So Many Ways To Have Fun This Spring
Stocking Atlantic salmon last spring.
Spring is such a wonderful time of the year. The snow starts to melt (even though it’s taking its sweet time), the plants start to grow, the world turns green, the sunshine lasts longer, and most importantly, the lakes and rivers open up to allow more fishing! For us, spring is when we have more time available for fishing, and it’s also the time when we can give back to our fisheries by getting out and volunteering.
When the volunteer event dates started to be posted, we got the calendar out and began planning our next few weekends. We volunteer to give back to the fisheries, but we also do it because we love it. For anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors, helping out with garbage clean-ups, tree planting, or fish stocking, is really just a fun way to spend the day. It’s a great way to make new friends, get some fresh air, and learn about the ecosystems we live in.
Here are a few volunteer and fishing events coming up in the next couple of months:
Bronte Creek Workday – Saturday, April 12, 2014 at Lowville Park in Burlington, ON. Check out Trout Unlimited Canada’s website for more details.
Rattray Marsh Annual Cleanup – Saturday, April 12, 2014 at Rattray Marsh Conservation Area in Mississauga, ON. See Credit Valley Conservation’s website for more details.
Zone 16 Trout Opener! – Saturday, April 26, 2014 in Ontario’s Zone 16. One of the highlights of the year. Time to chase brookies again. Read the regs before you head out.
Orangeville Earth Day Tree Planting – Saturday, April 26, 2014 at two locations in Orangeville, ON. See Credit Valley Conservation for more details.
Black Crappie Fishing Tournament – Saturday, April 26, 2014 at Stoco Lake in Tweed, ON. There are not many crappie tournaments in Ontario and this inaugural event looks like a great one. Wish we could go! See the website for more details.
Community Planting Weekend – Saturday, May 3, 2014 at locations throughout Ontario. Trees Ontario will be hosting tree plantings in places such as Kitchener, Midhurst, and Peterborough. See their website for more details.
Binbrook Crappie Derby – Sunday, May 4, 2014 at Binbrook Conservation Area just outside of Hamilton, ON. Binbrook has some monster crappie (we caught a few of them this past winter), and the crappie derby is always a fun event. Tickets are $20/adult, $5/child under 12. You can buy tickets at the the conservation area or at Fishing World in Hamilton. Check out the Facebook page for more details.
Belfountain Garlic Mustard Pull & BBQ – Saturday, May 24, 2014 at Belfountain Conservation Area in Belfountain, ON. See Credit Valley Conservation for details.
Belwood Lions Pike Derby – Saturday & Sunday, May 24-25, 2014 at Belwood Lake in Belwood, ON. See the website for details.
Atlantic Salmon Stocking – At some point, whenever the water is ready. Usually happens late April. Some of the best fun you can have without a fishing rod in your hand. Follow the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program on Facebook. They will post stocking dates closer to the events.
These are just some of the fun events you can take part in this spring. Visit your local conservation authority’s website to see what might be in your area, and follow organizations like the OFAH, Ontario Streams, and the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest events.
Get out there and have fun!
argosgirl
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A volunteer effort I really want to try someday is to be a sturgeon guard. You volunteer to keep a watch over the lake sturgeon spawning areas in NE Wisconsin. The DNR provides a lunch and you sit in pairs. Maybe next year.
That sounds like a great thing to do. I’d love to hear about it if you ever get the chance.