American eels in the Ottawa river

This is where it's all going on. One can ask for advice or general information or simply chew the fat about fishing tackle, tips, and locations.
User avatar
fiiish
Silver Participant
Silver Participant
Posts: 651
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:19 pm

American eels in the Ottawa river

Post by fiiish »

I was mentioning in another thread how my dad and I used to catch eels all the time in the Ottawa river back in the day.
I've read a few articles stating there are still eels in the Ottawa river and I know they are a protected species, but I'm wondering if anybody has caught any recently (by accident of course).
User avatar
Pints
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1481
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 9:49 am
Location: Ottawa

Post by Pints »

Two years ago was the last time I saw anyone catch one locally here in Ottawa.
User avatar
Mudpout
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 125
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:28 pm

Post by Mudpout »

I still catch them about every second catfish outting on the north river, it's a tributary to the Ottawa river. Actually this year i prob caught the biggest ive ever seen, didnt realize the record is only 5lbs, it must have been close.
User avatar
TLunge
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 431
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Kemptville

Post by TLunge »

Eels have been making it up all the Ottawa river tributaries for decades, through the 60's to the 90's. There must have been some fairly recent developments that have stopped them. Historically they have been up the Carp river right to Kanata and up every possible creek that is even remotely joined to the Ottawa river, into White lake and up into Algonquin park etc.
Wonder whats going on?
User avatar
moonshine
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 462
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:12 am
Location: Eganville

Post by moonshine »

there still around, only way to see them is to clean your fish on the dock and throw the remains in the water. and out they come.
Fisherman are the biggest liars.
User avatar
Chevy Champagne
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1838
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:00 am
Location: ottawa river

Post by Chevy Champagne »

i have landed two so far on the streach of the ottawa im on with one being HUGE
User avatar
Pints
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1481
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 9:49 am
Location: Ottawa

Post by Pints »

Hydro electric dams are the problem. Turbines chew them up.
User avatar
slop
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1649
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:36 pm
Location: Fisheries Management Zone 18

Post by slop »

walleye man wrote:i have landed two so far on the streach of the ottawa im on with one being HUGE
Any photos of the HUGENESS?
If Winnipeg gets a hockey team, Toronto will want one too.....
User avatar
fiiish
Silver Participant
Silver Participant
Posts: 651
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:19 pm

Post by fiiish »

Thanks for the responses guys. It's good to know they're still out there.
Not as much in terms of numbers anymore but at least they still exist.

They're actually pretty neat from the stuff I read about them.
User avatar
bruce
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 6:50 pm
Location: rockland ont

Post by bruce »

got this one near rockland last year.Image
User avatar
TLunge
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 431
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Kemptville

Post by TLunge »

The dams have been there since the 50's so how did the populations stay so strong right up into the 90's?
User avatar
Out4trout
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1746
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:38 pm
Location: Eastern Ontario

Post by Out4trout »

bruce wrote:got this one near rockland last year.Image
That is a superb photo!!!
User avatar
Pints
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1481
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 9:49 am
Location: Ottawa

Post by Pints »

Pints wrote:Hydro electric dams are the problem. Turbines chew them up.
User avatar
TLunge
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 431
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Kemptville

Post by TLunge »

No I don't think so, the latest theories are unknown causes and a virus that has come here via asian eels and is harming our american eels.
Think about it! the dams were all up by the 50's so if they were the cause then eel populations would have crashed in the 60's or at least by the 70's and that is not the case there was large populations right up to the 90's
They are a very interesting fish worth reading up on, they used to find their way into almost all of our rivers and creeks, peoples farm ponds, waterbodies that are not even joined to the ocean, trout lakes etc.
User avatar
Chevy Champagne
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1838
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:00 am
Location: ottawa river

Post by Chevy Champagne »

i wish i had pics i would never pick one of thouse buggers up lol
Post Reply