Quebec's Main Rules for Sport Fishing

[mcsteve]

According to this video made in 2011 (in french) the biologist does state that there are yellow and black walleye in western Quebec. He did not name any lakes though. It shows the distinction between the species...dorsal fin and tail.  This video shows you how to fillet "en portefeuille".

http://panache.yourme.net/t11670-filet-doree-en-porte-feuille-gestion-filet-brochet

I was left to believe that if the Action Plan was released in 2011, the slot limit is only now getting applied to 13 east and west.

clear as mud ya?

I'm not sure if it was because I'm using an iPad to read this but that link bounced me around about a dozen sites and then tried to install some game.

[RHYBAK]

T-Bone....One solution for your dilemma of cleaning fish properly.....get Marco to do it.

Other than that, most men are afraid of change or trying to learn something new.

You practice on a few fish. You get it wrong,you eat them, big deal.
Practice will make perfect.
It will all be worth it in the end.
Don't forget to freeze them nice and straight so it's easy for the warden to measure

Again...my 2 cents

[T-Bone]

I don't eat them...so I certainly don't clean them. I know how to and can do a pretty good job...but that's not in my area...you can make book on that. My responsibility is to find the fish...and there's a good balance and symmetry to how it works out. And it's not that I wholly dislike the taste or texture of the 'eyes...I just don't appreciate it...so why harvest the fish? My buds know how to find fish just as well as I do too...so we have no issues both catching and chowing...if that's what you like. I just choose to do one, but not the other. Can't wait until I'm doing both as I always sample when it's prepared. And Marco is a fillet'er...but he'd rather wait for the plate to be delivered...just like me...

[cmoreau]

I know some have mixed feelings regarding the regulation changes but as a grad student in Fisheries specializing in Walleye and recreational regulations I can assure you this regulation change is desperately needed for Kipawa and should improve the fishery over time. The Ministry Biologists are very informative and will provide you all their reports if requested (mind you they are only in French) with information that justifies why they have made these changes.

Can I assume that you have obtained and perused these reports? If so, could you please provide a birds eye summary of the facts that justified these changes? Short of that, could you provide the titles of the reports that I should obtain? Thanks in advance.

Jay

Yes there are several reports dating back to the 1980s and likely before that. You can obtain them by contacting the Ministry Biologists (contact info is available on their website http://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/la-faune/) and asking for reports for Kipawa, mind you they are all in french. The long and the short of it is for Walleye the harvest rate for many years now has been about double the MSY (maximum sustainable yield - the amount that can be removed and sustained by the population) and there is a small reproductive population. The new slot size will allow more fish to attain a larger size and the upper slot will protect those big spawners. The same slot size has been used in many of the ZEC lakes with good success.

Again, regarding the confusion between dore jaune and dore noir, dore jaune is the French term for Walleye, translated it would be Yellow Walleye however in English we just call them Walleye Sander vitreus. Dore noir translated directly would be black walleye but that is incorrect they are actually Sauger Sander Canadensis. Some lakes/rivers in the same zone with the same regulations must have Sauger and that's why they are mentioned. To my knowledge there are no Sauger in Kipawa and also in all of the Ministry Reports Sauger is not listed as a species in Kipawa. The difference between the two can be really difficult to distinguish, generally you go off color markings on the caudal, pelvic fins and dorsal fin. To my knowledge (regardless of color yellow, gold, blue, black, etc.) any thing looking like a walleye/sauger in Kipawa is a walleye and the size limit applies. I doubt the wardens would have much sympathy for someone claiming they caught a sauger in kipawa and keeping a walleye that was outside of the harvest slot.

Lake Trout pop is in worse shape than the Walleye, they are having reproductive issues so that's why a stocking program was started last year. The alternative would have been to close the fishery.

[Balsams]

Great topic. Good to see this discussed and those on various sides being respectful. I think it should be catch and release maybe every 3 rd or 4th year as well as reduced possession limits. Same goes for trout. I think most could stomach such changes, and their fishing would be better. Anything better than the current regs, which is failing the sustainable max limits, is better.

[Jay Thomas]

I know some have mixed feelings regarding the regulation changes but as a grad student in Fisheries specializing in Walleye and recreational regulations I can assure you this regulation change is desperately needed for Kipawa and should improve the fishery over time. The Ministry Biologists are very informative and will provide you all their reports if requested (mind you they are only in French) with information that justifies why they have made these changes.

Can I assume that you have obtained and perused these reports? If so, could you please provide a birds eye summary of the facts that justified these changes? Short of that, could you provide the titles of the reports that I should obtain? Thanks in advance.

Jay

Yes there are several reports dating back to the 1980s and likely before that. You can obtain them by contacting the Ministry Biologists (contact info is available on their website http://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/la-faune/) and asking for reports for Kipawa, mind you they are all in french. The long and the short of it is for Walleye the harvest rate for many years now has been about double the MSY (maximum sustainable yield - the amount that can be removed and sustained by the population) and there is a small reproductive population. The new slot size will allow more fish to attain a larger size and the upper slot will protect those big spawners. The same slot size has been used in many of the ZEC lakes with good success.

Again, regarding the confusion between dore jaune and dore noir, dore jaune is the French term for Walleye, translated it would be Yellow Walleye however in English we just call them Walleye Sander vitreus. Dore noir translated directly would be black walleye but that is incorrect they are actually Sauger Sander Canadensis. Some lakes/rivers in the same zone with the same regulations must have Sauger and that's why they are mentioned. To my knowledge there are no Sauger in Kipawa and also in all of the Ministry Reports Sauger is not listed as a species in Kipawa. The difference between the two can be really difficult to distinguish, generally you go off color markings on the caudal, pelvic fins and dorsal fin. To my knowledge (regardless of color yellow, gold, blue, black, etc.) any thing looking like a walleye/sauger in Kipawa is a walleye and the size limit applies. I doubt the wardens would have much sympathy for someone claiming they caught a sauger in kipawa and keeping a walleye that was outside of the harvest slot.

Lake Trout pop is in worse shape than the Walleye, they are having reproductive issues so that's why a stocking program was started last year. The alternative would have been to close the fishery.

Thanks for your response. Much appreciated.

Jay

[pike mike]

No matter what new rules come into play we must abide by them or pay the price . Our Coca Cola group like to take home some fish from our week for our families as well as a fish fry or two during the week . Releasing the larger fish and obviously the smaller ones make complete sense in sustaining the fishery  . As the fish cleaner dude for our entire group I am going to find it very strange making my first cut ahead of the pectoral fins but I'm sure I'll get used to it . Not sure about cutting through the rib cage  as I have always worked over the ribs when cleaning but once again Im sure I'll manage   

[T-Bone]

Supporting article sent to me by Corina Joly at Kipawa Bait and Tackle; the descriptor 'critical condition' will send a shiver through you.

Wasn't sure whether to post this to the "Catch and Release" thread or this one, but the article all but indicts recreational fisherman for the issues facing Kipawa's fishery.

https://www.baytoday.ca/more-local/important-regulatory-changes-concerning-recreational-fishing-283067

[JigginFool]

@pike mike - I would think you can still work over the rib cage, I don't think keeping the bones in is a requirement, is it?

[pike mike]

Sorry Jiggin' ,wasn't trying to imply that you had to cut through the rib cage .After about 45 years experience cleaning fish I'm sure I'll  get by 

[Canuckbass]

I'm sure the MNR will be all over Kipawa the first month, especially on long weekend. They have showed at island before, we'd expect them to if they're on the lake.

[puckster_guy]

 

I'm sure the MNR will be all over Kipawa the first month, especially on long weekend. They have showed at island before, we'd expect them to if they're on the lake.

Yup they'll be all over my end of the lake as well. They police the sanctuary every year.

[SgtCrabby]

I'm somewhat confused; 
In the link T-Bone listed, it says the keeper slot size (zone 13) is 32 to 47 cm only, not 37 to 53 cm. 
That seems to me to be a significant difference.

Correct me if I am missing reading it.

[Jay Thomas]

As I understand the main rules, the walleye harvest size limit for Zones 13 West and 13 East is 32 to 47 cm EXCEPT for the following waters. Kipawa Reservoir and lakes are part of the following waters.

While Lakes Ogascanan, Sasseginaga and Kikwissi in ZEC Kipawa have had the 37 to 53 cm harvest size limit since 2012, the new 2016 walleye harvest length limit in all lakes within ZEC Kipawa is 37 to 53 cm.

Jay

[SgtCrabby]

Thank Jay for educating me.   
The regs of last several yea4s for the 3 ZEC lakes have been expanded to the Lac Kipawa watershed.
Now the different numbers make sense.