2023 Salmon Derby

[Fishbone 2]

So how did that salmon derby turn out?  I can't seem to find much information out about it.

Thanks!

[joks 26]

https://www.facebook.com/thunderbaysalmonassociation/posts/pfbid0CCL5UXiHHo8KcKF7u9575CtM1FSmQ3UERyLwXFrEnUYKkP9t5z2BbcP9zCPAQgn3l

 

[Fishbone 2]

Thanks!

[PkdR 11]

There was 220 tickets sold, 118 fish entered and 3 clipped fish entered. Numbers down definitely but some nice fish being brought in for the derby. 

[rceme74 20]

MNR not doing their part in restocking. Its great that we have volunteers to help with the restocking of the Salmon, but MNR is getting away not putting fish in Lake Superior and Nipigon River. Look at Lake Ontario, the salmon population has exploded around the entire lake. We are getting the short end of it again.

 

[HookedUp 5]

On the topic of conservation, what are the limits for coho salmon and king salmon in Zone 9? I find reading the regulations confusing. Can’t find the individual species limits for either. I can’t imagine it would be an aggregate total of 5? That seems high to me. I apologize if this was a dumb question. 

[Fishog 215]

Not an expert but from the way I read the regs as long as its not all Atlantic Salmon the limit is a total of 5.

[Zackcorbin1401 542]

Just now, Fishog said:

Not an expert but from the way I read the regs as long as its not all Atlantic Salmon the limit is a total of 5.

Correct. All trout and salmon combined but no more then any individual limit.

[AB 98]

The salmon stocking isn't the reason why the fishing is so poor.  

 

Look at Black Bay's Steelhead population - it is a shadow of what it used to be. Why - Simple! Walleye have taken over as the dominant predator. In Nipigon Bay walleyes are spreading east out of the Nipigon River. The Black Sturgeon and Wolf rivers used to get fairly big runs of both Steelhead and Chinooks - now there are very few fish left.  The Nipigon River Chinooks are a naturally sustaining population which started as strays from in salmon planting in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. - They liked the Nipigon (and Michipicoten) river better.

 

The ONMNRF never stocked a Chinook into Lake Superior in this neck of the woods. It was the Thunder Bay Salmon club's efforts. 

 

The problem is we have had terrible fall water levels, leading to poor spawning conditions for the salmon. Then add predation in the river and lake from walleyes and there are much fewer salmon for us to catch. The steelhead are the canary's in the coal mine. Their decline is a warning that all cold water species are facing challenges. 

 

We have amazing cold water nursery water available up here. We need better water levels and more opportunities to harvest walleyes out of Superior. 

 

AB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Snag??? 173]

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[KKDtyee 2]

3 of 118 is 2.5% Hatchery fish......which hardly isn't really worth the effort of stocking/maintaining a hatchery!!!   Especially when hatchery stock is taken from a naturally selected self sustaining (one of few) populations from the same lake!!!