11 replies to this topic

[Cbkropf]

Since recently getting into fishing, I took a trip with a friend to his normal fishing spot in Caledonia. Right at the bottom of the dam on the grand river. Pulled in a two foot long channel cat, and a...snapping turtle? This thing was huge. Fought for a good 15 minutes before he broke my line. Had that sucker right through the foot. I was just curious on what I should have done if I did reel him in? It was pretty busy there and more than a few people were wanting to kill it as they've been calling it "bait stealer" for a few weeks. Should I have re-located up/down river?

[riverhugger]

Probably should have cut the line when you hooked into a huge snapping turtle... just saying.

[Alfiegee]

Since recently getting into fishing, I took a trip with a friend to his normal fishing spot in Caledonia. Right at the bottom of the dam on the grand river. Pulled in a two foot long channel cat, and a...snapping turtle? This thing was huge. Fought for a good 15 minutes before he broke my line. Had that sucker right through the foot. I was just curious on what I should have done if I did reel him in? It was pretty busy there and more than a few people were wanting to kill it as they've been calling it "bait stealer" for a few weeks. Should I have re-located up/down river?

Those people who wanted the Turtle killed for being a "bait stealer" are just plain stupid. That Turtle has every right to be there. They are a part of the natural eco-system. A huge Snapper below the dam in Caledonia has probably been gorging itself on Gobies, not a bad thing .

I recently worked at a job on Howe Island in the St Lawerence and at the ferry crossing there is a sign that says that 7 of 8 species of Turtles in On. are endangered or in danger of becoming endangered. Not sure if Snapping Turtles are one of the 7 or if they are the 1 that isn't. But no need to kill them.

As for catch and release of a big Snapper, I have some experience. A lot of years ago (34 ?) I caught a Snapper at a pool we used to fish on the Credit, I actually caught it 3 times in 4 years, 1 of it's front legs was a stump and had no foot. That's how I am pretty certain it was the same 1 each time. I brought it to shore each time and cut the line as close as I dared. Don't cut your line til you have it close, if you cut your line while the Turtle is still 30 ft away then that's 30 ft of line that has no business being in our waters and could be a death trap for that Turtle or other wild-life. "Old 3 Legs" was hooked twice in the mouth and snagged in the stump once. Bravely or stupidly my friends and I did manage to weigh him on an old school spring scale   and he was between 25 and 30 lbs.

Just to take this one step further, are we to start killing all the Gar we catch at the dam, because I often hook them and lose my bait and hook due to their sharp teeth cutting my line.

Anything in the water that eats Gobies is good in my books.

 

Alfie.

[hamiltonangler94]

I have also hooked a couple of snappers while fishing, but they have always broken my line....death to the gobies!!

[Mr. Bassturd]

lol those pesky turtles always seem to find me thank god I haven't caught one yet.  since we are on this subject tho about Caledonia is it legal to fish right at the dam or wat cuz I recently came to the conclusion it is actually illegal to fish right at the darn throwing your line upstream practically touching the dam wall sometimes.  I have seen many people fish there.

 

As far as Ive gathered from the rules and regs your not aloud within 75 feet downstream of any obstacle that obstructs the fishies swim upstream such as a fish ladder and or dam.

 

just asking cuz I have been trying to figure this one out for sure and since I have had this dilemma I have avoided that particular spot altogether

[Alfiegee]

lol those pesky turtles always seem to find me thank god I haven't caught one yet.  since we are on this subject tho about Caledonia is it legal to fish right at the dam or wat cuz I recently came to the conclusion it is actually illegal to fish right at the darn throwing your line upstream practically touching the dam wall sometimes.  I have seen many people fish there.

 

As far as Ive gathered from the rules and regs your not aloud within 75 feet downstream of any obstacle that obstructs the fishies swim upstream such as a fish ladder and or dam.

 

just asking cuz I have been trying to figure this one out for sure and since I have had this dilemma I have avoided that particular spot altogether

Hey Mr B.

I found this in the fishing regs (2011 version). It is illegal to fish within 22.9 m (75 ft.) downstream from the lower entrance to any fishway or canal, obstacle, or device designed to assist fish around obstacles.

As far as I know Caledonia wouldn't qualify as one of these as the fish get over the dam quite easily so it doesn't really obstruct them, but you do raise an interesting question. I have seen no postings there. If you read the regs there is a special limit there on Walleye that extends from Lake Erie to the Caledonia dam, it does not say to 75 ft below the Caledonia dam. I have seen COs there on several occasions and have never seen them give anyone a hard time about fishing there, and often there are up to 50 people there on week-ends. The most I see them give people a hard time is those that keep out of season Bass and I call all the time about that in the spring and feel I am the cause of them showing up sometimes because of my repeated calls.

I'm not saying I am right, I am just saying what I have observed. Nobody shoot the messenger

Now I feel I have to do some further investigation and will report back after I talk to the Ministry.

 

Alfie.

[Alfiegee]

Annnnd after calling the MNR Guelph office I am told that we are quite OK to fish the dam. It is not a fish ladder or anything of the sort. The 75 ft reg applies to areas with something to help fish past an obstacle that they cannot pass over on their own, which Caledonia doesn't have and fish can pass over the dam on their own quite easily, it also applies to hydro and water control dams where water may rise rapidly without notice. I was also told that any areas like this would be very well posted as sanctuaries. Which after fishing Caledonia for many years I have yet to see such a posting.

 

Alfie.

[Mr. Bassturd]

hey alfie I was hoping u would be the one to see this I kinda figured you  would be interested as well ive come across a few other forums that had posted the same regulations u posted and mentioned that people have received the odd ticket for fishing to close but for the most part no one shows up when someone reports it.

 

And believe me ive seen the lineups at the dam that's why when I started fishing there I assumed it was ok cuz of all the people I seen fishing but after a couple visits I was reading over the rules one day and came across the rule that u posted since then ive always fished downstream from there. 

 

cant wait to see what u find out personally I just dont want a ticket

[Mr. Bassturd]

Grrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaattttttttttttt  im glad ive cleared that up sometimes I just don't feel like walking the river

[Mr. Bassturd]

thanks a lot there alfie I hope your fishing adventure are going well!

[Alfiegee]

It's almost too bad that it isn't illegal to fish there. A couple of COs could be posted there everyday, they could take pics and then ticket folks after they came off the water. That could fund the whole MNR alone for a year and probably raise funds for 50 extra COs .

But I'm glad it's not illegal .

 

Alfie.

[m_van]

Wow really amazing stories