no live wells on Lac Seul?

[bailey]

Is it true that you can't have live wells on Lac Seul? I notice in Onaway Lodge info that they say none of their boats have live wells and guests are asked to bring coolers for the fish they catch in the boat due to fishing regulations of the only live fish on the lake can be bait. I haven't heard this before. Can someone fill me in on the details and how do coolers work for keeping daily limits of fish?

[rebelrn2001]

Basically you can't have any 'live' fish in your boat. You just convert your livewell into a 'deadwell'. Ice only, the fish must be dead. They don't want people culling their fish. You can have a boat w/a livewell but you don't want the fish living in it.

[Matches]

If you really think about it, it makes sense. Make the decision when you catch the fish. Kill it or let it go. Throw it on the ice I say! Culling Fish may only get you into trouble. There's eyes out there you know, (and they wear hats)!

[alanexpup]

Hi. when we were up there the lodge supplied the cooler free and all the ice you needed free to put the fish on ice with. this is great when you have to buy ice otherwise at some lodges at 2 bucks a bag.

[bailey]

Thanks for the info, that explains it. Does one cooler do it for 2- person boat?

[dclhomes]

1 cooler better do it! You only need 2 eyes per person to eat per day. We just break their necks and throw in the well.

[larrym]

Is this a regulation for most Ontario Lakes, not just Lac seul? I was thinking it was. If so, most of us should be converting the live well to a cooler although I never see that being done.

[Mickey]

I too am wondering if this "rule" covers all Ontario lakes? What about U.S./Canadian border lakes like Rainy? My brother and I were on a Quetico canoe trip(no ice available in the backcountry) and we were checked by wardens from Canada & MN who were in a motorboat and even though we had a couple of walleyes on a stringer for our shorelunch(still alive) neither of the wardens said anything except "if you get a couple more, can we join you?":-) Maybe the rule was different 3 yrs ago? If someone is caught with "live fish" in their livewell what is the fine?

[bailey]

It is definitely not a rule on Eagle Lake. We have fished there for years and used live wells in the boats. I didn't mean to sound greedy asking if 1 cooler would do it, you are right, most of the time you are just catching to eat that day until the last day when you are thinking of bringing some home. The rule just caught me by surprise when I read it; I assumed live wells were fine all over Ontario. We have a fish culling law in Iowa also (I think it is statewide but could be wrong) , it is illegal to cull fish here however no laws against live wells.

[dclhomes]

I too was surprised to hear about having to have to kill your fish! I know most lakes up there don't have this rule. It's not a no livewell law, just must kill anything you keep. Was only kidding about the amount of fish you keep, needing only one cooler. I've been to Lac Seul twice now and am amazed at this fisherie. There's nowhere near any pressure, but lets keep it that way, although I seriously feel there are so many fish I'm afraid they would run out of feed. Maybe that's way every other eye I caught and teeth marks in it!!! Dennis

[Hump]

I have never heard of any other lake that this applies to. I like it. I was told that the walleye taste better becvause they aren't stressed. I'm not sure of that, but I thought they filleted better.

[bailey]

What if I happen to catch that trophy I've been wanting since I was 12, to hang on my wall? Will it fit in the cooler? (I know, before anyone jumps all over me, I may catch and release and I would consider a replica) It says in the Onaway info that they allow one trophy for mounting, but I would hope it's too big for the cooler.

[bailey]

I was reading recently about some tests they did on Walleyes that were kept in live wells during tournaments (i.e. mortality rates) . After lots of study they concluded that, yes, the fish are stressed when kept in live wells. (they measured blood levels of certain chemicals) I could have told them that. The did say walleyes suffered more stress than bass, if I remember correctly. did anyone else read this?

[IaCraig]

Sounds OK to me. Putting fish on Ice is a great way to keep them fresh. For years my dad has used a cooler with ice because if a fish is hooked deep and it dies it will keep better on ice thabn a livewell. Personally everywhere I have fished a live well is legal, so I use it because I prefer not to fill up my boat's floor space with a cooler.

IaCraig

[Dud]

Put your pointer finger and your middle finger in the gills, and your thumb on top of the head, snap upward to kill the walleye. Throw into cooler with ice.

If you don't have ice accessible, bring frozen milkjugs from home, that'll work fine too.

[Destroyer]

Want an answer to your question? Let the pig go and get a replica....simple as that! What would ever make you want to keep the fish in this day and age of replicas? Would you rather look up at that fish on your wall in 10 years and tell your kids, "Yup little bobby, thats the beast right there that i pulled in, it was a great fight and then i bonked it and got it stuffed" or would you rather tell him that its a replica and that you heard from locals that the fish is still swimming around and is now 5 pounds heavier and waiting for someone else to catch"
A trophy Walleye on Seul (30" or better)is more than 25 years old, respect its age and ability to not get killed by something and make the right decision.

D

[Dud]

Way to throw your opinion on him man, that'll accomplish a lot....way to go.

[NWO Fishing Bum]

That's right, it will! Throwing your opinion out there is exactly what these forums are for.

[bailey]

Thanks everyone for the info.

[ben dover jr]

Its really dreadful when sites like this have opinions that are different.......way to go "dud" for standing your ground and protecting our right to mediocrity. :7