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A Day Trip to the Geen

Last Saturday, Sept. 6th, these two young lads did a day trip to the Saugeen for some centerpin fishing and with success. Chase Mooder (13) (L) and Jackson Dupre (14)(R) from the Elmira area spent the day fishing from the dam down to flat rock and yes, Chase caught and landed a female steelhead in the 4lb to 5lb mark. The boys were extremely happy with their catch. I had the opportunity to speak with the boys and we talk a lot about the Ontario Steelheaders and further explained to them on what the club does in the spring and fall to have a strong fishery for all to enjoy. Both were more than impressed.

Chase Mooder and Jackson Dupre Saugeen Trip
Chase Mooder (13) (L) and Jackson Dupre (14) (R)

Also the boys were informed about our fall 2014 derby and the junior category – well their eyes lit up and both said they would be on the river to fish for the trophy. Good luck to you Chase and Jackson. And a special thanks to Jackson’s dad for driving them up to the Saugeen. A pleasure to meet and talk to two young enthusiastic fishing lads. I encouraged them to join the club and become junior members to help strengthen the club and keep the Saugeen River world class fishery status for our future generations.

-David Allen

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Saugeen River Fishway Update

Denny’s Dam Fishway: Grant and the LHFC boys who manage the Denny’s Dam fishway have spent the summer cleaning out the fishway as it was jam-packed full of debris from the spring ice blowout. A contractor was called in to help with some of the stubborn pieces of debris. As of August 17th, the water in the Denny’s fishway and live fishcam are running again. The fall adult transfer is all set to go.

Walkerton Denil Fishway: Water is currently too low for assessing the Walkerton fishway. Jody from Owen Sound MNR will be updating the club on the status of Walkerton fishway at the annual fall derby in October.

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Creel Surveys Are Being Conducted by Bruce Power

Bruce Power Creel Surveys
Bruce Power Creel Surveys

Here is some important information released by Bruce Power. You can download the Bruce Power Lake Huron Creel Survey PDF File

What is a creel survey?

A creel survey consists of a series of questions returning anglers are asked about their fishing effort and catch as well as a measure, weigh and scale sample from their catch. Participation in this survey is optional.

What is the objective?

The objective is to collect data on the recreational fish community and feed this information into the follow up monitoring required by the Bruce Power Units 1 and 2 Refurbishment Environmental Assessment requirements.

When and where are the creel surveys being conducted?

Creel surveys are being conducted in the vicinity of Bruce Power in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), following a standard MNR protocol. Field staff operate from the two closest boat launches to Bruce Power at Baie du Doré and in Inverhuron Provincial Park. Creel surveys began in June and will continue until the end of October. The frequency is six days per week until Labour Day and then three days per week until the end of October. There are day and evening shifts, and the effort is equally distributed between the two locations.

Where does the information collected go and what happens with it?

This information is logged into a database and the dataset is evaluated to see what species of fish and habitat utilization are occurring in the local area over a period of time.

Questions

If you have any questions about the creel survey, please contact John Peevers at 519-361-2673 x6583, email john.peevers@brucepower.com or call the Duty Media Officer at 519 361-6161. Thank you in advance for your support of this Bruce Power project.

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Bruce Power Lake Huron Thermal Monitoring

Lake Huron Bruce Power Thermal Monitoring
Lake Huron Bruce Power Thermal Monitoring

For all of you fisherman out on Lake Huron, here is some important information released from Bruce Power. You can download the following PDF files for more information:

Bruce Power Lake Huron Thermal Monitoring Press Release

Thermal Monitoring Equipment Details – Underwater Diagram and GPS Coordinates.

What and where?

Thermal monitoring is being conducted in the vicinity of Bruce Power via a series of temperature stations.

How many?

There are 33 stations marked with flags (Marker Buoys) and white bumper floats (Data Buoys) at specific locations at various depths.

Two stations are currently being used to monitor water current speeds and direction. The monitors sit on the bottom of the lake and have a mechanical pop-up buoy that must be triggered manually when necessary.

The temperature stations are numbered 1 through 33 and the current monitoring stations are labeled X and Y.

Why?

Temperature monitoring stations are deployed in Lake Huron in the local vicinity of Bruce Power to monitor the extent and duration of the thermal plume.

Monitoring of the thermal plume allows us to verify our predictions of “no significant adverse environmental impacts.”

Questions?

If you have any questions about the monitoring or to report any misplaced or damaged equipment, please contact John Peevers at 519-361-2673 x6583, email john.peevers@brucepower.com or call the Duty Media Officer at 519 361-6161.

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Saugeen Steelhead Trout Disease Test Negative

Every spring, during egg collection, the LHFC and Ontario Steelheaders collect about twenty (20) adult trout and send the sample fish to University of Guelph for testing. During this period, the laboratory tests for a variety of fish related diseases know to rainbow trout and steelhead. At this time, results have been received for the steelhead trout collected in spring of 2014 and we are happy to report “NO DISEASES PRESENTED” in our sample fish!

Great news!

Our Ministry liaison person is:

Matthew Brailey Operations Coordinator Chatsworth Fish Culture Station

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Going Fishing – The Story of John Vandivier

Recently, the John Vandivier exhibit was added at the Guelph Museum.

Guelph’s John Vandivier (1948-2009) was one of the top anglers in North America, winning numerous fishing tournaments for a variety of fresh water species. John worked with many well-known anglers including Bob Izumi. John and Bob entered and won many competitions and appeared in over 50 shows together.

While his prowess on the water will be remembered by his peers, John’s greatest contributions to the sport are the tools and techniques he pioneered in the pursuit of excellence. A primary example was in the use of the long rods coupled with the centre pin reels, which John introduced to rainbow trout fishery in Ontario.

Guelph Museum John Vandivier Exhibit

Guelph Museum John Vandivier Exhibit 20140718_134300 Guelph Museum John Vandivier Exhibit
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Largemouth Bass Poacher Ends Up In Ontario Jail

In July of 2013 Conservation Officers and OPP conducted a joint investigation into a complaint of a male keeping an overlimit of bass. The investigation revealed an overlimit of largemouth bass from Wesport Pond Fish Sanctuary.

It was determined that the male had an aerated tank in the trunk of his car which included an overlimit of bass. It was further determined that the male was currently serving probation from previous convictions in the past from enforcement efforts with Conservation Officers from the MNR.

The male was fined $1000 per bass over his limit which was a total of $3000 in fines and 30 days in jail for breaching his conditions of his probation order on April 16th, 2014 in Perth, Ontario.

He was convicted in trial for unlawfully transporting live fish, possessing an overlimit of largemouthbass and had his fishing license suspended for life.

OCOA reminds anglers that transporting live fish over land requires an authorisation from the crown.

Limits for catch and possession are created through regulations for sportfish of Ontario to ensure a sustainable resource and conservation of the species.

If you make observations of an offense please call the MNR TIPS LINE at 1-877-TIPS-MNR or Crimestoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.

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Lake Sturgeon Poachers Caught

Illegal Caviar from Ontario Lake Sturgeon and meat lead 2 men from Richmond Hill to $20,750 in fines and probation orders.

Three men were stopped coming out of the Mississagi River in the town of Blind River, Ontario claiming they had salmon in their vehicle when stopped by Conservation Officers.

Upon inspection the Conservation Officers located 27 pounds of Lake Sturgeon Eggs and 4 pounds of meat.

The Lake Sturgeon is listed as a Threatened Species under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act.

OCOA reminds the public that it is illegal to possess flora and fauna listed as Threatened under this legislation.

OCOA thanks our Conservation Officers for intercepting these individuals in an attempt to prevent crimes involving native fish in Ontario.