Brook trout in arrow??(size, west or east?)

[Guest vida26]

thanks but im sure i haven't broken the law in any way because i have talked with my friend who works as a biologist for the MNR and HE KNOWS I KEPT IT...he obviously know the regulations/etc

[Lyle Reiner 174]

Simple question vida, where did you catch it? Little or big arrow

[McGinnis_Fishing 49]

I think many would agree when i say this, even if the fish was released whats the chance of it living? Everyone talks about how sensitive brook trout are so why let the fish die and go to waste? Whether it was a legal catch or not i couldnt tell you. I hope it was legal and nothing comes of it. However it would be great to see a pic of the fish!!

[Some Old Guy 968]

Hi Young Gun,

If it is out of season, you still have to let it go.

Roger

[Some Old Guy 968]

***probably 99 percent of the people who fish are fishing only occasionally. The other 1 percent seem to fish 150-200 days a year. If the 99 percent catch a nice fish occasionally and it is legal and in season I encourage them to keep it,eat it,and brag about it you chose because you know you are not harming the fishery in any way.

I have no problem with this either. If it's legal so be it.

I personally fish out of a canoe- I might fish 30 times a year if I am lucky. when I camp overnight I make sure the sight is clean when I leave. I don't spew carbon into the air because I am paddling. I might keep 20 fish I catch each year. I just like to be out in the wilderness.

I also like to keep areas clean. Not just when camping either. I have walked out of many places with other people's garbage. As for spewing carbon, Yeah I might spew a little from my boat. But just a heads up that the motors nowadays have way more emission controls than a car or truck has and especially better than older outboards. I think that we spew out pretty much the same carbon total getting our canoe/boat to the lake/river though! I don't think I keep that many fish during the soft water season!!!

I find it hard to stomach advise from the 1 percent of people who probably catch and eat 10-20 percent of the fish, lecturing people to release fish. I am also am not a fan of people who seem to make a living off recreational fishing by promoting products that make it easier to catch fish, such as electronic devices. So stop with the holier than though attitude. you 1 percent are the reason the rest of us feel like criminals when we are fishing. The rules are because of YOU not us-do you get it!!

Nah I don't eat that many. Maybe 5-7 walleye during the soft water season. As for the Holier than thou? I don't make my living off of fishing. I make it supporting adults with disabilities. I do enjoy using electronics though. Why do you feel like a criminal? I don't. As for the rules. Ummm They are there for ALL of us!!!! If you think that rules are made because of people who catch a lot of fish? No. They are made because the resource must be sustainable. You can catch a lot of fish but I personally release them. So limit rules are for people who keep them.

Have fun out there!

Roger

[Gone8to1248 158]

(I think many would agree when i say this, even if the fish was released whats the chance of it living?) I'm sure that was taken into consideration when the rules are made so that the angler doesn't have to make that kind of decision. Some feel that once a fish has been hooked it will die and others feel that with a quick good release it will survive to fight another day. With out slot limit sizing and closed seasons and the rule to release fish that don't fit into those class would mean each angler could say well the fish was hooked and will die anyway so I'll keep it there wouldn't be any good in having rules. People would be keeping fish that were either to small or to large and even during a protected season.

[Guest Wes]

There are a couple anglers catching and tagging Brook Trout in the Nipigon that would tell you that the myth of Brook Trout being sensitive and will most likely die after being hooked, is complete and utter BS. One of these anglers has mentioned a few occasion of catching a fish multiple times a season and in multiple years.

I for one have first hand experience with catching tagged Brook Trout. I also catch/clip/sample Steelhead and catch them again in following years. Last year a few of us caught fish we clipped in 2008. They managed to survive, even through the drought spring of 2010.

I've caught the same fish 3 times in one day. Back to back drifts, then again an hour later. Randy then caught him again down river near the end of the day. I caught him again the next morning back in the pool from the day before.

But yeah, catch and release doesn't work. It's just something we say to make ourselves feel better.

vida26, just because your friend is a BIO, doesn't mean he/she didn't realize the fish may have been out of season. Law enforcement is not his/her department. Answer Lyle's question so we can put this to rest. If the fish was not caught in a lake in the stock list of open season lakes or exceptions, then it is illegal. There is no grey area here.

[Guest redcanoe]

I guess its just a tempest in a teapot. I just think when someone catches a nice fish and makes an honest mistake that he shouldn't have to endure being lectured about the rules especially when the individual doing the lecturing didn't appear to know when spec season opened himself. who knew there was another stocked spec lake called west arrow lake.? sometimes the tone of some of the regular posters makes it sound like they know all and the rest of us are not quite up to snuff. anyways it is a good site for outdoorsmen and believe it or not I understand all the hard work you have put into it. this has been an excellent discussion and very informative. A little rancor now and then is good for your site. just look at all the hits on this discussion.!!

[Some Old Guy 968]

Yeah you got me on a brain fart. I did type may but I knew it was april. Didn't re-read my post.

Rancor or not, I find it interesting how many people don't know the rules and regulations. Or just refuse to follow them.

Roger

[Gone8to1248 158]

I guess i don't see anybody doing any lecturing at anyone on here, but more or less giving there opinion of what they are reading in the rules and regulations. Sometimes rules get written in such a way that it gets to be confusing for the fisherman to really understand , especially when you have multiple lakes with the same name in a close area that aren't really defined.

As Roger has stated and warned in the past, what is posted on here (on the internet) is here that anyone can read! You say you caught a questionable fish that may be out of season and you kept it. A CO reads it and see's that in fact it was an illegal catch, he could follow up on it and charges could be laid. Your own words on here could get you convicted!

It is a good site and is only going to get better with the help and cooperation of it's members with EVERY-ONES input.

[Some Old Guy 968]

Oh and if I didn't know and I was going to target them, I would make a point of knowing for sure when the season was open.

As for the lecturing part, people not following the rules wrecks it for us all.

Roger

[Guest redcanoe]

some people who only fish occasionally do not follow the rules. others who fish a lot don't follow the rules. The broken rule that bothers me a lot more than someone mistakenly keeping a fish that is out of season is people who litter while fishing or camping. this is totally wrong. there is way too much of this going on. MY other pet peeve is people camping at boat launch sites. Don't know if it is illegal but I don't like it Oh sh@t I think im starting to lecture, forgive me.

[Guest vida26]

no law has been broken

[Some Old Guy 968]

Right on. If you caught it in West Arrow Lake, the very small stocked lake just west of Arrow Lake.

The way you posted these posts:

Title of it was,

Brook trout in arrow??(size, west or east?)

I know the mnr stocked the west arrow narrows with brookies a while back but are they just in that area? or have they been caught throughout the whole lake??! has any been caught there recently ? and is there any good sized?

2nd post:

ok thanks. i've been asking around and heard they're all over the lake and are big too. and I was out there last week on the east side and caught a 5 lb spec. Just wanted to find out if they are there, or if mine was just fish a fluke.

These two posts you made, I had interpreted Arrow Lake which has a west and an east end and are considered just one lake. When you mentioned narrows, I assumed the big lake called Arrow Lake.

West Arrow Lake (the small stocked lake) is a very small pond and didn't sound at all like it, the way you were posting.

Oh.... I do not think there are whitefish and pike in west arrow lake. (the small stocked lake)

Roger

[Some Old Guy 968]

Oh! I just noticed something,

ok thanks. i've been asking around and heard they're all over the lake and are big too. and I was out there last week on the east side and caught a 5 lb spec. Just wanted to find out if they are there, or if mine was just fish a fluke.

East side?

Roger

[Some Old Guy 968]

Sorry I don't mean to hassle ya, but you are really confusing me as to where you caught it? Why would you ask if the specks were all over the lake and if they are a fluke if you catch them? The West Arrow lake you mention in the regs is NOT the west side of Arrow Lake. It's the small lake just west of "west arrow"

Roger

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

The fish sounds like it was caught in the big lake, sounds like a mistake was made, unfortunately an illegal one.

[SherpaJ 45]

I don't mean to be a back-seat driver, but this thread (or at least certain posts) should be deleted. I think it's very clear what has happened and its not really fair to be scrutinizing someone publicly. There's a lot of comments I would add to this topic and it's digressions are great discussion, but I feel one particular aspect should be dropped IMO. Just one fisherman looking out for another.

[Guest redcanoe]

great post Sherpa I totally agree. It says west arrow is open all year long in the regs. When you are driving down the road it says West Arrow lake road to your left. Any normal sane individual would assume this big lake is what they are reffering to in the regs. If he caught the fish in East Arrow lake he would assume it is one big lake encompassing east and west arrow. This is were the problem lies. I mean who new there is another lake called west arrow lake?? That being said I understand your general concern about people not following the rules. I don't think it applies in this case. By the way this is a great internet site and I think you are doing a heckava job running it!! Why the heck is nobody entering your ice out contest?? Cmon guys open up your wallets and support a great idea!! excuse me for spelling "knew " wrong.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

Your right, lots of people would assume that. Unfortunately that would not make it legal. It is illegal, sure more people will be more forgiving regarding this situation, but it doesn't change the fact that a law was broken, regardless of interpretation, assumption, or any other reason that would cause an angler to unknowingly keep an out of season fish. Illegal? Yes, but your right this is an odd situation with the lake names, and I am sure most people are taking that into consideration, and most people won't hold this against him, but that still doesn't mean it was legal.

[Guest redcanoe]

absolutely true. however in this situation I think it is understandable. I will say again, this is a great sight and roger is doing a commendable job running it. Keep up the freakin good work!! and I think I speak for everyone here,I mean that sincerely!!

[Guest vida26]

wow!! I had assumed that 'WEST ARROW LAKE' is the west side of arrow lake. that's the confusing part because I never knew a pond was called west arrow lake until I read your posts!...

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

And yes you are right, Roger does a great job and deserves a lot of thanks for the effort time and money it takes to keep this site going.

[Guest vida26]

well than...can someone please explain to me where 'west arrow lake'??

[pastor norm 125]

:PI believe it's west of west arrow

seriously... its a small lake west of Arrow Lake. Check out the coordinates in the Ministry's stocking list. The roads that access Arrow Lake go to service the east and west ends of Arrow Lake, and I think that's where the confusion lies. There is only one Arrow Lake that happens to be bisected by a shallow narrows.