Salmon snaggers

[Big Daddy]

me and my buddies used to start going up to the maitland,bayfield and niner around mid september but just got sick of the morons and snaggers. Now we wait until late october and even into mid november to go. By then the cold weather has left most of the idiots home and thats when the big bows start moving in except you have to know what you are doing to catch them so the snaggers usually pack it in.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!! The gong show is almost over boys...

BD

[Huggybear]

This is an interesting point. So many (if not all) other fish species are protected during their spawning periods, so why not Salmon.
Obviously this would put a pretty big damper on it for guys like me that fish the rivers, but I think that you are right, the fish populations would likely increase significantly.

I'd support a rotating fish sanctuary on the Lake O eastern tribs. Maybe make every 2nd or 3rd creek a no fishing zone and then the next year rotate it to the next creek. Give the salmon a chance and see what happens when they're given the opportunity to spawn.

[bcorrea]

They don't f&^&* bite, anyway (at least my flies LOL) As I said here before, all Salmon that I caught on Lake O tribs were in shallow water using weighted flies (at least I caught them by the mouth). I've never seen a Pacific Lake O Salmon take a weightless fly and I think most of this Salmon are flossed in the rivers. I don't know if you guys share this feeling. I don't go for Salmon anymore, I go for browns and steelies.

[trout222]

i agree guys,after rigging all summer then casting cleo's at night aug. to sept. i don't bother with the rivers and creeks much, let them do their thing (spawning) in the past people that have been snagging have had their lines cut! they didnt like that too much! it did lead to confrontations, but you cant stop even a small percent of them their back the next night, then there is the legal snagging, lining the fish! any good floater or bottom bouncer can tell the differance between a hit and when the salmon hits the line, snaggers can ruin it for all! even now there are still a few spots where you can hit them on cleo.s at night and plugs during the day, there is absolutely no need for snagging.

[Fish Magnet]

I'd support a rotating fish sanctuary on the Lake O eastern tribs. Maybe make every 2nd or 3rd creek a no fishing zone and then the next year rotate it to the next creek. Give the salmon a chance and see what happens when they're given the opportunity to spawn.

Like that idea.They could even go a few years at a time on a rotating basis.MMW numbers would increase from this.Another thing is the government could put more money into stocking chinooks,browns,and bows.Stop wasting money on Atlantics.Thats my opinion.

[fishfearme]

No such thing as "legal snagging". Lining a fish is flossing which is ILLEGAL

I think we already had this debate on another thread. Although in my opinion highly unethical, flossing is technically not illegal. In no way am I condoning it, I'm just saying.

Stop wasting money on Atlantics.Thats my opinion.

I agree that the return on Atlantic Salmon is very poor, however I don't think the program is a total waste of money. Not all of the money is spent on simply stocking the fish. Much of it is spent on stream rehabilitation, ensuring that these rivers can support a self sestaining population of Atlantics. All fish species benefit from stream rehab. Would there be as much money put into the rivers if we didn't have the Atlantic Salmon program? I doubt it.

[Fish Magnet]

I think we already had this debate on another thread. Although in my opinion highly unethical, flossing is technically not illegal. In no way am I condoning it, I'm just saying.



I agree that the return on Atlantic Salmon is very poor, however I don't think the program is a total waste of money. Not all of the money is spent on simply stocking the fish. Much of it is spent on stream rehabilitation, ensuring that these rivers can support a self sestaining population of Atlantics. All fish species benefit from stream rehab. Would there be as much money put into the rivers if we didn't have the Atlantic Salmon program? I doubt it.

I would love to see the stocking on the Canadian side the same as American side for Chinooks,bows, and browns.Probably wont happen.Even double what they stock now would be nice.

[fishfearme]

I would love to see the stocking on the Canadian side the same as American side for Chinooks,bows, and browns.Probably wont happen.Even double what they stock now would be nice.

I don't think stocking fish is always the answer. If you're simply looking for a put and take fishery, then yes stocking more fish would be a great idea. I believe in sustaining a natural population of fish, and in order to do this we need to spend money on the rivers, creating a habitat that will hold these natural fish. Please don't take me the wrong way, but I don't think stocking is the only answer.

Georgian Bay has great runs of naturally reproducing fish, and I would rather catch one of these than ten clipped fish.

[Fish Magnet]

I don't think stocking fish is always the answer. If you're simply looking for a put and take fishery, then yes stocking more fish would be a great idea. I believe in sustaining a natural population of fish, and in order to do this we need to spend money on the rivers, creating a habitat that will hold these natural fish. Please don't take me the wrong way, but I don't think stocking is the only answer.

Georgian Bay has great runs of naturally reproducing fish, and I would rather catch one of these than ten clipped fish.

It would be nice to have higher populations period.Even if that takes more stocking. Then in the future there is a better chance of sustaining natural population.
Agreed that stocking is not the only answer but it sure would help.Another idea is make creeks like Bronte a fish sanctuary every other year.I bet that would create a significant increase in population if every other year the fish were able to spawn with no interference.

I have never fished up that way for steelhead.Would love to,I heard fish populations have decreased significantly up there??I guess that depends on who you ask.

[fishfearme]

I have never fished up that way for steelhead.Would love to,I heard fish populations have decreased significantly up there??I guess that depends on who you ask.

It truely is a great fishery, you really should check it out sometime. I can tell you that I've been fishing it since I could walk and have yet to see a decrease in fish significant enough for me to gripe about. LOL. Sure there are years where there seem to be less fish, but thats to be expected and happens in every stream; just a different year class.

The salmon population did take a big hit a while ago with the absence of alewives, but in my experience over the last couple of years the population seems to be on the rebound.