Lake Ontario/1000 islands bass season changes on Canadian side

Assuming the border will be open again, keep in my mind the new regulations of fishing Canadian waters in Zone 20.

catch and release only Jan 1-May 10 (largemouth and smallmouth)

largemouth opener - third Saturday in June

Smallmouth opener - first Saturday in July


It will be interesting to see what NY does in response and if they reciprocate these regulations. The most interesting change is the smallmouth season is now 2 weeks later so that will affect any tournaments going out of the US side.

Maybe region 6 will open up for catch and release too? One of the reasons they always stated was they didn’t want to allow it on the US side if Canada didn’t allow it.

That's so odd.

I like pushing the smallmouth back until July. It’s prime spawn from mid June to early July so this gives them a bit more of a chance to not have their eggs get raped by gobies

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Originally Posted by ECobb91

I like pushing the smallmouth back until July. It’s prime spawn from mid June to early July so this gives them a bit more of a chance to not have their eggs get raped by gobies

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Thats the reasoning they are using. Queens University does extensive research up there and moving the season back 2 weeks was their recommendation as well as opening up the catch and release season since the fish are all pre spawn at that point.

What a nightmare though, since it falls on the 4 July weekend with all the boaters running around drunk up at the Islands. I don't go across much anymore, but great information :thumb up2: original poster.

What’s the rationale for moving the season back two weeks. The fishery is thriving the way it is

The reason it’s illegal to fish for bass in majority of the counties within the Adirondacks and along the St Lawrence river is avoid fishing during the spawn. The biggest push of smallmouth spawn should be over with by July so extending the closed season a few more weeks gives them a chance to have a successful spawn. When a smallmouth is pulled off a bed on any body of water that has gobies, within seconds the nests are raided and the eggs detstroyed.

I think it’s good to extend the closed season but I also think we should be allowed to catch and release as well.

In order to propose the extension, the Canadian fish and wildlife would’ve had to do extensive research to support it’s better for the health of the fishery to delay the season. Below is a video that shows how quickly a smallmouth nest is raided when a bass is pulled from the bed.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzv3tEAbMgM

I believe the catch and release theory they have is based on not wanting bass to be handled since they may not return to the nest once released. I have caught bass off beds on occasion and when released they would be hesitant yet still returned to the nest.

I don't keep bass any time of year, but I wish I would be allowed to play with them the month of May, since depending on the weather and ice out they would spawn later in season.

Doesn't matter, there's no enforcement. I'd like to see areas marked off as spawning sanctuaries during may and June. Same goes for traditional muskie spawning areas.

Alum145

That would be a good idea, and I recall years ago they did that with muskies by Washington Isl, French Creek, Picton Isl, and Grindstone by Canoe Point.

So they are saying that the bass population and quality is plummeting ? They pretty much want a two month season for bass fishing. That’s pretty ridiculous in my opinion. Catch and release. It is a Great Lake trib. Gobies helped that place out

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Originally Posted by NY29T

So they are saying that the bass population and quality is plummeting ? They pretty much want a two month season for bass fishing. That’s pretty ridiculous in my opinion. Catch and release. It is a Great Lake trib. Gobies helped that place out

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Yes, when there was a crap load of zebra mussels, gobies did help, but know it is just the opposite. I suppose you could say that we need to take the good with the bad, however, there is options that we have to try to minimize gobies.

Sad that lot of the grass beds got damaged during the flood years.