Fisheries
Welcome to Fisheries
The TLCA-SD, is dedicated to promoting sustainable fishing practices and preserving our aquatic ecosystems. Explore our initiatives, learn about local fish species, and discover how you can get involved in protecting our waters.
We’re working on some very exciting initiatives in fisheries for 2025 so be sure to check out the Bulletin as well as our new online newsletter, The Trout Lake Times.
Trout Lake is classified as oligotrophic i.e. cold water lake and, as the name suggests, is inhabited by lake trout. Other common fish are small and largemouth bass, muskellunge, pickerel, northern pike, rock bass and perch.
Be sure to check local fishing regulations, as there may be specific guidelines regarding sizes and limits for different species. With its scenic views and abundant fishing opportunities, this lake is a perfect destination for both novice and experienced anglers. Don't forget to bring your fishing gear, and consider trying out different bait options, such as live minnows or artificial lures, to increase your chances of landing a trophy fish!"
See ya on the water!!
Release of Fingerlings
In 2023, in partnership with the MNRF, the association released 10,000 fingerlings into the lake. For those unfamiliar, a fry refers to a newly hatched fish approximately the size of a natural fingernail. After about 30 to 60 days, these fry develop into fingerlings, reaching a length comparable to that of a human index finger. Although the effort and expense associated with fingerlings is significantly greater, their survival rate once introduced into our lake is markedly higher than that of fry.
TLCA - Catch & Release Program 2024
The results are in for the inaugural Catch ’n’ Release
We received many submissions from both seasoned & rookie anglers alike. Submissions from anglers with grey hair & anglers with baby teeth! Unfortunately, but not all that surprising, there were no submissions for Lake Trout or Pickerel. Those are difficult species to catch in our lake and adding to that difficultly was the contest being held in August. Thank you to those who submitted entries! Please see below for results. Grand Prize Draw Winner : Marika Dupuis (Romo family) wins a youth Hoodie.
Ontario Fishing Regulations
2025 Ontario Fishing Regulations – effective Jan. 1, 2025 ( Trout Lake is located in Zone 15)
This publication outlines rules, seasons, and limits to promote sustainable fishing, ensuring the protection of aquatic ecosystems and species diversity.”
Watersheds Canada
How to Engage Community in a Lake Plan – A process based on Mississippi Lake Planning. This Project was funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation
This web page provides an overview of Ontario’s fisheries regulations. It includes information on recreational fishing licenses, open seasons, catch limits, and up-to-date regulations for each Fisheries Management Zone. The guide is updated annually and is effective from January 1, 2025 It also highlights recent changes, such as the new rules for the lower Ganaraska River in Port Hope, where no fishing is allowed from September 1 to October 14.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) helps to ensure healthy and sustainable aquatic ecosystems through habitat protection and sound science. We support economic growth in the marine and fisheries sectors, and innovation in areas such as aquaculture and biotechnology.
Here's something you might find interesting....
An iconic Canadian survivor': Researchers want to know how this little fish survives in our deepest, coldest lakes
The deepwater sculpin is not an attractive fish by any conventional standard. You won’t find it hanging on a plaque or landing a feature role in a Disney movie.
What you might say about the bottom-dweller is that it’s a survivor, having managed to eke out an existence at the bottom of Canada’s deepest and coldest lakes since the last ice age.
Researchers at U of T Scarborough are now sequencing its entire genome to see how this seemingly unremarkable fish has been able to adapt to such extreme environments.
“It’s an iconic Canadian survivor,” says Nathan Lovejoy, a professor in the department of biology whose lab is doing the genetics research on the sculpin thanks to a grant from the CanSeq150 initiative.
“Here you have this small, humble fish that has been able to survive in these really tough habitats — and we don’t know much about it, especially how it’s been able to adapt over time.”
Deepwater sculpins live almost exclusively in lakes with depths greater than 35 metres and temperatures colder than 8 C. Its range extends from the Laurentian Great Lakes and the Gatineau region of Quebec northwest through the deepest lakes of Ontario, Manitoba andSaskatchewan to Great Slave and Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories.
Physically it is relatively long and flat, with two small black eyes that sit on top of its head. Full grown adults are small, usually between 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) long and weigh less than 25g (less than one ounce).
Despite its unexceptional appearance, it plays an important role in the Great Lakes food chain, connecting the tiny crustaceans and aquatic insects it feeds on to the lake trout and larger predatory fish that prey on the sculpin.
At the same time, Lovejoy says because it lives at such deep depths it remains an understudied fish, with relatively little known about its biology and genetics.
Deepwater Sculpin – more information
