Blackdonald/Centenial Lake - Zone 15 walleye Regs

[Hookup]

I have reviewed the regs and I think I know how to interpret them. Walleye populations are very low...

The zone 15 reg says keeping - Sport Lic - 4 Walleye with not more than 1 over 18.1 inches

BlackDonald/centenial Lake - Sport Lic - 2 Walleye must be Greater than 19.7inches

So the net effect is you can only keep one walleye and it must be over 19.7 inches, if I'm reading that right. Or is there a rule that the local-lake regulations trump the zone regulations?

[almontefisher]

Those are the lake exceptions. You follow those when they supersede the main regs.

[chappee77]

Good lake for walleye,but hard to catch one over 20". I've had a trailer on this lake for 11 years.

[Hookup]

Those are the lake exceptions. You follow those when they supersede the main regs.

So are you saying ignore the 1 over 18.1 (zone regs) and go with the 2 over 19.7?

[fishmaster]

Yes you follow the 2 over 20 inch rule for Black Donald. There are a few lakes in the eganville area with the same size limit. I always wondered about that size limit but one of the bioligists with the ministry told me the reasoning behind it. He said when they put the slot of 20 inches(19.7) that it should allow a walleye at least 3 sucessful years of spawning before it is being harvested. It makes sense and it seems to have worked on Lake Clear where the walleye population now seems to be doing quite well and there are lots over that size.Sometimes regs are confusing but like someone else said here Lake regs do supercede zone regs in most cases.

[john c]

i'd be careful about that because at one of the ORWL events in the winter they had a ministry biologist in and that exact question was brought up.
his answer was it was you were only allowed 1 over.

[Todd B.]

Tim,

For Black Donald you're only allowed to keep two (2), both of which must be greater than 19.7".

The general walleye catch limit in zone 15 is four (4), of which only one (1) may be greater than 18.1".

[Hookup]

I spoke with MNR today. Their answer was clear, and I guess obvious now that they say it, though we'll see what MNR says if we are confronted on the water.

As pointed out above by several members (thank you btw), exceptions supersede the zone regulations. If you are in a body of water that has an exception, follow the exception not the zone.


Of course, if you get pulled over with 2 fish in your possession in zone 15 you'll have to convince the MNR officer that you were fishing on blackdonald/centennial etc because anywhere else it'd be illegal to have those two fish.

I've never been stopped off-water by MNR (for fishing) but anyone thinking about jumping from lake-to-lake over a weekend period will have to watch what they do just to be safe.

[almontefisher]

Once a year just outside of Almonte on Wolfegrove Rd the MNR has a stop check and I think it is around this time. We have been in it a few times. The OPP is there as well doing ride checks. So they do stop vehicles and check things out.

[chappee77]

If you can catch 2 eyes over 20" in a day in that lake your a better man than me. We catch plenty walleye in a day but they all seem to be 14" to 18". Our method of fishing for them is to find a shoal 20' to 40', drop a marker and jig while trolling around the shoal.

[Hookup]

Thanks for the help and tips.... I figure I owe you all a report from that water...

[chappee77]

Try fishing at the mouth of the river that heads to the power dam at the Black Donald end of the lake. There's a log house on the point, if you go straight out from that you will find three shoals that are in line with each other. they are about 20' to 25' good luck

[tombiosis]

If you can catch 2 eyes over 20" in a day in that lake your a better man than me. We catch plenty walleye in a day but they all seem to be 14" to 18". Our method of fishing for them is to find a shoal 20' to 40', drop a marker and jig while trolling around the shoal.

well put.
I've been fishing up there for years, and caught several dozen 'eyes, yet only 4 keepers in all that time. last year the MNR was doing a study to try and figure out why the fish weren't growing...seems strange to release several 17-18 inchers year after year yet never catch a keeper!
The Mnr was supposed to email me the results of the study, but I never heard back from them...

[MTF]

I can 2nd that... last season I caught over 100 walleye in black donald, norcan, and calabogie lakes and only had one keeper, and many just an inch or two shy of 19.7" by the end of the season it was becoming quite frustrating. I think this year I will be focusing more on bodies of water that don't have size restrictions even if I have to drive further....tired of throwing back perfect size eaters (walleye is the only fish I keep to eat)...I generally would rather eat a 15"-18" walleye anyway as they will have less mercury in them.

I would be very interested to hear about the MNR report as to why these fish are not growing as it has been the same story for me for at least 3 seasons now...

[PA-Josh]

I agree..though from PA...we had good success catching many walleye in Centennial and the connecting Madawaska...I thought it was us who was not doing well catching keepers...we had over 15 in 3 days at 18 inches...I did catch 1 that was 23 inches 4.2 lbs...

I agree..hate to throw back so many quality fish.