FISH TALES

BLUEWATER ANGLERS NEWSLETTER www.bluewateranglers.com

SPRING 2018

CLUB ACTIVITY CALENDAR For April - July 2018

April 10 General Membership Meeting April 14 Shoreline Clean Up April 21 Club Spring Derby April 27-May 6 Bluewater Anglers 2018 Salmon Derby May 16 Salmon Derby Awards Night May 26 Kids Training Day June 12 General Membership Meeting July 7 Family Fun Fishing Day (Goby Derby)

Pick up a copy of the Listing of Events 2018 at the next General Membership Meeting. Check the Bluewater

Anglers website for current information on upcoming club events at www.bluewateranglers.com/events.html.

APRIL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Tuesday, April 10, 2018 Point Edward Arena & Community Centre

210 Monk Street Doors open at 7:00 PM

Meeting starts at 7:30 PM

AGENDA Hatchery Update

Salmon Derby Update Shoreline Cleanup Spring Club Derby Kids Training Day

Fishing Report Swap Table

GUEST SPEAKER / TOPICS

Dave Boon, Copper Blues Fishing Charters (1) Deep Water Summer Fishing Techniques

(2) In-Line Planner Boards & Releases

2018 BLUEWATER ANGLERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nine directors were elected for the 2018 – 2020 term at the January 10th Bluewater Anglers General Membership Meeting. There are four new directors ... Ryan Clark, Robert Huggett, Tyler Pavli and Tom Watson, and seven returning directors ... John Barneveld, David Bornais, Lou Dallaire, Ed Holubowiz, John Klazinga, Gary Mitchell, and Kevin Thompson. The 2018 Bluewater Anglers Executive was chosen during the January 10th Board of Directors meeting. Ed Holubowicz - President Gary Mitchell - 1st Vice President Ralph Eves - 2nd Vice President Bob Daly - Treasurer Lou Dallaire - Secretary The remaining 2018 Board of Directors and their primary areas of responsibility are ... - Ron Allison (Media Coordinator) - John Barneveld - Ross Bishop (Shoreline Clean Up Coordinator) - Ryan Clark - Al Dezort (In-House Events Coordinator) - Dino Evangelista - Ralph Eves (Membership Coordinator) - Jo-Anne Eves (Membership Coordinator) - Paul Heckley (Newsletter Editor, Salmon Derby Co-Chair, Club Photographer) - Harry Harris - Robert Huggett - Stefan Jackson (Website Coordinator) - John Klazinga (Kids Training Day Coordinator) - Linda Miller (FACEBOOK Coordinator) - Tyler Pavli - Kevin Thompson (Ice Derby & Family Fun Fishing Derby Coordinator) - Frank Turnbull - Jake Van Rooyen (Hatchery Manager, Gov’t Liaison) - Tom Watson

HATCHERY REPORT Spring is coming ... the fish told me so! The Chinook Salmon and Rainbow Trout are starting to jump in their tanks. This is a sure sign that smolting season is starting and with that comes spring. The tanks in the hatchery are filling. At present we have 9 of the 10 tanks in the hatchery full of fish. Chinook Salmon Even with a poor start to the season with a low collection rate we will be stocking a little over 60,000 Chinook fingerlings about the third week of April. There was a minor setback with one of the tanks having to be treated for a gill infection. We were fortunate that the treatment was started early and our losses were only a couple of hundred fish. All is normal now with the fish averaging about 3 grams and that is slightly above last year. We are still targeting to have them above 6 grams by the time they are stocked out. The 7 school hatcheries will all be stocking their fish with ours. Each school will produce between 30 and 35 fish for release. They started with about 50 eyed-up eggs each. Brown Trout We have about 2,800 big Brown Trout to be stocked this spring. They were the smaller fish held over from last November’s stocking and are currently at 60 grams and growing. They should have a strong chance at survival being bigger than bait. The 25,000 Brown Trout eggs received in mid-November are now little fish. We have about 22,000 Browns at 1.2 grams and growing close to 10% a week. They are off to a great start and will be held until next fall. Rainbows Trout We have about 40,000 Rainbow Trout that will be graded in April and the bigger ones released. These fish were at 10 grams when we clipped them in mid- January and are now on average 25 grams. They will fill our last empty tank before we stock them in mid-April. Some of the stocking to the river will be likely delayed until after the Salmon Derby due to water temperature. We should receive a new batch of 50,000 Ganaraskas Rainbow Trout eggs between now and mid-April when the process starts over. It has been a good active year around the hatchery. The facility is in good shape. We have some new volunteers learning the operation and our future looks bright.

Jake

LAMBTON UPLAND GAME BIRD CHAPTER

$1,000 DONATION

The Lambton Upland Game Bird chapter donated $1,000 to the Bluewater Anglers kid’s programs.

Julie Kerr and Mike McGee presented the $1,000 cheque to Ed Holubowicz, Bluewater Anglers President, at the

January 10, 2018 General Membership Meeting.

Two men went out fishing one fine day in a rented boat. They caught an amazing 42 fish. “Let’s come out again tomorrow but be sure to mark this great fishing spot on the lake” said one of the men to the other. The following day, they are on their way to pick up the boat and the same man asks “Did you remember to mark that great fishing spot?” The other man replied, “Yes, I put a massive ‘X’ underneath the boat.”

“You silly fool” said the first guy. “What happens if we are given a different boat today?”

funnyjokesclub.com

HATCHERY OPEN HOUSE Saturday, March 17th & Sunday, March 18th

The Bluewater Anglers’ Fish Culture Station (... hatchery) was a busy place on Saturday, March 17th and Sunday, March 18th. The hatchery was open to the public for our annual Hatchery Open House. It is estimated that 1,000 – 1,200 people took the opportunity to visit and see what we are doing in the big brown building under the bridge. We were happy to see so many young families and kids. It is encouraging to see the level of public interest and support each year.

The winners of the Hatchery Open House draw prizes donated by Feige Denture Clinics were ... #1 - James Smout (downrigger road & reel combo), #2 - Danika Bryce (spinning rod & reel combo), #3 - James Smout (tackle box).

James Smout was the winner of the rain jacket donated by BrokerLink Insurance.

LAMBTON BOWHUNTERS ASSOCIATION

donated $100 to the Bluewater Anglers Kids’ program.

ICE FISHING DERBY Saturday, February 17, 2018

Almost perfect weather and ice conditions set the stage for the 2018 Bluewater Anglers Ice Fishing Derby. It was a very successful event with a record crowd! Three hundred (300) tickets were sold including over 80 kids. Unfortunately, the fishing was slow. Only 26 fish were entered during the morning event (... 7 Pike, 2 Walleye, 1 Brown Trout, 1 Coho Salmon, 1 Rock Bass and 14 Perch). The Ice Derby winners were ... Trout / Salmon Category 1st Place: Dalton Collins with a 5.1 lb. Brown Trout ($225) 2nd Place: Matt Guzy with a 1.3 lb. Coho Salmon ($135) Pike / Walley Category 1st Place: Nick Drizze with a 9.0 lb. Pike ($225). 2nd Place: Scott Dezort with a 6.0 lb. Pike ($135). 3rd Place: Josh Craig with a 3.5 lb. Walleye ($90). Panfish Category 1st Place: Dino Evangelista with an 11 1/8 in. Perch ($225). 2nd Place: Rob Myloyja with an 11 in. Perch ($135) 3rd Place: Harry Harris with a 10 3/8 in. Perch ($90) 4th Place: Kevin Taylor with a 10 ¼ in. Perch ($90) Scott Dezort won the $100 prize for the biggest fish caught by a Bluewater Angler member. Draw Prizes There were several draw prizes for participants 13 and older, and for kids 12 and under. Winners had to be present at the weigh-in. We would like to recognize the following supporters, in no specific order: - The Outdoorsman for selling entry tickets & a generous supply of ice fishing oriented prizes, - Bucks Bait for selling tickets and providing some minnows for the kids, - Tim Horton’s, Exmouth & Front Street (Richard Ponic) for donating several boxes of Timbits, - Lambton Upland Game Bird Chapter and Lambton Bowhunters Association for their cash donations which were partially used to purchase prizes, hot chocolate & other supplies. There was lots of help from members of the Board of Directors and other club members. Special thanks to Jo-Anne Eves and Ed Holubowicz. Thanks for your help folks. Thanks to everybody who came out to participate in this family event. We hope to see everybody again next year!

There was a little village on Sarnia Bay

Two lucky winners - #1 and #3 in the Panfish Category

A large crowd attended the prize presentations

SHORELINE CLEAN UP Saturday, April 14, 2018

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Spring is here ... and it is time to do some spring cleaning. Come down to the hatchery at 9:00 AM on Saturday, April 14th and help clean up the shoreline between downtown Sarnia and the Point Edward treatment plant. Our annual shoreline clean up is one of the ways the Bluewater Anglers try to help improve the fishing experience in our community. Bring your gloves and wear sturdy footwear. We will provide the garbage bags. There will be hotdogs, pop and coffee at the hatchery around 11 AM. We hope to see you on Saturday, April 14th. Bring your family and friends! For further information, contact Ross Bishop (donaldrbishop@hotmail.com or 519-541-9673).

Sarnia Aquarium Society donated $100

to the Bluewater Anglers.

KIDS TRAINING DAY Saturday, May 26, 2018

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

The Bluewater Anglers’ annual Kids Training Day will be held at the Bluewater Anglers’ hatchery in Point Edward on Saturday, May 26, 2018. Club volunteers will show the kids some basic fishing techniques; including rod and reel selection, proper casting techniques, knot tying, fly tying, kayak fishing, boating safety … and more! Each kid will get a chance to catch a fish from the hatchery pond. Bring the whole family … kids, grandkids, great grandkids. Bring a friend or neighbour and their kids too! We hope to see a large turnout.

Our event will be supported by the Kids, Cops & Canadian Tire Fishing Days program. Come and see displays by the OPP & RCMP Marine units, Canadian Coast Guard and Lambton Children's Safety Village. Prizes will be available for the kids. Hotdogs and pop will be available courtesy of the Point Edward Optimists.

Pre-registration is required so we can accommodate as many kids as possible. First preference will be given to children who have not participated in the last 2 years. You can sign up your kids, grandkids or neighbours’ kids (recommended 6 - 12 years of age) by contacting Jo-Anne Eves at 519-383-0873 or r_gary_1217@outlook.com. Registrations will not be accepted before May 12th.

CLUB SPRING DERBY Saturday, April 21, 2018

FISHING START TIME 12:01 am Saturday April 21, 2018

ENTRY FEE / TICKETS / INFORMATION Bluewater Angler Members are free. Just show up. Non-Members need to buy a $10 derby ticket. Tickets will be available at the April 10th General Membership meeting, and at The Outdoorsman and Buck’s Baits until 5:30pm Friday April 20, 2018.

ELIGIBILITY / TEAMS This event is for both boat and shore anglers. Boats - All people fishing must either be a member or have a ticket or the boat will be disqualified. Shore - All shore fishers must be a member or have a ticket.

BOUNDARY Boundaries are the same as those for the Bluewater Anglers Salmon Derby … in the St. Clair River south to the south end of Fawn Island ... in Lake Huron east to the water treatment plant at Grand Bend and north to the trailer park north of Lexington, Michigan.

WEIGH IN Weigh-in is at the hatchery between 2:00 pm-2:30 pm. You must be in line by 2:30 pm or your fish will not be weighed. Limit of one entry per category per person.

ELIGIBLE SPECIES Walleye, Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Lake trout and Chinook, Atlantic (1) and Coho salmon. Please Note: The St. Clair River is Zone 19 and the season is closed for Atlantic salmon all year. Lake Huron is Zone 13 and the season is open for Atlantic salmon all year, within the stated limit of 1 fish.

PRIZES Cash prizes will be awarded for the 5 heaviest eligible fish entered in each category. Shore Category Boat Category First: $100.00 First: $100.00 Second: $75.00 Second: $75.00 Third: $50.00 Third: $50.00 Fourth: $25.00 Fourth: $25.00 Fifth: $25.00 Fifth: $25.00

NOTE: A bonus $100.00 prize will be awarded to the Bluewater Angler member who enters the biggest fish.

A minimum of 5 draw prizes will be made from derby entrants that are present at the weigh in.

BLUEWATER ANGLERS 2017 BUDGET SUMMARY

The following charts provide a high level summary of the Bluewater Anglers 2017 budget. The charts outline our main sources of income and expenses.

The Salmon Derby continues to be the club’s biggest source of income. Despite the terrible weather, the 2017 Salmon Derby was another success and generated a profit of $14,200 vs. $17,400 in 2016. Compared to 2016, ticket sales were down 9.5%, revenues were down 4.3% and expenses down 0.2%.

CN DONATION

$500 to the Bluewater Anglers in recognition of CN retiree John Harris’

volunteer activities with the Bluewater Anglers and the community.

Dr. John Schwab donated $100

to the Bluewater Anglers.

42nd ANNUAL SALMON DERBY

April 27 - May 6, 2018

We are anticipating a great 42nd Annual Salmon Derby. Some exciting spring fishing is just around the corner! Based on the encouraging derby results from the past few years, we are looking forward to some good fishing and another successful derby. The derby format, rules and prize structure are pretty much the same as they were in previous years. The Village of Point Edward continues to be the Salmon Derby corporate sponsor donating the $5,000 cash prize for the largest salmon entered in the derby. Koolatron is our second corporate sponsor again this year. They have donated the 20 Daily Draw prizes plus 10 additional prizes. We are happy to have our regular major Derby sponsors back again this year plus a few new major sponsors. Thanks to all the Salmon Derby sponsors! The generosity of our sponsors is what makes our derby so successful.

2018 SALMON DERBY SPONSORS

Our sponsors are the reason that the Salmon Derby is so successful each year. We appreciate the continued generous support. Please support our sponsors when you make your purchases.

SARNIA BOAT RAMP CONTINGENCY PLANS It is anticipated that the new boat ramps at Sarnia Bay will be completed by the start of the Salmon Derby but the parking will not be completed and paved.

Bridgeview Marina Boat Ramp: Salmon Derby participants fishing out of Sarnia can use the Sarnia Bay ramps, if completed, or the single boat ramp at Bridgeview Marina. The Bridgeview boat ramp is located at Bridgeview Marina at the end of Venetian Boulevard across from Purdy’s Fisheries. Vehicles & trailers can park on the grass in front of Purdy’s Fisheries.

Derby Participant Dockage at Bridgeview Marina: In an effort to ease traffic & congestion at the Sarnia Bay boat ramp until all construction is completed, Bridgeview Marina will provide dockage for all 2018 Salmon Derby participants during the 10 day derby. Boats will be docked in the secure 100 – 800 dock area located beside the Holiday Inn Golf Course. Boat trailer can be stored in this area during the derby. Bridgeview Marina will provide

stacking for anglers who do not want to leave their boat in the water during the derby. The cost is $100 for the 10 day derby or $15 a day. The gas docks at Bridgeview Marina will be open during the Salmon Derby. Contact Bridgeview Marina (1-800-265-0330 or 519-337-3888) to get your free dock for the Salmon Derby.

Sarnia Weigh Station: Due to the ongoing construction around Sarnia Bay and the decision to dock boats at Bridgeview Marina, it has been decided to move the Sarnia weigh station from Sarnia Bay Marina to the Bridgeview Marina parking lot on Venetian Boulevard for the 2018 Salmon Derby. The parking lot is located beside Venetian Village. The weighs station hours will be the same as usual (NOON – 8:00 PM daily except NOON – 3:00 PM on Sunday, March 6th).

More information will be available at the April 10th

Bluewater Anglers General Membership Meeting, and the Bluewater Anglers website www.bluewateranglers.com).

JUST A REMINDER - NEW CANADIAN BORDER CROSSING RULES

The reporting requirements for private boaters entering or re-entering Canadian waters from the USA have changed effective mid-June 2017. Canadian and USA boaters no longer need to report to the CBSA if they meet the reporting exemptions detailed below.

Reporting Exemptions If you are visiting Canada, you are not required to report to the CBSA if you: - do not land on Canadian soil, - do not anchor, moor or make contact with another Conveyance while in Canadian waters, and - do not embark or disembark any people or goods while in Canada.

If you are returning to Canada, you are not required to report to the CBSA if you: - did not land outside Canada, - did not anchor, moor or make contact with another Conveyance while outside of Canadian waters, and - did not embark or disembark any people or goods while outside Canada.

The Canadian requirements are now consistent with the USA requirements. Recreational boaters and anglers can now cross the international border into Canadian or USA waters without having to register first with Canada or USA Customs officials.

BLUEWATER ANGLERS AND OFAH MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

The Bluewater Anglers are an affiliated club of the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters (OFAH). Membership in the Bluewater Anglers includes membership in Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters (OFAH) since all members of an affiliated club must also be members of OFAH (www.ofah.org). Members can choose between a “basic” OFAH membership which includes the personal insurance and OFAH benefits but not the Ontario Out of Doors (OOD) magazine or the “full” OFAH membership which includes the personal insurance and OFAH benefits plus the Ontario Out of Doors (OOD) magazine. If you have a current Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters (OFAH) membership through another club or organization, then you only need to pay for your regular Bluewater Anglers membership.

Complete the form below to become a Bluewater Anglers member or to renew your current membership. More information about membership benefits can be found at www.bluewateranglers.com/membership.html and www.ofah.org. Contact Ralph or Jo-Anne Eves (519-383-0873 or r_gary_1217@outlook.com) for more information.

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