Ontario vs. Minnesota

[DR_FISH]

I stayed at a resort in Ontario this week. I had a great discussion with the owner of the resort. One of the things we talked about is why fishing in Ontario is so much better than Minnesota. In Ontario, it is deeply frowned upon to keep a walleye bigger than 20 inches(except for the Trophy fish). The Walleye larger than 20 inches are the reproducing fish. He said the only reason fishing in Ontario is better is because of that mind set.

It makes a lot of sense, but why don't the majority of us in MN do that.

Do you agree or disagree and why.

[goblueM]

That's absurd. The only reason? The real reason is that Ontario has a much higher water area to people ratio.

[Scott M]

I always chuckle when people complain about MN fishing regulations. Ever take a look at the Ontario regs? Very conservation minded province...

It really comes down to population density and number of lakes. It's nice that Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes but Ontario blows that outta the sky, has a low population, and has some very remote lakes.

Most MN lakes aren't in the same galaxy as ON.

[reinhard1]

i agree with those that i'ts the ratio of water per population. if you look at the regs here in Minnesota, we have a limit of 6 walleye's with only 1 over 20 inches. so we also have the 20 inch rule although it may not be a mind set but a law.

i spent 15 years of fishing in Ontario, going 2 or 3 times a year. i loved it up there and also had some bad experiences. but i now stick to Minnesota. i know of some lakes that are no different than Ontario. off the beaten path, but they are there. also the solitude if i need it, and plenty of sceanary and wildlife. as far as mind set, i call it fishing ethics. good luck.

[James_R]

Their fishing regs are way too restrictive when you consider the amount of fishing pressure many of them receive. I can't imagine a large lake with only a couple hundred visiting fishermen per year having its fish population nose-dive because the limit goes from 2 to 6. The sky-high retail prices, taxes and fees they charge for everything up there coupled with stingy slot limits and heavy handed game wardens have really helped to keep their tourism numbers down. For every one American that travels to Canada there must be 10 Canadians that travel here to the States. There's a reason that most of them live so close to our border.

[BobT]

I've been going to Lost Lake near Hudson for the past 13 years. Lost Lake is the last lake of the same English River system that feeds the Lac Seul Reservoir. In fact, I just got back from our annual trip last Monday. All walleyes between approximately 18" and 21" must be released. One can only keep 1 walleye over 21". In Minnesota one can keep 1 walleye over 20" inches.

That kind of blows that guys theory out the window.

The conversation license in Ontario for the area we were fishing allows two walleyes in possession and the sportsman's license allows four in possession. By contrast Minnesota's conservation license allows three in possession and the regular license allows six.

Lost lake by itself is about equivalent in size to all the Alexandria Chain lakes combined. The Lac Seul is approximately 100 miles long and 85 miles wide. Mill Lacs, at 17mi x 12mi is a pothole by comparison. We were there for five days of fishing all over Lost and part of the southeast end of the Lac Seul and in all that time I bet I didn't see more than 30 total boats on the water including the four of ours. Yesterday I went out on Osakis. I had a hard time finding a place to park my truck and boat trailer. There had to be over 70 boat trailers parked there. While it is true that the annual Lions walleye tournament was being held, it is not uncommon to see that on any given weekend during the summer. Just one bay on Lost Lake would consume Osakis. I know without a doubt there were more boats on Osakis yesterday than we saw in all five days of fishing on Lost Lake last week combined.

Muskie and Northern Pike are far more threatening to walleye survival than fishermen and women. Take a look at a map of Ontario. Except for a strip of land approximately 75 miles wide along the US border, the rest of the province is basically uninhabited. This is true for all of Canada. 90% of its population resides within 75 miles of the US border. Beyond that, lakes are basically unfished.

[BobT]

Quote:

heavy handed game wardens

We have never experienced that in the 13 years we've been going up there. Last week we were visited by two conservation officers and they were cordial, professional, and polite. Sometimes I think we have a predisposition about law enforcement that clouds our judgment. They are doing their job and if we do ours, there's no need for such animosity.

[BobT]

Their fishing regs are way too restrictive when you consider the amount of fishing pressure many of them receive. I can't imagine a large lake with only a couple hundred visiting fishermen per year having its fish population nose-dive because the limit goes from 2 to 6. The sky-high retail prices, taxes and fees they charge for everything up there coupled with stingy slot limits and heavy handed game wardens have really helped to keep their tourism numbers down. For every one American that travels to Canada there must be 10 Canadians that travel here to the States. There's a reason that most of them live so close to our border.

I don't think they are way to restrictive. Perhaps a primary reason fishing is so much better up there is because of those restrictions. We expect to take and take without repercussion. When I see photos of fishermen holding stringers of huge walleyes taken from Lake Osakis back in the early and mid 20th century I have no question why the fishing is so poor today. We can't keep raping the resource and expect it to remain fruitful.

[sunniewally]

could it be that there are a lot of their lakes that that reproduce walleys naturally compare to Minnesota's lakes are mostly stocked for put and take?? not a whole lot of natural or very little reproduction in alot of mn lakes,

[James_R]

No doubt there needs to be bag limits on fish. I'm just a little skeptical of people or groups that want to deny the rest of us natures bounty and turn all of our public land into nature preserves where we can only catch and release. I pay a lot less taxes and fees to fish in MN than I do in Ontario and still have a great time. Many of us enjoy going out on the water with our friends, family and a few beers and coming back to shore with stringers full of fish and we don't feel guilty for taking some fillets home to eat and we certainly don't believe that this constitutes raping mother earth.

[Stick in Mud]

Well if that isn't arguing against a strawman, James, I don't know what is.

[James_R]

I don't think I grossly misinterpreted BobTs position carmike. He advocates more restrictions (Less freedom)with a look but don't touch form of conservation as is so popular in Ontario.

[thatoneguy]

Look but don't touch? When I fish Savant Lake in three weeks, along with five friends, we will be eating fresh walleye, pike and lake trout every day - and will bring four eyes, four pike, and two lakers each home with us (approximately...haven't yet checked to see if the limits on pike or lakers have changed for 2012).

Wanting more than that seems a little greedy to me.

[BobT]

I don't think I grossly misinterpreted BobTs position carmike. He advocates more restrictions (Less freedom)with a look but don't touch form of conservation as is so popular in Ontario.

Actually you are not representing my view at all. I do not support "less freedom" as you put it. What I do say is that left to ourselves we will and do rape the land or in this case the waters. Lake Osakis was once considered the mother lake for walleye but I can assure you she no longer holds that title and by comparison is barely a walleye producer at all anymore.

Ten of us went to Lost Lake last week. Two of us, myself one of them, purchased conservation license and the rest of us bought sportsmen's license. All fish over 18" were released. We all filled our limit (that's 36 walleyes if you care to count) with walleyes over 17". In other words we limited ourselves to keeping only those walleye that fell into a 1" slot. We also enjoyed fish dinners on four of those days. That's phenomenal fishing in anyone's book. There isn't a lake in MN that can come close to even looking like it might be able to do this.

Why is that? Personally, I don't think it is possible for MN to match or even mimic that kind of production. I believe there are too many of us putting too much pressure on a limited resource and I think the powers that be do a great job of trying to feed our desire but it's an impossible task.

[CaptainMusky]

This is a ridiculous argument. FAR more water FAR fewer people. As charlie sheen would say DUH more fish.

[fasternu]

When I fish Rainy in Ontario, the limit is 1 walleye under 17.25, 2 in daily possession. Tough to even get full for a meal on that. That is a big reason why there are many more fish

[James_R]

It's pretty tough to get cash laden U.S. fishermen up to the Ontario side of Rainy River when the walleye limit is 1. I might as well stay on the MN side with my $17 license and keep 6.

[goblueM]

For every one American that travels to Canada there must be 10 Canadians that travel here to the States. There's a reason that most of them live so close to our border.

Yep, and it has nothing to do with fishing, and everything to do with geography and history

[harvey lee]

Bob's quote

Why is that? Personally, I don't think it is possible for MN to match or even mimic that kind of production. I believe there are too many of us putting too much pressure on a limited resource and I think the powers that be do a great job of trying to feed our desire but it's an impossible task.

BobT, don't say there isn't a lake in Mn that can match what you had for fishing.

I go to Rainy lake every Memorial weekend and we eat fish when we want and all bring home a limit of very nice slots if we choose to. Every spring I have had 100 fish mornings and did agina this Memorial weekend along with some nice pike.

One does not have to go to Canada to match what you have there. If you do, then you have not fished the places I have.

I use to go to Ontario year after year with 5 other guys for a walleye trip. Yes, we casught many fish but I now make those trips to Rainy Lake or the Rainy river in the spring and do just as well.

When I can have 100 plus fish days, I see no reason to go elsewhere. Yes, we had fun on our trips to Ontario but there simply is no need to go there to catch walleyes.

If I was looking for crappie on Rainy, then yes it would pay for me to get the license and paperwork for a RABCP to fish there. Not worth the hassle for me for a few larger crappie. They also may have more walleye or better walleye fishing but we do just fine on the Mn side.

[Superduty]

Fishing can be fantastic on the Mn side of Rainy Lake. Trust me, it is even better on the Canadien side.

[harvey lee]

I have heard that many times that the Canada side can be better.

I have also found that I have good enough success on the Mn side that I feel no need to go across the border. That's just me as I know others do cross.

[harvey lee]

I have heard that many times that the Canada side can be better.

I have also found that I have good enough success on the Mn side that I feel no need to go across the border. That's just me as I know others do cross.

If I went to Rainy more than a couple times a year, then I would buy a license and a RABCP. That for sure would give me more options.

[MN_Jay]

There's a reason that most of them live so close to our border.

Sorry but this is the dumbest thing I've heard so far today. I hope you were able to keep a straight face while you typed that.

At the end of the day, they are a different country with every right to set whatever limit they want, enforce what laws they want, deal with the tourism any way they want. We have a choice to not go there, I'm sure they realize that.

[BobT]

Bob's quote

Why is that? Personally, I don't think it is possible for MN to match or even mimic that kind of production. I believe there are too many of us putting too much pressure on a limited resource and I think the powers that be do a great job of trying to feed our desire but it's an impossible task.

BobT, don't say there isn't a lake in Mn that can match what you had for fishing.

I go to Rainy lake every Memorial weekend and we eat fish when we want and all bring home a limit of very nice slots if we choose to. Every spring I have had 100 fish mornings and did agina this Memorial weekend along with some nice pike.

One does not have to go to Canada to match what you have there. If you do, then you have not fished the places I have.

I use to go to Ontario year after year with 5 other guys for a walleye trip. Yes, we casught many fish but I now make those trips to Rainy Lake or the Rainy river in the spring and do just as well.

When I can have 100 plus fish days, I see no reason to go elsewhere. Yes, we had fun on our trips to Ontario but there simply is no need to go there to catch walleyes.

If I was looking for crappie on Rainy, then yes it would pay for me to get the license and paperwork for a RABCP to fish there. Not worth the hassle for me for a few larger crappie. They also may have more walleye or better walleye fishing but we do just fine on the Mn side.

Interesting information. Honestly, I have never fished Rainy so maybe I'll have to give it a try sometime. I’ve fished LOTW, Namakan, Craine, Sandpoint, Mill Lacs, Red, Winnie, Osakis, and the Alex Chain to name of few more popular walleye destinations but never experienced anything close to my experience in Canada. Something to point out too is that my experiences in Canada have always been similar if not even better. Can we say that about Rainy? Can I go to Rainy and not only hope but actually expect to catch walleyes by the hundreds every day? I can on the Lac Seul.

[nolte]

BobT,

I agree with you on Lac Seul, it's the best walleye fishery overall that I have ever experienced. Sure you can get some "tough" days, but they will usually match the best days elsewhere. The only thing we noticed is that the big fish tend to top out at 29", we just couldn't find turbo slobs up there. But that sure ain't a reason to pass it up.

I agree with everyone else. Way more water in ON vs MN, and much less pressure. I bet most of those lakes don't see triple digit anglers in an entire winter.

Good fishing is all relative, you just match your expectations to what you normally can find. If it's better, great and as long as it makes you happy keep doing it.