Spoke with a local bait dealer last week about this and he says his future is very very grim. He believes that some changes are coming in 2014 regulations. What do you all think?
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Spoke with a local bait dealer last week about this and he says his future is very very grim. He believes that some changes are coming in 2014 regulations. What do you all think?
Very soon I believe and another nail in the coffin for the mom and pop baitshops .
TD
Yep and any convenient store can sell worms
Anyone know what the changes might be?
Minnows were hard to come by late in the fall. I can see them banning them because of VHS. Not sure what will happen with outfitters on Nippising and Simcoe if that is the case. Most occasional anglers need the live bait.
for the most part without bait you won,t be catching many perch. Most guys rely on minnows for pan fish.
Not sure about bait restrictions but i heard from a friend that there could be some walleye slot changes, but its all hear sayQuote:
Originally Posted by Frank81
Its definitely in the very near future. Being in the business its pretty worrisome. We sell a lot of gear and tackle but our livelihood is based on the fact we have licences to harvest bait fish. Its the consistent seller as well as the best profit in terms of percentages. I think more strict regulations will be put into play within the next couple years but I would be surprised if there isn't a live bait ban within 3-5 years...
I know this happens in the states lots already, but I believe that bait dealers are able to purchase certified non-vhs minnows in Ontario now. I'm sure that will cut into the margins though. That's the only solution I can see before an outright ban has to happen.
Oh well, we still have our minnow traps...
Cheers
I was right in my thinking. After talking to our local wholesaler he confirmed being able to purchase Simcoe emeralds that have been certified by Guelph. He did say that a lot of trappers are now getting out of the business because of all the hassles involved now, like having to have separate ponds for the certified fish. I also got the impression that he thinks the whole vhs thing has been blown out of proportion somewhat, but that's just his opinion. So hopefully it won't be all doom and gloom like some seem to think.
Cheers
Would this have an impact on the trapping of your own minnows locally? and using them locally?
I dont think they could people will use minnows anyways they couldnt enforce it
A number of bait shops in my area have gone out of business in the last few years because of the changes. Otonabee baits, Lakefield Bait shop, Burley Baits, Val's..just to name a few. Marion's in Havelock is still running, but the owners will close if the minnows get taken away. Someday, being in possession of live bait will be illegal for all.
I didn’t notice any new material printed in the 2014 regulations about live bait. But I would keep in touch with your local bait shop. I’m sure they will be the first to know, hopefully good news!
Henry Nguyen
bait shops could not survive on selling minnow alone in the 1st place... it's very small profit margin.
very interesting. I've been fishing lake Kipawa in Quebec for a number of years now. Minnows have been banned for quite some time. We are restricted to worm and leeches. With no panfish in the lake (except percch) It doesn't seem to be much of an issue. Even trapping your own fish from the lake is illegal (which I consider rather draconian). I am still catching my fair share of walleye and pike. However I have mixed feelings about the situation. I'm not ssure abbout this situation. The nanny state we seem to have developed here is becoming a little too invasive.
most if not all provinces have a ban on live minnows....quebec for sure and the fishing is awesome there...not sure if worms would still be allowed
Likely will - it has in QC. They won't let you do this because it creates a black market for minnows. Once you get to the lake, you just say you caught them there. MNR knows all fishermen are liars...even about their bait.Quote:
Originally Posted by TurkeyRookie
In QC minnows even locally trpped are illegel. worms and leeches are fine. I get lots of walleye trolling worm harnesses or jigging with worms or leeches. personally I never liked using live minnowa anyway. They're too much work to keep alive and maintain.
In Algonquin, where there's already a ban to help prevent invasives movement, a couple Rock Bass showed up in Opeongo this year around the access point (I happened to catch the 1st). While a live minnow ban may happen in the future (and I personally wouldn't mind it), there will always be people who will use them, and there will always be people who will dump their buckets after they're done.
It's been too many years since I visited Kipawa, but we always brought up salted minnows to use for the Lakers and jigging for Pickerel. I assume dead minnows are still allowed. You could use them down your end for pickerel to try something different. There's not much for Lakers in your area anyway. The one time I stayed at Red Pine Chute area we traveled all the way to Hunters Lake to get into some Greys.Quote:
Originally Posted by puckster_guy
Cheers
How can you put a hook in a worm, let alone a live minnow?
It's just a matter of time until live bait will be banned. We can call ourselves lucky if we keep crawlers and leeches. I'm sure the industry will be happy to ban all natural bait (live or dead) to sell their intentionally hormone polluted rubber. God (not intended to be a religious statement of any kind) only knows what problems this stuff will cause in the long run.
There may be a different bait restriction coming soon from what I was told. I talked to the area wholesaler this evening just to chat and didn't get to bring up the subject, as I was inquiring about his winter supply. He has always been an Emerald shiner guy. We got chatting industry prices and from what he says there could/will be a shortage of baitfish available in about two weeks.The supply from last falls harvest is dwindling. That means the price per gallon is going way up for the baitshops and the end users. If you have a home setup for keeping minnows you may want to stock up soon.
I hope that's not what happens, but he brought it up on his own. I believe this all relates to Simcoe stock, not river minnows or goldens from local lakes, so the effect may be different around the province.
Besides that, with certified disease free fish, there is no valid reason to shut down an industry. Some of them will be compensated by the gov for loss of livelyhood, but that doesn't help things at all.
I've caught plenty of fish on salted minnows, mostly emeralds. They work as well as live at times. Fish tend to like salt.
Cheers
hey smitty I'm having too much fun landing some nice eyes and pike, learning my end of the lake. I like smoked whitefish, haven't tried for them yet either. Gotta try the salted bait nice change from worms, probably work well thru the ice. :) come back this summer.Quote:
Originally Posted by smitty55
i had a good conversation with a local bait supplier yesterday. Hes stirred up the local newspaper basically bashing the mnr and the rules that they are implementing on him as a supplier. he spent over $18,000 on his ponds ensuring that they are vhs free and controlled. he pulls his shiners from lake simcoe and has them tested every year. the virus apparently lays dorment under 40degrees farenheit and the winter is the busiest time for minnows.. Apparently a lot of spread came from the mnr lifting fish over dennys damn and bringing them 18miles inland for release. there was also a small suggestion that because there are "zones" in which live bait can be used and transported. Fisherman may have to purchase an additional license to be able to transport live bait. i suppose this will educate anglers on which zones they have to buy minnows from to be able to use them in the areas they are fishing.
cujo_fan you are being feed a load of crap.
Currently there are no restrictions on angler transported live minnows.
Some restriction where live minnows can be used but not on where it came from in Ontario.
Only restrictions on moving live minnows is on minnows moved for commercial purposes.
Salted minnows are still allowed yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by smitty55
I have a cottage in Angliers QC. We've been using worms, and leeches with great success for walleye.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluebulldog
x2 we crush em all day in that part of the province bouncing minnows on bottom with frozen shiners on a jig head. Upgrade that to a minnow-tipped maribou jig and you'll spend more time ho0lding a net than a fishing rod.
And no live minnows or minnow traps in Algonquin Park! No organic bait in the section of the GRand River next to my house! They're working on a bait ban in tiny steps!
I wonder if Gulp, Berkely etc. have a hand in getting minnows banned. They're sales will certainly go up without minnows for sale.
Dan O.