Fishing

Some Rules for Fishing

This column by GLPOA's Kathy Lampi first appeared in her regular View From Killaloe feature in the Eganville Leader

"Fishing is an activity that knows no bounds – it can be enjoyed regardless of age, race or ethnic background." Fishing Ontario 2008-2009

Years ago, my husband’s good friend Gus explained to me why it is not only illegal to fish bass before the fourth Saturday in June, it is also just plain wrong. During spawning season, the male bass will strike at anything. After the female lays her eggs, she leaves and the daddy bass stands guard over the eggs, protecting them from predators, attacking anything that comes near, while he fans his tail over the nest to keep the water temperature constant. Knowing that, how can anybody fish bass out of season?

Bass season, for both smallmouth and largemouth, closes November 30 in our area. The limit is two fish if you hold a Conservation license and six if you have a Sport Fishing license.

You can fish for northern pike anytime except between March 31 and the third Saturday in May. The limit is the same as it is for Bass. Muskie season is from the first Saturday in June until Dec. 15, and you can keep one if it is over three feet long.

Perch, sunfish, rainbow trout, whitefish, catfish and splake are fair game all year round. You can keep up to 50 of the perch and sunfish, and some people think they’re the tastiest of the lot.

Fishing for walleye – or pickerel as we call it here – is different in Golden Lake and Lake Dore, than it is in other lakes in our area, Zone 15. They must be longer than 19.7 inches to be keepers in Golden Lake and Lake Dore and you can only keep two with a Sports Fishing license and one with a Conservation license. In other Zone 15 lakes you can keep four or two fish, depending on your license, and they are keepers if they’re 18.1 inches long.

Round Lake has some special regulations around lake trout. You can keep nothing between 15.7 and 21.7 inches long.

It’s illegal to abandon fish or allow the flesh to spoil. If you catch it, eat it or throw it back. You can’t move a fish from one lake to another, if for some reason you thought that was a good idea.

And there are of course the invasive species. These include round goby, bighead carp, and any species of snakehead –whatever they are. Those you’re supposed to kill, and it is illegal to have them live in your possession.

If you need to know more – and you do, if you fish - a copy of the recreational fishing regulations summary can be found at the Killaloe Hardware Store when you buy your license.