Creating structure for bass

[MLR]

I would imagine the placing, dumping, putting anything, in a lake or river with out the MNR`s approval would be considered littering. There for making it illegal. I have heard that docks, and swim rafts are technically illegal as well. Very good question though.

Bobby

A work permit is required to:

fill shore lands such as creating a beach and constructing shoreline protection works (e.g. break wall, groyne, seawall);
dredge shore lands such as:
creating a boat slip, boating channel or swimming area;
installing a water line, heat loop or cable for commercial use (i.e. marina, resort or large scale development); and
removal of rocks/boulders from shore lands or the bottom of a lake or stream;
construct a dock or boathouse where the total surface area of the supporting structure (e.g. pipes, cribs) placed on the bed of the water body exceeds 15 square metres;
construct a building on public land;
construct a road on public land, except where constructed under the authority of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act;
construct a trail on public land, except where constructed under the authority of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act or for purpose of mineral exploration;
construct a water crossing (e.g. bridge, culvert and causeway) on public land, except where constructed under the authority of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act; and
remove aquatic vegetation.


Some types of activities do not require a work permit including:

minor road maintenance on public land;
cantilever docks where the footings are located off the shore lands;
floating docks and floating boathouses;
docks or boathouses where the total surface area of the supporting structure (e.g. pipes, cribs) placed on the bed of the water body is less than 15 square metres;
removal of an old dock or boathouse;
ice fishing huts; and
installation of a water line, submarine cable or heat loop for private use.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR_E000071.pdf

[MLR]

I have found that it is almost always preferable to ask for forgiveness afterwards than permission before, no matter what the subject nor who the authority...........

I have been creating underwater structure for many years, in many lakes, with the view that it is good for the fish. In most cases, I never fish the structure after it is created. I do not put anything toxic in the water, unless you count my urine, but I can't help that.

Kind of like Johhny Appleseed, but underwater.

Doug

As quoted from the MNR website regarding work permits

A work permit is received, reviewed and issued free of charge by the Ministry. However, working without the required work permit or contravening the conditions of an issued work permit are offences under the Public Lands Act, which may result in fines of up to $10,000

Not sure they will buy your Johny Appleseed story if you get caught

[Doug]

thanks for being assiduous, MLR.

I reckon any structure I ever made or would make would be well under 15 square metres so I am not too worried about work permits, or enforcement either.

Let's be honest, Ontario cannot even enforce its rules against major miscreants, so the odd sunken tree is not on the enforcement radar. And neither should it be, IMHO.

Doug

[Paulie Walnuts]

I say it's legal. Would it not be the same thing as the cottage we anchor the kids raft with cinder blocks in each corner. We have 12 blocks on the bottom

[Hookup]

thanks for being assiduous, MLR.

I reckon any structure I ever made or would make would be well under 15 square metres so I am not too worried about work permits, or enforcement either.

Let's be honest, Ontario cannot even enforce its rules against major miscreants, so the odd sunken tree is not on the enforcement radar. And neither should it be, IMHO.

Doug

Got to agree here... 15sqr meters is about the size of a few trees tied up and sunk... Not taken to an extreme this isn't even an issue...


As for enforcing, that's an entire other rant thread and it sounds like Doug and I are on the same page... Frigg'n white-tail poacher horror stories... but as I said, thats another thread.


Back to the OP, it sounds that if you make structure less than 15sqr meters (7foot by 7foot crib for example) would not require a permit... and I guess if you made 20 of them, and threw them all over the end of a bay, say at a rate of one or two each year for 10-20 years, it still wouldn't be an issue... but it would be a loop-hole.... and take forever... haha...

If you want to go bigger than 15sqr meters, get a permit is a safe way to go... But for the record, you can call me johnny appleseed the second.

[bigpikemike]

its not cheating but its a pain to ppl that dont now its there...but it works great...but snag city...im doin the darrly chronzy milk crate trick this year at the cottage

[Doug]

Well, people that don't know that the structure is there would be everybody new to a location on a given lake. Every year things change, with Mother Nature throwing most of the curves at us.

When we create man-made structure, we are only supplementing what is already happening, but hopefully with some rational thought as to placement. A drowned tree in a hundred feet of water is not probably going to benefit the fish much. But twenty or thirty feet offshore, in ten or fifteen feet of water, that tree creates security cover for small fish and ambush opportunites for big ones.

Snags go with the territory when we are fishing, regardless of how they got there, and some of my best bass and walleye fishing holes were discovered when I got snagged.

Doug

[|D4|]

I would do it .... but I would make a research on whats the effect of the material i'm dropping in the water !