Why are perch numbers down on Simcoe?

[Fenelon]

You'd have to view recent data for fish consumption guides. I'd be surprised if contaminants weren't elevated over previous levels as it's a double-whammy biomagnification step added to the food chain eg. zebras filter everything and gobies have a zebra rich diet. Some of those big jumbos are 10-15 yrs old, so cummulative intake over years might add up.

[Frenchie]

I didn't get to Lake Simcoe this winter to ice fish but have been a regular on the ice for the past 25 years and have not noticed a decline in quality or quantity of perch. That lake never disappoints me. I fished Cook's Bay out of my boat last November 5th and had the best day ever in size and numbers. My two friends who fished with me that day agreed. I can't wait till I can get the boat back in the water and try my luck there again, hopefully by mid April.

[Gilroy]

Maybe these guys are fishing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IkelblcLKA LOL its a slow Sunday I had to post something.

[Sharon]

They need to initiate better limits and
implement a slot size to protect prime spawners from excessive harvest.

[Fisherman]

They need to initiate better limits and
implement a slot size to protect prime spawners from excessive harvest.

Tell me how people know what prime spawners are. Those large fish have already spawned a number of times and the smaller ones you want us to keep already have the "large fish" genes. Let them grow to spawn instead. 13-14 inch perch are at the end of their life cycle.

[Sharon]

Very good point. That's why you are called a fisherman and I'm not. I remember living in Port Stanley during the 1950s. Perch were abundant. Now you pay a fortune to buy 3 perch at the market there. What went wrong?

[fishfood]

Plus a slot size has the potential to kill them in the deeper water when their airbladder blows. When I fish deep I always have a 3 inch bait or bigger down to keep the little ones off.

Lower limits would be alright for the locals could jeopardize the out of towners . Maybe a pail of 50 for the weekend could be alright. I cleaned up 7 perch last ice got 1.4 pounds of clean meat off them.



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[Fisherman]

Very good point. That's why you are called a fisherman and I'm not. I remember living in Port Stanley during the 1950s. Perch were abundant. Now you pay a fortune to buy 3 perch at the market there. What went wrong?

I don't think there's really anything wrong, I tend to believe that fish adapt to their surroundings and move to where there's more food, oxygen, etc. Years ago it would be unheard of to catch a perch in 80-90 feet of water, even a couple sm bass were caught in that depth. It seems to be more common now. Zebra mussels, and who knows what else is causing the change.