Does the MNR stock the lift locks with fish?

[frank82]

Hello everyone i notice alot of shore anglers have better luck fishing the locks than anglers on the water & wanted to know if the reason for their success is because the ministry stock the locks. I know the trent canal flows south to bay of quinte so it would be impossible for fish to move upstream because of the locks elevation, they cannot get pass the dam & sure wouldn't be in the chamber taking a lift up with the boats to the next lock. so with that said it means fish can move downstream but not up & if anglers & catching massive walleye @ hasting & other locks it would be impossible for fish to grow that size in a small body of water with so much fishing pressure @ the locks.

 

[salmotrutta]

Fish love structure. Many species love deep pools. Most prefer oxygenated water.

A lot of locks/dams provide all three.

Now couple this with the fact that many locks are off limits for boaters, and you have an excellent shore fishing opportunity, as long as it's not a sanctuary.

 

[frank82]

thank you for the response. i never knew that the oxygenated water had a positive effect but i do recall fishing @ buckhorn lock & the dam partiality open & was shock of anglers landing huge walleye & bass in that noisy water.

anyways i just was talking to a buddy & he was telling me the walleye are traveling all the way from simcoe down the trent canal all the way to lake filed lock & all the way from bay of quinte to hastings. then he said the fish goes in the chamber when the boats are being transfer, i just find this hard to believe since the water in the canal r not oxygenated & their is constant noise from boat traffic.

He showed me some monster walleye he caught & i just find it impossible for them to grow that big in a small body of water & not being caught earlier.

 

[salmotrutta]

thank you for the response. i never knew that the oxygenated water had a positive effect but i do recall fishing @ buckhorn lock & the dam partiality open & was shock of anglers landing huge walleye & bass in that noisy water.

anyways i just was talking to a buddy & he was telling me the walleye are traveling all the way from simcoe down the trent canal all the way to lake filed lock & all the way from bay of quinte to hastings. then he said the fish goes in the chamber when the boats are being transfer, i just find this hard to believe since the water in the canal r not oxygenated & their is constant noise from boat traffic.

He showed me some monster walleye he caught & i just find it impossible for them to grow that big in a small body of water & not being caught earlier.

I've caught walleye from waters that really surprised me. It doesn't need to be deep. Shade and weeds/sunken trees. But if it is deep and not shaded, they'll be holding deep during the day, and come shallower in low-light conditions. I can count on one hand the number of times I've caught a walleye during the day...zero.

I love the smell of the air around waterfalls. For one it's very refreshing, and secondly, you know you're probably near some prime fishing. Just go there at night or super early if it's walleye you're after.