Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada New Ontario Fishing Regulations?

I have heard the new regulations will limit a non-resident to only two walleyes a day?
I tried looking it up last night, and did not see anything like that. Anyone know?

In zone 5 (which I believe you are, Wabigoon/Dryden area?) the limit for non residents is indeed two walleye or sauger per day. I don't know if this is a change or not just looked up Fishing summary Ontario 2018. Fishing regs in North Western Ontario are a mess and have little approval rating even by residents like me.

regards, Darryl

Thank you Darryl, I have to wonder what the ministry is thinking? That will not help the tourist industry any.

Where I am (border waters just over the border from Minnesota) the regulations for non-residents have been 2 walleyes per day for the past several years. If you have a Sportsman's license, you can have 2 walleyes per day (2 in the boat) and 4 in possession (2 in the boat and 2 back at camp in the freezer). If you buy the less costly Conservation license, then your boat limit and possession limit are the same, 2 walleyes. If you're a Canadian resident, your limit is 4 walleyes, which I have no problem with because it's well known that a Yank can out fish a Canuck 2 to 1.

With high prices of bait, fuel, licences plus all the taxes and short limits I wonder why any US fishermen come up here at all. It is nothing but pure gouging and will eventually be milked dry when no one comes anymore. Then in typical Canadian fashion the government will ban fishing because "no one does it anymore".

Darryl

My main beef, is treating non-residents, different than residents. They stopped non-residents from trapping bait years ago.

Not be racist, it is a known fact that the First Nations people can do as they please. I'll stand corrected if I'm wrong on that.

There were abuses in the late '60 and into the '70s of US fishermen coming to Canada and camping on crown land for weeks at a time. Customs officials noted that huge volumes of live bait, alcohol and gasoline were being brought with to Canada then camp for no charge on crown land. Well you know how that goes when the gas retailers, government and outfitters were not getting a cut of the action. Limited or no import of bait, limited import of motor fuels and no crown land camping by non residents. It is the old story where nothing good lasts forever. We (I mean people regardless of country origin) always screw ourselves in the end. As for 1st nations I have nothing to say. It is common to be labeled a racist here if you speak your mind about those issues. In my opinion you fellows from the US are always welcome in my neck of the woods.

regards, Darryl

The tourist business in Ontario is an auto-worker from Flint, Michigan going to the O’Keefe Centre in Toronto to listen to Gordon Lightfoot sing a song—it has nothing to do with gouging non-residents over fishing.

Last time I was in Toronta a rather high ranking politician told me to my face that ‘you peckerwoods up there in the bush need to get with the program”.

But the gouging is on going. I see your point that Ontario is wanting and promoting more city based tourism than outdoors based tourism.
Darryl

I realize that a non-resident of Ontario includes the other provinces, and territories of Canada.

Karl, and I have a great deal of respect for you, and what you say. If it's not tourism, what is the money spent by non Ontario folks in Ontario?

I have also read most of the same complaint's about out of state fishers in South Dakota.

The only thing I can remotely see that makes any sense at all from the stand point of the Ontario MNR, is to promote catch, and release fishing?
But then, should not the regulations be across the board?

Please forgive my rant.

I live on Saginaw Bay...they just upped the limit on walleye to eight, and dropped the size by two inches. Only reason I could see to travel would be the scenery.

Traveled to the Bruce Peninsula a couple of years back...they added gravel roads to where once you had to hike, had to pay everywhere you parked, and advertised heavily in Toronto so the whole peninsula was full of towelheads bathing and drinking the water they were dumping loved one's ashes in. I'll never go back.

Richard —pulp and paper are sold in US dollars per ton—always has been. Stumpage is a form of tax collected by provincial government. That paper mill in Dryden makes more money than all the fishing resorts put together. It’s a numbers game and fishing and hunting don’t amount to much compared to industrial taxes.
There are 10 million people in this province but only about 200,000 Fron Sault Ste Marie to the Manitoba border and 100 000 of them live in one city.
I’ll bet the boys in Des Moines don’t care too much about what happens in Spirit Lake either

Of course, you are correct Karl, as the say, follow the money. Des Moines can wait for another time.
Take care, and I thank you for the kind thoughts.

Still, I like catching pickerel.

Used to be nice to park at Niagra Glen and head down the stairs for a walk or steelhead fishing. Now, there are kiosks where the formerly free parking was that take credit cards. One pays by the hour. There are no steelhead fishermen there anymore.

Walleye is the main sport fish just about wherever it occurs. I have fished Saginaw bay out of Piconning and I’ve fished Mille Lacs in Minnesota—incredible fisheries both in production and fishing pressure.
Fishing pressure on my local lakes is less than half of what it was 30 years ago—overall population of people has declined that much also. Walleye fishing really is way better now also but my belief is that is because of a decline in the commercial fishery and not sports regulations.
I fish in my front yard and just had tip-up pop so I gotta go

This next couple of years Lake Erie will be the place to Walleye fish, a non resident fishing licence is 40 bucks for the year or 11 bucks a day, for up to three days, 6 fish per day and plenty of cold beer to make it enjoyable.

Yes Richard,

Both Daryl & Walt are correct !!

Sadly

I guess I'll have to learn how to catch crappies.

There is that !! Make sue you check the daily limit. I can't work it out - Zone 5 says 10 each, but within Wabigoon 15 ?????

& all those smelly, slimy Northerns ! You can have my share.

I think there is a slot size on the 'goon northerns now too !

Definitely is on the walleye !

Hi Richard, Karl

The daily and possession limits were the same for us last year as well. Catch and release is the name of the game on a conservation license. I fished in Ontario for ten days, and got to bring home two walleye, two pike, and one lake trout. Not many fillets to show for the trip,but some new friends, and lots of great memories and pictures. I hope to get back up there this summer.

Karl is right about the money too. As important as the fishing is to us, it doesn't seem to register with the authorities. There are a lot of good people working hard in the hunting, fishing and business of running a lodge in some remote areas. They may be getting by, but they are not getting rich. They can't get the attention of the political types in Washington, or Toronto for that matter without the massive contributions of the super wealthy and industry. Politicians in American are on the take and cashing in like never before. It appears the Canadian politics aren't far behind. It makes you mad enough to just want to get away from the Radio, or TV and go fishing!

I hope to get back up there again this summer.