Fishing in Quebec

[steve2112]

cprince

I could not disagree more...I now have a cottage that I can't ice fish and use minnows ( dead) the rest of the time. Absolutely ridiculous. I believe these laws are enacted because the province cannot trust the people to fish ethically. I am not talking about tourists either. I know very well how the locals in the Outouasis view fish stocks...get them while you can and then find somewhere else.

I would guesstimate that Quebec has 2 percent of the worlds fresh water...if the fish stocks are this depleted and vulnerable to impose such draconian laws, perhaps the people in charge should be looking inwards!!!!

Idiotic as usual. I am sure the province will be quite pleased to let us know they are the first jurisdiction to impose such measures. This is always an important consideration in Quebec.

Steve

[riverdog]

I think the places that might hurt the most are the fishing lodges & cottage rentals that attract more US clients than ON folks. I imagine they may have had some input on the matter at least one would hope. As stated if you don't like it you don't have to go.

As for the comment there's no $ in fishing & fisherman are cheap that's laughable. One only has to look at BOQ area, the number of fisherman staying overnight to fish, the restaurants, bait stores, gas stations, paid parking, the one offs needed or wanted from CT or Walmart or local convenient store.

[smitty55]

Wow Craig I don't know what got you so wound up. Were you involved with the thread on IS?
I'm pretty sure a lot of Quebecers aren't happy with the new regs either. Just sayin...

Don't like it? Don't come here.

Quite likely that will be what happens for a lot of folks. What percentage I have no idea but I think it will definitely be noticeable. Time will tell.
I don't know how you can think it won't affect the economy. Just travel up the 105 any weekend and look at the number of Ontario plates you see at just about any chip wagon, restaurant, gas station or depanneur all the way to Maniwaki. Or travel through Temiscamingue down the main drag and it's packed with out of province license plates as vacationers stock up on beer, gas, ice and fresh groceries. Look at the parking lot at the Auberge Canadienne just before Kipawa and you'll likely not see a single Quebec plate, so a big pile of their revenue comes from summer tourists. The village of Kipawa I'm sure could be classified as a tourist town and they are quite friendly to all the tourists who visit every summer where they rack up much of their yearly revenue. Now these are just areas I'm familiar with but I can't see it being much different in the rest of the province. Just like that bait shop in Gatineau closing I don't see how it won't have an effect on small business to some extent. Plus there's the loss of revenue from declining license sales.

Fishermen are cheap

I don't agree at all. All the trucks towing expensive boats that I see stopped along roads and in parking lots at stores must be buying something.

The Lake Trout lakes north of Kingston have been irreparably damaged by the use of dead herring to target big trout.

I don't understand how this could happen unless somehow fertilized eggs are involved. Could you explain? Again in my experience lakes like Pemich and 31 Mile have been constantly fished forever with Cisco and Smelt and to the best of my knowledge there has been no harm done or the practice would have been quashed many years ago.

Cheers

[cprince]

You are talking about two different things Steve;
- Meat heads over fishing
- People bringing in invasive and diseased species.

All I am saying is if you are from out of province and don't like it, TFB. You live in Quebec Steve? Go to your MNA. Vote accordingly.

If the MFFP has to stop every person with minnows and attempt to figure out where they came from or if they might come back to life, they aren't doing the important work of getting the ones that deplete our fish stocks. I am totally for this. I can use worms and leeches, I am fine with that.

The meat fishers... well that's a different story. I am not 100% goose stepping along with the MFFP rules. Not by any stretch. The ice fishing thing bothers me too.. BUT, anywhere within 2 hours of MTL or Ottawa will have issues, and it's not the rules that cause the issues. It's the lack resources to enforce existing rules.

But as far as tourism goes? Screw that. I have lived most of my life in these tourist areas. Don't talk to me about how much money they bring. Who is making the money? Please tell me. A gas station. A chip truck. A bunch of loud mouths buying ice and squealing about buying beer in a Day-pa-nurr!! I know NO ONE making this magical money off tourists. At least 90% of the people I know out here are farmers or forest industry workers. You know... the only reason there are even roads to get to these places. None of them like or want tourists.

Let me ask anyone who lives out here; When's the last time a Lodge owner helped you out because of the windfall of US$ they are making was spilling out of their pockets?

Depleted stocks? Where? Baskatong? Yep. Anywhere a Zec is bringing Americans in will be depleted. There are NO RULES. They can do what they want. The Zec system has to go. Ridiculous. Cronyism at its worst. These lodge owners make their own rules.

[cprince]

I don't understand how this could happen unless somehow fertilized eggs are involved. Could you explain? Again in my experience lakes like Pemich and 31 Mile have been constantly fished forever with Cisco and Smelt and to the best of my knowledge there has been no harm done or the practice would have been quashed many years ago.

Cheers

Rusty Crayfish. http://www.pemich.ca/environment/milfoil/uqam-study/
Our American friends were bringing them up here by the cooler full because it's what they use down there. Now they are a problem here.

UQAM has been studying invasive species every year for the last 15 years in exactly 31 Mile AND Pemich.

So... ya... its a thing.

[Out4trout]

What the ... good to see you're still kicking Craig,

[ganman]

Every little town could use a couple more minimum wage part time jobs. That's about it from fishermen. Where are all these business's that cater to fishermen? I'll tell you who spends $$$. Rich Cottage owners. They create real jobs for local plumbers, electricians, contractors, grocery stores, off season monitoring and maintenance etc..

A foot long Herring targeted big trout. The trout swallowed the bait, the trout died. Pine Grove Store on Perth Rd. near Devil Lake had a derby in the 70's. Many 20 - 30 lbs. trout were caught every year. Within a decade they were all gone. Do you know how long it takes a trout to get that big?

[emeraldpirate]

I'm sure the ban has been implemented for conservation. All the points mentioned above are valid. I've fished those 2 lakes for years and have noticed a steady decline on the quality of fishing. Look no further than the locals who take their limit return to their cottages throw them in the freezer and head right back out to take "their limit again". Saw it on a few occasions. Have also been stopped on 31 and been advised that it was illegal to fish and possess crayfish to fish with even if I had caught them from the lake I was fishing in. I guess it depends what CO you speak to. I use to also catch my own minnows from these lakes to fish with. We as fishermen will have to adjust to the new regs and use alternate bait options like scented/gulp minnows etc. as will the bait shop owners by stocking the products for sale. It won't stop me from doing what I love.

[mb_fishing]

We have to adapt to protect what we love doing. I have no problems with this at all. It forces innovation and modifying our behaviours, (hopefully for the better). It will only be a matter of time before non-biodegradeable plastics are banned too....and then watch this board light up!

[mb_fishing]

@ildogg - saw this first hand when we rented a cottage on Lac Heney a few years back. There was a honey hole that some local folks were going to every night. They would anchor, throw out worms on a bobber and catch bass after bass after bass. Not one was tossed back in and there were quite a few good ones. They next day...same routine and this went on for the 6 nights I was there. Point is all species are subject to decline when there is this kind of harvesting. It's too bad because saying anything usually results in things being escalated and behaviours don't change. You are bang on that we need to educate our young ones...being sons, daughter, nieces, nephews, grandchildren etc. It is our responsibility to ensure quality fishing for years to come which includes following the rules and a little bit of common sense.

Btw - I do not begrudge anyone taking a limit every now and then but everything these days needs to be in moderation. Hopefully we can assist in reversing that tide.

[Walleye'm Fishing]

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!

We have to adapt to protect what we love doing. I have no problems with this at all. It forces innovation and modifying our behaviours, (hopefully for the better). It will only be a matter of time before non-biodegradeable plastics are banned too....and then watch this board light up!

I won't get into the economic impacts of this decision but strictly from a fishing point of view, here's my 2 cents: I live in Orleans and I have been purchasing a Quebec non-resident fishing license for over 20 years now. Some years I don't even get an Ontario license at all because I fish mostly in Quebec. Why? Because the fishing is better in Quebec. Period. The way I see it, stricter rules just means better fishing. Quebec has stricter rules but it also has great benefits... I can drive with a car right up to several lakes on crown land in Quebec where I regularly catch 3-4 pound native brook trout. There is always a true possibility to catch 5-7 pounders in these lakes as well... You won't find this in the ''Ottawa area'' on the Ontario side of the river. I can also regularly catch 4-8 pound lakers and walleyes from shore in the spring and fall in Quebec. Again, I won't find this anywhere near Ottawa on this side of the river. I'd have to drive for a long time in Ontario to find spots that could match the ones I found around here in Quebec.

[cprince]

. I can drive with a car right up to several lakes on crown land in Quebec where I regularly catch 3-4 pound native brook trout. There is always a true possibility to catch 5-7 pounders in these lakes as well... You won't find this in the ''Ottawa area'' on the Ontario side of the river. I can also regularly catch 4-8 pound lakers and walleyes from shore in the spring and fall in Quebec. Again, I won't find this anywhere near Ottawa on this side of the river. I'd have to drive for a long time in Ontario to find spots that could match the ones I found around here in Quebec.

SHHHhhh..... shuddduppp....!!!!!!

What he means to say is that fishing in QC isn't worth the hassle with the Frenchies and draconian laws.

Stay away.

[emeraldpirate]

Just spoke to the guy who operates a car wash and U-Haul and trailer rental outlet who also sells minnows on Front St. in Aylmer. He was pretty discouraged with the new law coming into effect at the end of the month. Basically told me that his live minnow sales was essentially the difference between him getting through the slower winter months when it comes to the rental business. I'm sure he also has a few $$$ invested into the live tank and filters to hold the minnows in. He also wondered about how this is going to affect a lot of other business owners like himself. His supplier has been in business for 4 generations and this is essentially cutting his throat he, also wondered if this law will also be in effect for the native sportsmen in the area who have special rights when it comes to hunting and fishing laws. It's time we all get treated equally when it comes to protecting the resources we all have access to. And if that means modifying the laws for all sportsmen then maybe that's a discussion that needs to be heard.

[cprince]

Just spoke to the guy who operates a car wash and U-Haul and trailer rental outlet who also sells minnows on Front St. in Aylmer. He was pretty discouraged with the new law coming into effect at the end of the month. Basically told me that his live minnow sales was essentially the difference between him getting through the slower winter months when it comes to the rental business. I'm sure he also has a few $$$ invested into the live tank and filters to hold the minnows in. He also wondered about how this is going to affect a lot of other business owners like himself. His supplier has been in business for 4 generations and this is essentially cutting his throat he, also wondered if this law will also be in effect for the native sportsmen in the area who have special rights when it comes to hunting and fishing laws. It's time we all get treated equally when it comes to protecting the resources we all have access to. And if that means modifying the laws for all sportsmen then maybe that's a discussion that needs to be heard.

I am not insensitive to the plight of those trying to make an honest living.

However, Asbestos mining was HUGE... not so much anymore. Bottle opener and ashtray factories aren't the greatest investment anymore. I still have a box full of audio coupler 9600 baud modems I invested in back in the 90s I wish I was able to unload.

Schitt happens. Times change.

Good thing people still need trailer hitches.

There are public consultation about the laws that get passed. Just because you or I didn't get the memo, doesn't mean it didn't already happen! (Or even that we would have been heard it we were invited!)

As for 1st Nations... err... umm.. well.. its their land. We're going to tell them what they can and can't do?

Good luck with that one!

[Mick]

All I am saying is if you are from out of province and don't like it, TFB. You live in Quebec Steve? Go to your MNA. Vote accordingly.

that was how I interpreted your post Craig.

if your out of province and don't like it, don't go. Your point to Steve was spot on IMO.....if you're a native Quebecer, go visit the local politician.

as for the fishing being better in Quebec, it is. But I don't think that has as much to do with conservation laws as it has to do with less population but that's just my opinion .