huron Club stepped in to supply the Wiarton hatchery with fish eggs from the Saugeen River.

BPSA President Tim Lahey says the donation was unanimously approved by his club’s members. In his words “we are proud to be able to do this to help our sister club for the greater good of the sports fishery”.

Lake Huron Fishing Club President Al Wilkins says “this donation will offset the increasing costs of operating our hatcheries and demonstrates that we are working together to beef up our sports fishery”.

We know that sports fishing attracts tourists. For decades both clubs have stocked millions of fish in Lake Huron and Georgian Bay building one of the healthiest sports fisheries in Canada. Their conservation efforts have helped pump millions of dollars into the regional economy as US and Canadian anglers are attracted to a fishery that boasts “you can eat what you catch”.

The Lake Huron Fishing club stocks fish in Lake Huron as far north as Pike Bay. The Bruce Peninsula Club stocks Colpoy`s Bay and water as far North as Barrow Bay in South West Georgian Bay. During the cheque presentation in Port Elgin members of both clubs agreed “it’s all about the fish”.

Somehow I think this pretty much a waste of time when a lot of the food for the fish is no longer there, the cormorants gorge themselves on the fish and then the netting program that can't and never will discriminate on different species of fish caught. Then the MNR refuses to check what is caught, so why waste money and effort on it. The small amount of fish that are caught is a far far cry from was we used to get years ago.

With the status of the Cormorants in Ontario and the Ministry refusing to do anything about it... Is it time we disband the Ministry for an organization that will manage these situations more effectively?
I am getting tired of constantly paying for a fishing license with little to no management.

The Georgian Triangle Anglers also raise and stock bows. Apparently they changed their approach from putting fish into T'bury harbour to stocking a couple of local rivers with yearlings. I understand that the main reason was the cormorants. So if you want to support the stocking program and think stocking the bay ia a waste of time, check out the GTAA's program.

Just curious.........just what organization might you be thinking of?

Without the hard work of these dedicated groups the fishery in lake huron and georgian bay would be dismal. I applaud any efforts to help the fish stocks.

I hear ya there,just out of the blue I met a guy on grey bruce outdoors and ended up helping clip 12000 lil steelhead last saturday,,now if anyone says it's a wast of money/time,come and help next time it's 'an amazing set up with 10000's of hours of work,,I was totaly impressed,cheers to Lake Huron Fishing Club

The Lake Huron Fishing club and others on the pennisula are dedicated fishermen who with help from others, know whats going on with the fisheries. They labour hard to keep the fishing at the peak of perfection. The lakes are changing and so are the fisheries but the rainbow are also changing their habits to go along with the changes in the food chain. I've have caught many bows from our lakes and rivers and their as healthy as always. This year is a prime example of the work done with Rainbow - we have had an outstanding fall and winter on the rivers and lakes. I credit this to all the work that was done by the clubs. I do highly agree that cormorants are a big issue that the government bodies needs to address.

If they know that much about the fisheries, it begs to question why they have to stock so many to keep the numbers up. Why do fin clips, it's putting fish in there that are deformed compared to the naturals. Refresh my memory, but aren't rainbow a non native specie.