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Posts: 28
| In reading my way through Bill Hamblin's "120 days", he made reference to the fact that he learned from a Canadian warden that you were not allowed to fish for muskie if you did not possess a Sportfishing license vs a Conservation license.
That was news to me as well. I attempted to find it in the Canadian fishing regulations, but became frustrated trying to find what I was looking for. Can anyone confirm that this is the case? Was debating which license to buy when we go up this summer and I always thought a Conservation license just didn't allow you to keep a muskie, but that you could still fish for them, but Bill's book states that he learned otherwise.
Thanks for any info! |
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Posts: 624
Location: S.W. WI | I did hear from a bait store that sold me a license one year that in fact "you are not to target muskies with a conservation license" I then heard from many people not to worry.
Edited by Rudedog 2/22/2016 12:48 PM
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Location: Eastern Ontario | This is something I posted on the Muskies Canada Form a week or so ago and you are not getting the entire thread.
So i phoned the MNR today and was told you can definitely target muskies on a Conservation License but you must immediately release all fish regardless of size.Immediate is at the discretion of the CO. I have been told by a enforcement supervisor that no one is going to be charged for a quick picture but you won't likely find a CO to say that out loud, and you would be leaving yourself at the mercy of a CO who's just been chewed out by his boss. In respect of releasing legal or illegal muskies of any size dead or alive would be governed by your license and the water body your fishing. If you had a 53 inch die on you on the Larry you would have to release it to the turtles this would prevent the unscrupulous from ripping the gills and claiming it died.. No fish is wasted turtles have to eat too.
I was told by a friend the only time he has charged anyone for a picture the guy took the fish ashore looking for a camera. Technically 80% of the pictures taken on the Larry are Illegal.
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Location: Eastern Ontario | And how would anyone prove you were targeting muskies and not pike or anything else.
Years ago I made a few lures and i was testing and tuning off the town dock prior to the opening of the muskie season.
Along comes a CO who I knew well.
The conversation went
CO ...Musky are out of season
ME....I'm fishing for rainbow trout
CO....No rainbows in here
Me...What the hell do I know that explains why i haven't caught any |
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Posts: 1220
| I think this is just misunderstood. I bought the conservation licence and ONLY fished for musky to release. In fact, I just returned the Ontario survey they sent and said exactly that back to them, that I was fishing a week, only fishing for musky, got 12, and released them all. These people; the wardens, the border officials, Canadian cops (in fact, our cops too) all get made out to be far more unfriendly than they are. In fact, most people who stop me or even talk to me, mostly just want to know about St. Croix Rods from all the stickers on my car and boat, or tell me about their brother-in-law who got a 63 incher--just like everybody else you meet. I could see maybe Mich being meaner than most, but that's it! |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | Been checked many times over the years by CO's with only a Conservation License with no problems. Most trophy waters in Ontario have a 54" size limit on them. Even if you have the full license all fish under 54" are to be immediately released. It's not often I catch a 54" or bigger fish so I buy the Conservation license. I wouldn't take 20 pictures of a fish if a CO was watching, He may not like that! Doug Johnson |
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Posts: 540
Location: Leech Lake, Walker MN | That's it D.J well said ! |
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Posts: 10
| Through all of this discussion there is only one fact I am certain of. The MNR and their on water officers need to get on the same page. The one I dealt with was adamant you could not target muskie with a conservation license and he wasn't friendly about it. This particular officer was located on the lower French. |
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Posts: 95
| In my experience I agree with what Doug Johnson said as the norm on LOTW. Although during the PMTT on Detroit river some years back the Canadians were not happy about the tournament crossing into their waters and I was told by some of the other contestants that they were threatening people that taking the fish into the boat for a picture was possession and to release the fish immediately or face the consequence. Ever since this experience I have decided to not leave the law open for interpretation to an officer having a bad day and I always buy the sport fishing license. |
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Canadian License Sportfishing vs Conservation Clarification