An interesting fact to consider on the topic of reproduction of walleye: For each pound, 20,000 eggs are produced from the breeder female walleye. Example: 5 lb X20,000=100,000 fingerling walleyes, only 1/10 of 1%, which is 100 walleye survive to become an adult 16 inch walleye.
Sturgeon River Outfitters in cooperation with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has formulated a conservation approach to enhance and protect the fisheries for the Sturgeon River System which includes: Four Bay Lake, Dizzy Lake, Davies Lake, F-Lake and Grup Lake. This program was implemented as of January 1, 2007, and it is a modified catch and release or catch and consume program.
- The 17.5 inch rule which is a current conservation measure will remain as policy and will be enforced that no walleyes over 17.5 inches be taken out, all walleyes over 17.5 inches must be returned to their natural habitat unharmed.
- No Standard Possession Fishing Licenses will be accepted, only Conservation Limit Fishing Licenses will be allowed.
- There is a requirement for all clients to obtain the Conservation Fishing License directly from Sturgeon River Outfitters, in the event a Fishing License is purchased prior to arrival from another location, verification is required upon arrival. When the Conservation Fishing License is purchased from another location the client will not qualify for the Conservation License Reimbursement Program. Additionally, all current and future guests will be advised , pertaining to licensing and conservation policies.
- The possession limit remains two fish per species, with the exception for Lake Trout which is one.
- Guests of Sturgeon River Outfitters will be allowed to take home one Lake Trout per person. The Lake Trout policy will be monitored on an annual basis, should Lake Trout stocks decline, then adjustment will be made pertaining to transporting Lake Trout for home consumption.
- Our studies throughout this past season have strongly indicated there is a large abundance of Northern Pike. Guests will be allowed to take home two Northern Pike within the legal size class, no Northern Pike can be taken between 27" to 35", as this is the provincial protected slot limits. We will continue to monitor this Northern Pike policy, should numbers dwindle in the future, then there would be an adjustment, pertaining to the number of Northern Pike which could be taken home or perhaps no Northern Pike would be allowed to be harvested for home consumption.
- This modified catch and release or catch and consume program, permits the quests to eat fish up to the allowable limits within the Conservation Fishing License structure while in camp, please note: all walleyes over 17.5 inches, must be returned to the water unharmed and no walleyes can be taken home.
- Single barb less hooks are strongly recommended, this measure will be very assistive in releasing fish and also the injuries fish encounter while being caught will diminish greatly and mortality rates will decline. Although some anglers may feel they lose more fish with barb less hooks, research indicates steady pressure on the line will seldom result in lost fish.
- Absolutlely NO Slip Bobbers or Lindy Rigs allowed!
- Sturgeon River Outfitters will continue to reimburse all clients for the eight day Conservation Fishing License, providing that the reservation is for a seven day period or longer.
- Upon your arrival, there will be a form for you to sign agreeing that you have read, understood and supported the entire conservation fishing policy.
THE DANGERS OF SLIP BOBBER USE.
This article was written by Dr. Tom Peters, Valued Client.
Hello fellow Sturgeon River Outfitters/Lodge fisherman. My name is Dr. Tom Peters. Iam an animal scientist and live in Oregon, Illinois. I have had the fortunate luck of fishing at this resort and the Sturgeon River system for well over 20 years now. I have seen many changes in the area and when I first started fishing this beautiful area, it had been "freshly burned." As you can see around the upper lakes (4-bays, 3-bay, Sanctuary) there are only a few groups of trees that survived the fire. Luckily, the camp survived and is here to welcome us back year after year. I look so forward to our group coming up each year for our annual father/son fishing trip! As most fisherman, I contemplate and review the Cabela's catalogs with much angst each year as my wife questions " you don't need any more fishing gear." In fact, she is most often right, for my fishing week while at Sturgeon River Outfitters, as a handful of 1/8 oz. jigs, will generally suffice to catch all the fish one nedds for shore lunch. James and Jean are great new additions to the camp and I welcome them and their plans for a lifelong fishing destination. They have asked me to comment on "Why to NOT use slip bobbers" while fishing at their resort.
Now, before some of you get mad and question why I would suggest this, I need to clarify a few things. First off, I am an animal scientist, not a fisheries biologist. I have fished for my approximate 50 years of life, since I could remember. I was raised on a farm in Minnesota and fishing was a way of life for our family from the "get go." I (probably like many of you) really enjoy walleye fishing. I have had this "addiction for chasing walleyes" in my blood forever. I own a cottage in northern Wisconsin, located on a good Muskie lake..., but my son and I still fish for walleye's every time we are in the boat. I am blessed to be able to walleye fish in many different places across North America. Generally, between Canada, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Illinois and Wisconsin. I am lucky enogh to be on the water over 60 days per year fishing for walleyes. The point is that I love to fish walleyes, have my whole life and am lucky enough to have a son and friends whom like to do the same! Like most fisherman, I am a student of the science and art of fishing and also like most fisherman, I think I am pretty good at fishing. Enough bragging!
What I did want to discuss with fellow guests at this lodge and on the Sturgeon River chain here in Ontario is that I hope we can fish this place for many more decades and not have to worry about it being "fished out." Most of us fellow fisherman drive all the way up here, to participate in excellent fishing...because in the United States most lakes are either over fished, over speared (Minocqua, Wisconsin) or over-polluted to support large walleye populations. The group of friends that I fish with are dedicated to the proposition that we will catch and release all of our fish except immediate shore lunches. I am hopeful that my son Luke and my friends will eventually "spread my ashes" up by the sanctuary, when I pass. Obviously, some of my best memories have occured on this system.
If you read the MNR information, it takes approximately 10 years for a walleye to grow to 15 to 16 inches in these waters. Some estimates are that a 30 inch walleye may be 20-25 years old, or older! These are cold waters and growth curves are slow for fish. I think the Sturgeon River system (I mostly fish river systems for walleye) is unique in that it has such a diverse array of structure that it can be "relatively easy" or conversely "almost impossible" to find and catch fish (often on back to back days). Most fisherman that traverse these waters, must know good basics about structure, weather patterns, walleye yearly cycles and time of season...to experience success on a daily basis. Likewise, with this river system, there are some places to fish every day that allow almost certain success.
Now, it's not my place to tell you what to do with a 30 inch walleye. Many people fish a lifetime for crack at one. Most fisherman will never even see a 30 inch walleye. If you do catch one, you must be prepared on what you are going to do...you must move swiftly to unhook a fish of this size and not stress it to death. I would try to encourage you to take a picture of any walleye over 17.5 inches and let it go. I especially would encourage you to release a 25 plus inch walleye. If you want a mount...they make spectacular fiberglass replicas that will last forever. To date, I have caught 14 walleye's -30 inches or larger and have released them all (not all from Canada)! I am proud of this. Better yet, my son Luke has caught (and released) 3...back-to-back-to-back, 30 plus inch walleyes (when he was 12 years old).
So, you ask, what is the point of this article? Well, we (our group) strictly use jigs when we fish. We do this for several reasons. First of all, because I am convinced there is nothing more exciting in life to have a good light rod rigged with light line and a small jig...and have a walleye hit it. However, I will tell you that we also ONLY jig for walleyes because of the 10's of thousands of walleyes I have caught in my life, I think that only 5 or 6 have died upon release. Those walleye mortalities were most certainly related to how long the fish was in the boat or because the walleye had been badly "mauled" from a Northern Pike on the way to the boat. Conversely, I see almost on a daily basis in most lakes, an extreme high mortality (death loss) of walleyes that have been caught (and released) with slip bobbers. You see, many of the walleye's that are caught on slip bobbers ingest the hook resulting in harm to gills or vital organs. Most people think that they can release these deep hooked fish and "the fish will recover." Unfortunately, many of these fish perish. I see this in a northern Wisconsin lake often. Sure, slip bobbers are an effective technique to catch walleyes, but on this system you can surely catch plenty of walleyes with jigs. I can relate some of the horrible stories we have witnessed while fishing in northern Wisconsin, North Dakota and Minnesota and observing countless dead walleyes floating on the water...because they had been hooked with slip bobbers. therefore, when Jame and Jean came to us and asked us for our support in not using slop bobbers on the system...we gladly agreed. Easy for us, since we don't use slip bobbers. We feel the same way about "Lindy rigs," but I am sure the mortality is slightly less than when fishing with slip bobbers.
When the fish is hooked with multiple barbed hooks, the "turn-over" time to release the fish is often lengthened, often resulting in higher mortality rates. However, I feel they are justified in requesting the elimination of slip bobber fishing. Even with the use of a "CIRCLE HOOK" rigged to a slip bobber, there is a high percentage of mortality. It is common knowledge that when the "SLOT LIMIT" went into efect on Mille Lac's Lake in Minnesota, there were "rafts" of dead walleyes on the shores from the slip bobber caught walleyes that were released because their size fell within the "SLOT."
As you can see, it is imperative that for walleye on this delicate system to remain in great supply forever, we as the fisherman need to be the "protectors" of our fishery. If we respect these fish and harvest only the ones that we use for shore lunch, then perhaps with some luck the fishery will be productive and sound for many more generations of fisherman. I fully support the owners os Sturgeon River Outfitters in recommending discontinued use of slip bobbes. Hope to see you on the water.
Respectfully submitted,
Tom Peters, PH.D.