lac

[fishman1 164]

went out to lac on friday. we fished coffin. very slow all day, AGAIN. maybe the 300+ shacks are taking there toll. i see the fishing getting worse year by year.

[speckmaster 114]

Definitely not a fan of all those shacks and the fact that they're really not regulated, but I think it's just a slow year. Fishing should pick up.

went out to lac on friday. we fished coffin. very slow all day, AGAIN. maybe the 300+ shacks are taking there toll. i see the fishing getting worse year by year.

[Some Old Guy 968]

Maybe all the noise from 300+ people clumping around, generators running, trucks quads and sleds, and never mind the pee. If someone was constantly farting around you, would you not leave the area?

Get out of the crowds and the fishing is just fine.

Roger

[Guest Ottis]

If someone was constantly farting around you, would you not leave the area?

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

Get out of the crowds and the fishing is just fine.

What him said

[Guest Jighead]

Have been fishing Lac for years, summer and winter and the fishing always comes in waves both good and bad. Every spring there are BOAT loads of 13" walleye caught, so the fish are present. I wouldnt mind if the regs were changed to what they are on Lac Seul, I believe no keepers between 18"-21" that might keep some of the bigger fish around. I hear the walleye fishing is great up there, just a thought !!!!!!

[fishman1 164]

Maybe all the noise from 300+ people clumping around, generators running, trucks quads and sleds, and never mind the pee. If someone was constantly farting around you, would you not leave the area?

Get out of the crowds and the fishing is just fine.

Roger

if noise were an issue roger, then maybe you can tell us why it doesnt affect the fish in april at birch island. there are litterally hundreds of people, trucks , quads and all kinds of noise, and there is only 2 feet of water under the ice. this doesnt seem to affect the fish there. so as far as your theory about noise and farting goes, well maybe think of another one. im on my way to black bay, i will be awaiting your reply when i get back. oh and by the way, i be sure not to fart on lake superior today. i dont want to scare the fish.

[Guest souonter]

I can help roger a little by saying noise sensitivity to fish often varies. Like so many other things concerning fish, it can change depending on reasons i just dont know. Somtimes noise and water disturbance has a big time effect and other times it seems like the fish just ignore it. Personally, I think that their desire to feed is what affects their decision to shut down or not. But who knows...besides fisherman1 he obviously knows.

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

if noise were an issue roger, then maybe you can tell us why it doesnt affect the fish in april at birch island. there are litterally hundreds of people, trucks , quads and all kinds of noise, and there is only 2 feet of water under the ice. this doesnt seem to affect the fish there. so as far as your theory about noise and farting goes, well maybe think of another one. im on my way to black bay, i will be awaiting your reply when i get back. oh and by the way, i be sure not to fart on lake superior today. i dont want to scare the fish.

so fishing is only affected by time of day, weather, moon phase, water temp, water depth,water clarity, lure color , lure shape , lure weight, bait type, .

but sound and vibrations have no effect . . . sounds like a solid theory

[Some Old Guy 968]

Fishman1,

Maybe I can sum it up real easy why noise might not affect them in April in two feet of water around Birch Island or anywhere near the inflow of the major spawning river.

It's "sexy time"!

Why else would there be fish MOVING THROUGH there in April?

Roger

[mikejson 35]

Don't want to get into a pissing(farting?) match, just want to offer up some info from a CO I talked to on the lake. He says the ice shacks is NOTHING compared to the pressure that gets put on in the summer time. That is probably why they aren't really regulating the shacks more strictly... that, and there hasn't been anyone really stupid lately(haha, that's a personal opinion.... I see stupidity out there all the time).

Apparently the ice fishing that goes on during the wintertime is not even 1/10th the pressure that the lake gets in the summer...

I find the fishing was slow this year too though... but 200 yards away from me... it seemed to produce... so much I would go visit and catch fish there hahah.

[Lyle Reiner 174]

Fishing was absolutely fantastic over near pine point. 8 people, everyone got a limit. and one over 18 each. threw back a few that were over 18 because we all had one already.

[Guest Munshaw]

Don't want to get into a pissing(farting?) match, just want to offer up some info from a CO I talked to on the lake. He says the ice shacks is NOTHING compared to the pressure that gets put on in the summer time. That is probably why they aren't really regulating the shacks more strictly... that, and there hasn't been anyone really stupid lately(haha, that's a personal opinion.... I see stupidity out there all the time).

Apparently the ice fishing that goes on during the wintertime is not even 1/10th the pressure that the lake gets in the summer...

I find the fishing was slow this year too though... but 200 yards away from me... it seemed to produce... so much I would go visit and catch fish there hahah.

I heard the same rumours. Apparently ( I can't remember quite where I read it, I think one of the older creel surveys - Davis might want to chime in on this one) there are more fish harvested on opening week than the entire winter ice fishing season. Also, the vast majority of the ice fishing pressure is centred around one, maybe two areas. The rest of the lake in winter is literally untouched more or less.

I also agree, I'd like to see 18"-21" fish protected, as well as some protection for those 25"+ fish as there is ZERO reason to harvest those big spawners. Replicas last longer than mounts and are reasonably priced. Are the regs for that zone not due for an overhall this year I believe???

Lac is one of our true gems CLOSE to town - I'd like to see it as protected as possible.

[tracker 61]

Lac will have it's own fish management plan, which is to be discussed sometime in the near future. Cannot tell you when as the MNR hasn't shared this with us. As for the last creel and Fall Walleye Index Netting, the lake has a healthy stable population of walleye and it seems poor icefishermen

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

there are more fish harvested on opening week than the entire winter ice fishing season. Also, the vast majority of the ice fishing pressure is centred around one, maybe two areas. The rest of the lake in winter is literally untouched more or less.

yup thats why the fishing seems to "get worse every year" . because only 1 or 2 areas are pressured heavily during winter months, and the rest of the lake has been solid fishing.

but i agree ice fishing cant make a dent in fish pops like soft water season. ive never iced 30+ pics in a morning ice fishing, but manage this quite often from a boat.

that lac suel slot size is fine but dont you also have to cull on lac suel? i would hate that

[Guest lacman]

yup thats why the fishing seems to "get worse every year" . because only 1 or 2 areas are pressured heavily during winter months, and the rest of the lake has been solid fishing.

but i agree ice fishing cant make a dent in fish pops like soft water season. ive never iced 30+ pics in a morning ice fishing, but manage this quite often from a boat.

that lac suel slot size is fine but dont you also have to cull on lac suel? i would hate that

I would have to somewhat disagree with the impact of the fishing huts.

I have been fishing Lac for the past 25 years. About 15 years ago new regulations were put in place which consisted of reducing the limit to 4 fish, introducing the slot size and closing fishing season on March 15th. A few years after the rules came into effect the fishing improved drastically. It got to the point where I could go out just about anywhere and get my limit quite quickly. After some whining by resort owners who were going ‘broke’ and a few fisherman, the season was moved back to close on April 15th. In my opinion, since they moved the season back again, the fishing has slowly become worse, with the odd year being a good one. A lot of big fish move by ice shack city on their way to spawn, and a lot of big spawners are pulled out between March 15 and April 15. I remember a study by the MNR years ago who concluded that a huge number of fish move by that region every year, right past the hundreds of fishing hooks… Someone told me that over ½ of the population of fish head that way, but I can’t see that being correct.

Since the shacks have been out there, there is more garbage all over the place, more beer cans (most are probably at the bottom of the lake, imagine what that looks like!) more pollution period! I would go as far to say if you can’t bear the elements, maybe it’s best to wait for another day to fish. The weather is just another one of mother natures way of keeping things under control, the ice huts are circumventing that.

I would put money on it that if the season was closed on March 15th again the fishing would improve quite a bit. I’d rather have 10 months of great fishing than 11 months of okay fishing. Just my opinion and observations over the past years of fishing 20+ times per year. It would be an interesting theory to try!

[tracker 61]

Lacman, by your response, I would guess that you have a camp on Lac. So what you are saying is that you would rather have an ice fisherman fish on Lac for less than 3 months (most of them don't summer fish Lac), so you could enjoy great fishing for 10. The resource needs to be shared. Would you be willing to give up the first month from the May opener? I have been involved with Lac since the one month was taken away from the winter anglers, and was involved in getting it back. I participated in numerous creel surveys and worked with the computor modeling to come up with the minimum 13" regulation. The fish populations have been stable. Creel data and Fall Walleye Index netting show this.

[Guest lacman]

Lacman, by your response, I would guess that you have a camp on Lac. So what you are saying is that you would rather have an ice fisherman fish on Lac for less than 3 months (most of them don't summer fish Lac), so you could enjoy great fishing for 10. The resource needs to be shared. Would you be willing to give up the first month from the May opener? I have been involved with Lac since the one month was taken away from the winter anglers, and was involved in getting it back. I participated in numerous creel surveys and worked with the computor modeling to come up with the minimum 13" regulation. The fish populations have been stable. Creel data and Fall Walleye Index netting show this.

What I am saying is that there is a very large spawning area (aka Sawmill Bay area) and between March and April 15th there are a ton of fish heading right past all the shacks, doesn't give them much of a chance.

Would I be willing to give up the first weekend from the May opener if it greatly helped fishing for the rest of the year? Absolutely. If a month of fishing gone in the year was that big of a deal for me I would say I need some more interests to occupy my time...

Creel surveys accuracy vary depending on the statistical methods you use. Statistics are a funny thing, depending on how you present the info it can be quite misleading. Not saying that it necessarily is but if the creel surveys for Lac show that fishing populations have stayed the same since the season went back to April 15 I would say there needs to be some tough questions asked about the accuracy. Whitefish had a creel survey last winter where I bet the MNR counted half dozen fish all winter. I know people who caught tons this summer, tons. 'Stable' populations don't necessarily mean that the fishing regulations in place are adequate. The lake could be 'stable' with 100 fish.

I'm just speaking from my experience. I have definitely noticed a decline in the number of fish I have caught as well as others I have talked to since the season was moved back to April 15. Being on the lake for 25 years you tend to notice things and talk to people around the lake.

Another thing to keep in mind is my boat isn't fishing the lake 24/7, fishing an area where we know there will be tons of fish, every year, same place. Now if we were to implement a fishing sanctuary in some of these areas that are sensitive to spawning for that last month, that may be another route to take. That's definitely something that should be considered when the Lac fish management plan is up for review. We don't necessarily need to cut off all fishing on March 15th, but I definitely believe that the large spawning areas/paths in the lake should be protected.

[tracker 61]

The creels were done in the winter as well as the summer with the summer catch showing the majority of the lakes annual harvest. The creel studies will continue as well as the Fall Index Netting. There is a lot of data from many years that shows that the population is sustainable with the numbers of fish being harvested. A telemetry study was also done on Lac to track spawning walleye. A small number of the study fish went into Sawmill Bay. The findings showed they dispersed all over the central basin to spawn. A sanctuary from Sand Point to Sawmill Bay from Mar 15- Apr 15 was discussed but the MNR felt that the findings through the telemetry study showed it was not required. There are ways to increase the population without taking away angling opportunities. I can also say from experience that a boat on Lac can outfish an ice fishing shack.

[Domer 103]

Hello all.

I felt i had to get my two cents in again on this subject. Lac is most definitely a wonderfull fishery. You can catch fish there all season of the year. One of very few lakes that offers this around here. I have fished lac for over 25 years. The only areas that have changed fishing wise is areas that are populated by ice shacks. I use to do the ice shack thing but found that once people heard where the spots to be was then everyone had to be there. Those spots are the ones that take a beating. Like I have said before, explore, and be mobile. Your numbers of fish will stay consistant and you can always say that you catch fish. Myself, I try to move around and stay away from the crowds and it seems to always produce numbers and the odd big one. It use to be a piece of cake to go to Coffin Island and catch so many fish with ease. Now that there is shacks all the way around that island where Archie is, you will struggle guaranteed. Al Lindner says mobility is a must when chasing walleyes. I AGREE

Dom.

[Lyle Reiner 174]

I 100% agree with sanctuaring the rivers after ice out till june 1.

I have seen huge improvements in the fisheries of certain lakes that they did this on. I.e. Weikwabana had an OK walleye fishery, they now have a very good one, and im confident that it is because of the river closure.

[Some Old Guy 968]

Here's the original statement ***went out to lac on friday. we fished coffin. very slow all day, AGAIN. maybe the 300+ shacks are taking there toll. I see the fishing getting worse year by year. ***

Walleye are nomadic. They'll cruise for their food. So one might think new pods of fish will arrive all the time to the areas where there are clusters of shacks. The shacks are in certain high percentage spots. That makes total sense. But as I said before, and this is just my opinion, maybe the noise does affect them. I ain't a fish so I don't really know.

I have stayed in shacks where they are surrounded and I found the fishing ok but not as good when I found another high percentage spot with no one around. I like to explore and find these areas. There's a great reason why Coffin Island is great just before last ice, and why Poplar Point is also great. If one would take the time and poke around you would know why.

At one time before the dam was put in the whole of Sawmill Bay was a swamp. Not as you see it now. There is a river channel running through the bay. This river channel is the primary route that walleye will still follow to migrate to their spawning grounds. Guess where that old bed runs?

I don't think the shacks are fishing the lake out. There are other factors. Practice selective harvest. I personally like to keep 14-15 inch fish.

Once ice shacks make a small town they make decimate the "resident" population. The fishing is great until the area is whittled down in population. Fish still move in but not as huge schools. The large schools can start moving any time soon. But over the colder months, they don't move as far or as fast.

The season was shortened by a month years ago. Then fishermen stated that they wanted the month back and the science was done and the month re-instated. Done deal. My opinion is that the extra month is not hurting the fishery.

Last year when the ice was out before the ice season closed many many many fisherman loaded up their boats and headed to the river. It was a walleye fest that was had that you might never see again. I for one refused to take part in that. I figured that just because I could legally go and take a limit home just because the season was still open meant that I would be participating catching fish that would be spawining in the very river that there were clusters of boats worse than the ice shacks ever were! I didn't go because I didn't want anything to do with that. To this day, even people I figure wouldn't do it did it too.

My bottom line is, I like to fish. I am very considerate or the fishery. I'll take a couple home. I limit my catch. If you like to take a limit home every time you go out, so be it. Enjoy. I don't like to fish crowds, if you do, so be it. Enjoy.

Like earlier in my post. Explore a little bit out there and you'll see why certain spots hold walleye and you'll find the migratory route that the fish take. Hell! Just look at Google Earth and you'll see exactly why those spots are good.

Ok, I'm going fishing.....

Roger

[tracker 61]

One issue with sanctuaries on the Savanne River/Sawmill Bay is that boats must travel through them being in possession of fishing equipment. It would be hell for the CO's. Just be careful what you ask for as you maybe sitting on shore watching fish being harvested during the pre/post spawn by other means besides a fishing rod.

[Guest Munshaw]

Last year when the ice was out before the ice season closed many many many fisherman loaded up their boats and headed to the river. It was a walleye fest that was had that you might never see again. I for one refused to take part in that. I figured that just because I could legally go and take a limit home just because the season was still open meant that I would be participating catching fish that would be spawining in the very river that there were clusters of boats worse than the ice shacks ever were! I didn't go because I didn't want anything to do with that. To this day, even people I figure wouldn't do it did it too.

I have to disagree with you here Roger. If you weren't there, you're really not in a position to comment about what went on. You may have heard stories, and so did I, but I was there for two full days and "walleye fest" hardly describes what I saw. I went out for two afternoons, not to harvest spawning fish, but get out on the water after a long winter couped up. I did not take a single fish home either trip. There were WAY less boats in the water than there would have been shacks/snowmobiles/trucks on the lake if the ice was still in. That's a guarantee. From the mouth of the river, on the busiest day, I only could see twenty boats in the river and on the lake. Furthermore, there was at least two weeks where the fish didn't see a line during peak spawn, due to unsafe ice conditions. I feel the fish were MUCH better off last year than they ever have been. Fish were being caught, yes, but I didn't see anyone hauling fish in the boat left and right. I've had MUCH MUCH better days post-opener than I did pre-close last year. The impact of the open water before close was minor.

All I'm saying is don't paint everyone with the same brush, and it wasn't nearly as bad as you are thinking it was. I don't think sore lipping a few fish is going to impact the fishery in a negative way. There were some "big name" fishermen out there I saw, and everyone was being pretty respectful of the fishery I believe. I heard stories too, but didn't see anything that went on to think they were true. I also didn't see any monsters pulled out of the water, mostly smaller fish. Again I heard stories but didn't witness it happen.

[speckmaster 114]

Heard the same thing...

I have to disagree with you here Roger. If you weren't there, you're really not in a position to comment about what went on. You may have heard stories, and so did I, but I was there for two full days and "walleye fest" hardly describes what I saw. I went out for two afternoons, not to harvest spawning fish, but get out on the water after a long winter couped up. I did not take a single fish home either trip. There were WAY less boats in the water than there would have been shacks/snowmobiles/trucks on the lake if the ice was still in. That's a guarantee. From the mouth of the river, on the busiest day, I only could see twenty boats in the river and on the lake. Furthermore, there was at least two weeks where the fish didn't see a line during peak spawn, due to unsafe ice conditions. I feel the fish were MUCH better off last year than they ever have been. Fish were being caught, yes, but I didn't see anyone hauling fish in the boat left and right. I've had MUCH MUCH better days post-opener than I did pre-close last year. The impact of the open water before close was minor.

All I'm saying is don't paint everyone with the same brush, and it wasn't nearly as bad as you are thinking it was. I don't think sore lipping a few fish is going to impact the fishery in a negative way. There were some "big name" fishermen out there I saw, and everyone was being pretty respectful of the fishery I believe. I heard stories too, but didn't see anything that went on to think they were true. I also didn't see any monsters pulled out of the water, mostly smaller fish. Again I heard stories but didn't witness it happen.