New bait rules

[impact]

A reminder of the new rules in regards to minnow bait and leeches coming into effect this coming weekend.

New rules coming into effect on January 1, 2022:

• establishing four Bait Management Zones (BMZs) to limit the movement of baitfish and leeches in Ontario
• restricting the transportation of baitfish or leeches, whether live or dead, into or out of a BMZ with some limited exceptions
• anglers fishing outside their home BMZ must purchase baitfish and leeches locally, retain a receipt and use or dispose of their bait within two weeks from when they were purchased
• harvesting of baitfish and leeches by anglers may only occur in their home BMZ

Recreational anglers

Effective January 1, 2022, anglers fishing outside of their home BMZ are required to:

• purchase baitfish and leeches from a commercial licence holder (such as a bait shop) in the BMZ where they are fishing
• use or dispose of baitfish or leeches (dead or alive) within two weeks of purchasing them and retain a legible receipt that includes:
  
  • date of purchase
  • business name (if applicable)
  • commercial licence number
  • location of purchase
  • quantity of bait purchased

https://www.ontario.ca/page/sustaina...gement-ontario

[DanO]

I understand the concern by the MNR but I own a cottage in a different WMU and I trap my own minnows. Now I need to buy the minnows or more likely do without them. I'm wondering why if you own property in the area that wouldn't be acceptable since you likely trap your own minnows at your secondary property.

I hear Berkley and other scented bait makers cheering. I think they've been lobbying the MNR for years as they did in Quebec. You should see what happened to the price of dew worms once minnows were banned.

Local bait shops will up their sales as well. We don't even have a local bait shop in the area.

[GloHole]

Boy that map is a little vague.

[Woodsman]

I
I hear Berkley and other scented bait makers cheering. I think they've been lobbying the MNR for years as they did in Quebec. You should see what happened to the price of dew worms once minnows were banned.
Local bait shops will up their sales as well. We don't even have a local bait shop in the area.

I'm sure the Ontario bait industry had their fingers into the decision far more than companies like Berkley.

[WhiteTailTime]

It uses fisheries management zones, it looks pretty straight forward I think

[greatwhite]

OK am I misunderstanding this? I cannot use my minnow trap to catch bait fish on the lake I am camping beside and must buy from someone in the zone?

[trimmer21]

Does that mean I can't dig my own dew worms out of my garden and take them with me into a different zone?

[Bushmoose]

OK am I misunderstanding this? I cannot use my minnow trap to catch bait fish on the lake I am camping beside and must buy from someone in the zone?

If you are fishing outside of your home BMZ, it looks like you have to buy your bait?

[Fenelon]

GW - you're ok to keep doing this if your camping lake is in the same bmz as your primary residence. You are only allow to trap your own bait in the bmz of your primary residence. If it's not, then you have to buy your bait from a dealer in the bmz where the lake is located. Worms do not apply to these new regs.

[Fenelon]

Best part is you're not going to be getting generous "scoops" of minnows when you buy now, as the actual count has to be indicated on the bill of sale by the vendor. I bet you'll get exactly 12 minnows when you ask for a dozen and the sky will be the limit for the cost. You cant legally keep them after two weeks past the bill date on the invoice, so you won't be able to freeze any to use later as dead minnow bait. As far as bending the rules, I can see a lot of fishermen trapping bait at home, buying a dozen from the bmz where you fish (so you have a receipt to show the CO), then supplement the minnow count with home trapped bait. I'm sure the cos will pick up on this pretty quick if you try to play the bs game for the two week life of the bait invoice eg. Your receipt from 13 days ago says you bought 2 dozen minnows and you still have 2 dozen in your pail when you're checked. I guess it will be up to them to proove that it's not the original bait you bought. I think i'll be walleye fishing with a worm tipped Vibratto this winter. Will be time to revert back to being a kid 50 years ago and start catching my own "doozers" at night (in my tighty whities) in the summer and keeping a dedicated raised box worm stash. I bet you worms will be $7.50/dozen by nest spring. It really sucks that all the lakes I fish are not in my bmz!