Fisheries Management plan Nipissing

I really doubt that the sport fishermen take out half the pickeral. Even if we do we do not take ou the breeders.

I really doubt that the sport fishermen take out half the pickeral. Even if we do we do not take ou the breeders.

In fact, if you do the math and look at the numbers... we probably take out more. The sport fishermen are removing the juveniles from the lake. So no, we're not taking the breeders... we take them before they even get a chance to lay fricken' eggs. The harvest gets reported in kilograms, and it takes a lot of little juveniles to make up the weight of a breeder in it's prime. If you take a breeder, at least they've had a chance to give back to the lake (make a spawning runs) before they get eaten.
The lake was able to handle a 6 fish limit with no slot size until the ice hut industry took off. We threw most of the little ones back back in the day.. the price was not worth the reward. Now we let them grow until they're a few months from making their first spawning run.. and try to limit out on the little buggers.

I really doubt that the sport fishermen take out half the pickeral. Even if we do we do not take ou the breeders.

In fact, if you do the math and look at the numbers... we probably take out more. The sport fishermen are removing the juveniles from the lake. So no, we're not taking the breeders... we take them before they even get a chance to lay fricken' eggs. The harvest gets reported in kilograms, and it takes a lot of little juveniles to make up the weight of a breeder in it's prime. If you take a breeder, at least they've had a chance to give back to the lake (make a spawning runs) before they get eaten.
The lake was able to handle a 6 fish limit with no slot size until the ice hut industry took off. We threw most of the little ones back back in the day.. the price was not worth the reward. Now we let them grow until they're a few months from making their first spawning run.. and try to limit out on the little buggers.

You have no idea how many kilograms the natives take out of the lake. Why do you think they monitor themselves. As for us taking so many small ones out of the lake,which you have no data on, I would be happy with one 20" pickeral, But no we have to throw them back and let the natives catch them. At least we on the whole abide by the rules. The natives think they are entitled no matter the consequences.

I really doubt that the sport fishermen take out half the pickeral. Even if we do we do not take ou the breeders.

In fact, if you do the math and look at the numbers... we probably take out more. The sport fishermen are removing the juveniles from the lake. So no, we're not taking the breeders... we take them before they even get a chance to lay fricken' eggs. The harvest gets reported in kilograms, and it takes a lot of little juveniles to make up the weight of a breeder in it's prime. If you take a breeder, at least they've had a chance to give back to the lake (make a spawning runs) before they get eaten.
The lake was able to handle a 6 fish limit with no slot size until the ice hut industry took off. We threw most of the little ones back back in the day.. the price was not worth the reward. Now we let them grow until they're a few months from making their first spawning run.. and try to limit out on the little buggers.

You have no idea how many kilograms the natives take out of the lake. Why do you think they monitor themselves. As for us taking so many small ones out of the lake,which you have no data on, I would be happy with one 20" pickeral, But no we have to throw them back and let the natives catch them. At least we on the whole abide by the rules. The natives think they are entitled no matter the consequences.

Then we have no idea what the recreational harvest is either. I've fished the lake close to 30yrs.. we were checked by a CO once, back around '96 ?
I've never heard of anyone being part of any sort of creel survey. How many guys keep slot fish in the huts? Probably quite a few. Now with the limit at 2 it's not hard to keep more and dispose of the evidence... if you're in a bungalow you're basically fishing next to a frying pan

As for us taking so many small ones... my data is coming from message boards like this one. There are literally hundreds of nipissing outfitter reports online, with a common theme among them... lots and lots and lots of little baby walleye.

A lot of people would be happy with one slot fish. But with a lake like Nip 4hrs from the GTA and the resulting pressure, we can't have it that way anymore.
I'll repeat... the lake supported a 6 fish, any size limit along with the native harvest because the lake didn't get raped in the winter. That started about 20 years ago.. before then we never heard about stressed walleye stocks. Most people up here didn't even know what a bungalow was. Now anywhere on the lake that has acces has a sea of huts. That's a lot of added pressure.

You should read all the data reports available and then aslo watch the videos of the commercial fishery from NFN and then make some observations.

having said that, there are multiple stressors on the fishery as a whole.

A while back we were dabting the credibility of the FMP for the lake..not necessarily finger pointing, but, 30-50 thousand kilos of spawners is a good chunk to take out of a stressed lake no?

I really doubt that the sport fishermen take out half the pickeral. Even if we do we do not take ou the breeders.

In fact, if you do the math and look at the numbers... we probably take out more. The sport fishermen are removing the juveniles from the lake. So no, we're not taking the breeders... we take them before they even get a chance to lay fricken' eggs. The harvest gets reported in kilograms, and it takes a lot of little juveniles to make up the weight of a breeder in it's prime. If you take a breeder, at least they've had a chance to give back to the lake (make a spawning runs) before they get eaten.
The lake was able to handle a 6 fish limit with no slot size until the ice hut industry took off. We threw most of the little ones back back in the day.. the price was not worth the reward. Now we let them grow until they're a few months from making their first spawning run.. and try to limit out on the little buggers.

You have no idea how many kilograms the natives take out of the lake. Why do you think they monitor themselves. As for us taking so many small ones out of the lake,which you have no data on, I would be happy with one 20" pickeral, But no we have to throw them back and let the natives catch them. At least we on the whole abide by the rules. The natives think they are entitled no matter the consequences.

The natives don't think they are entitled, they are entitled, the courts of Canada have given them the entitlement, as for not actually managing there fishery , they seem to better job then others. They have fishery biologist on staff, they have trained there own police to monitor there fishery. You may not agree with this method but I'm sure the natives have a few greivences with our methods

they have trained there own police to monitor there fishery......you said it.

FatRap

I got the impression, after watching the videos about the Native fish market etc.. that many of them are now holding themselves accountable in regards to their catch. They have a strong motivator, profit. Selling at market value gains them huge profits which make the extra effort in monitoring and tracking worth it. It seems though there remains a population that follow the old path of selling fish out of their trunks. Less profit yes, but much less work as well. So how does the mnr really gauge the numbers with any accuracy at all?

Well it's not only the pickerel comming out of the lake in the nets. Wait till the summer. I'll take pic's of huge piles of dead fish (some still flopping alive) other then pickerel that are just dumped in the dump and at the sand dunes. You would be in shock.

Don't forget about the piles in franks bay by the houseboat they bring out! I will also try to get some pics this summer as I will have a lot of extra time on my hands with this new 2 fish limit!

Like I said..what Fishery management plan????

Please do take a lot of pics, I hear of these but I would like to see actual proof one day.

To those suggesting the walleye stock depletion is as much if not more the fault of the sport fishermen , I must ask what other lake in all of Ontario has a reduced catch limit ?
Just the one with commercial fishing.

Must be every fisherman in the province coming to Nipissing.

To those suggesting the walleye stock depletion is as much if not more the fault of the sport fishermen , I must ask what other lake in all of Ontario has a reduced catch limit ?
Just the one with commercial fishing.

Must be every fisherman in the province coming to Nipissing.

The one that has 2000 fish huts on it anually, and god knows how many tourist operations