Fish-Hawk.Net

I often surf around looking for cool places to stay and new lakes to fish around eastern Ontario.....which is what I was just doing.

Not trying to start an argument with those who like to keep fish... BUT in my searches I've seen alot of huge fish in pictures, mostly bass, 5,6 and 7 lbers dead on stringers and it makes me a little sick. And....they aren't old pictures either. I'm not against keeping fish, in fact I keep a few myself from time to time but I cannot help but think of the huge waste when I see pics of grinning anglers holding a stringer of 5 and 6 lbs bass.

I wonder if these resorts care about the long term health of their lakes and what it is they are promoting. I'm the first one who hopes I'm wrong and its no big deal.

I wondered the same things as I'm looking for a place to stay. I'm from Pennsylvania and get the Conservation license. I take a picture and the fish go back in the water. I fish for the memories. I'm not saying I wouldn't keep a bigun to mount but it would have to be really big.

I also take a week vacation in one of our Ontario lodges. And you are absolutely right on this one, many times I have witness anglers come in with a stringer of fish, big or small they keep them all. It really makes me sick to see the big ones hooked up on a stringer. I did try to explained to them that it is alwright to keep some, but please let the bigger ones go. The reason they tell my why they keep them is, I paid good money to be here and I will keep all that I catch. I think the bottom line is Bull #$%^ walks and money talks. I have seen this from people from both side of the border. Its to bad that the owners of these lodges does not have any concern of our fisheries, because at the end, we all loose. In my opinion the owners should put a size limit.

Ganman, pic's like that are definately not the standard in the industry know. They were at one time, but they're not recieved well now.

I plan on having an outfit some day and hosting anglers. I plan to actually have my own c&r rules for the clients to follow. They don't have to legally of course, but they won't be welcome back.

I believe if a lodge is recruiting pressure to water systems, they should be responsible in help manage that resource.

Markus wrote:I believe if a lodge is recruiting pressure to water systems, they should be responsible in help manage that resource.

I think that while most lodge owners totally agree with you Markus and wince when they see what they do, it is a seasonal business, very dependent on repeat clients and referrals to make the mortgage payments. I suspect that they have to bite their tongue and turn a blind eye despite how they feel. Kind of a Catch 22 when you think about it. Control the clients now and they won't come back, or let them run amok, there won't be any fish left and they won't come back. Tough call.

Markus, re: different today

That might be true with those on fishing shows and more enlightened anglers but here in the boonies of eastern Ontario are operators who could give damn about conservation and want there peope to get there fish regardless. These folks are stuck in a time warp.

Not all....but some.

Hoser,

I'm not sure if you realize this but many camps are booked solid by now for summer. At Cedar Cove on White Lake there was one week left in one of the cottages. Most that have a regular clientele do no advertising. One operator told me he was usually 90% booked a year in advance! and this place is a dump!

ganman wrote:Markus, re: different today

That might be true with those on fishing shows and more enlightened anglers but here in the boonies of eastern Ontario are operators who could give damn about conservation and want there peope to get there fish regardless. These folks are stuck in a time warp.

Not all....but some.

Agree,

Quite the same with a good number of Northern Lodges as well.

Although Kesagami would be an example of a relatively good one, with C&R pike and single barbless, 2 eyes a day for shore lunch and that's it. It's done great things for the pike fishery. Although, the walleye sizes I hear are shrinking and perch and whitefish are now being too preyed upon.

The owner up there and his employees could smile now and then too.

Everyone (or most everyone!) knows my practice is catch & release, particularly the larger individuals. I do agree with ganman that lots of brochures/pamphlets/websites do use photo's of big fish / big catches which are obviously being kept as teasers to drum up business. I have also been contact'g different lodges and cottages to request mailed info and there have been at least 1 or 2 which claim to promote C&R and then show a big muskie or trophy pike hanging from a stringer on shore...

I think that's an oxymoron of sorts.

W.

Sounds like an ideal retirement job. Running a lodge ...

WIG

You can get things set up for me first, and I'll take over for ya once you're too old

In order to get business owns needs to prove via advertising that they are fish in the lake. So they get anglers to give them pictures. Most of the time the anglers will bring the fish to the dock to show off there catch and than take a picture. Anglers are happy as they caught fish, have a meal and the lodge owners have pictures of the great catch.

The problem is if everyone keeps the fish at the lodge, the lodge owner is eventually going to be hurting for business because the fish will all be gone. Like someone said, catch 22.

Cheers,

Mike

To add the confusion, you often find lodges with pictures of monsters and huge quantities of fish.
Then you get there and have to work your butt off just to find a few shore lunchers.

False advertising of sorts. But lets not pretend we are going on a fishing retreat to catch the same size and numbers of fish we can get in our own back yards. And knowing this in advance, would you really spend your money at a place that is going to dictate rules well beyond those of the ministry or go to a place with no "photo evidence" of fish.

Just thinking out loud.

M.T. Livewell

Maybe the trick is to run a lodge on a smaller lake that you can keep stocked. No doubt the Ministry would have to be involved but hey, we do it in Quebec with Specs and Bows.

Charge a little more but then the guests are guaranteed fish. And the Bows are getting to a nice size now too, when you do get them.