With the provincial election coming up, a local angler is seeking the public’s support to relax catch limits on lake trout and walleye in Zone 10.
Covering lakes and rivers from Sault Ste. Marie to Sudbury, Zone 10’s catch limits for the two popular game fish have sparked frustration among anglers, said John Kallio, Ontario Outdoors Recreational Association president.
Currently, with a sport fishing license, lake trout regulations allow possession of two fish – with no more than one greater than 40 cm in size – and walleye regulations allow possession of four fish, with none greater than 46 cm.
With the size restrictions in place, Kallio said anglers often need to release fish that have sustained serious injuries from barotrauma or hook wounds.
“There's mortality issues because anglers are trying to stay within the slot size, and sometimes – depending on what lake you're fishing – you're not able to do that,” he said.
“You're releasing fish, and sometimes you're releasing fish that don't survive.”
The better path forward would be to allow anglers to keep two lake trout of any size, or four walleye – with one permitted over 60 cm – to help prevent the need to release mortally wounded fish, he said.
“You catch your two fish and you go home, and put it out there that you can just let the big fish go. Give anglers some credit,” said Kallio, who argued many anglers release spawning fish as a matter of course.
In place for close to 15 years, current regulations were introduced to protect fish populations, but Kallio said have wound up simply frustrating the fishing community.
“Guys are frustrated. They don't want to go fishing, and you're putting more pressure on brook trout lakes and other lakes,” he said.
“Take any angler that fishes lake trout and ask them if they think that regulation should be in place? They'll tell you no, and ask them why – they'll tell you the lake trout are fine.”
Kallio said lakes of concern, with lower lake trout or walleye populations, can be restricted on a case-by-case basis, but the blanket approach across Zone 10 is “not needed.”
Two petitions asking for Zone 10 regulation changes – one for walleye, and one for lake trout – are available on the Ontario Outdoors Recreational Association website.