THE OMNR - Muskies Canada Angler Log Program

For going on 30 years now, the Muskies Canada Log Program has been a core initiative of the club that shows a long term commitment and partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) in the management of the muskellunge fishery in Ontario. The data collected is a valuable management tool for monitoring the health and sustainability of the fishery within the province. The value of the Log Program transcends provincial boundaries though and the data can prove invaluable for future management options in other provinces within the range of the muskellunge.

In recognition of this very successful initiative, the Fisheries Section of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has co-sponsored the production of a customized, high quality, weather resistant angler log book. The format was developed over several years by Michael Butler (Trent University), in consultation with Steve Kerr (Senior Fisheries Biologist with OMNR and custodian of our muskellunge angler log data).

Participation in the Log Program shows the commitment and responsibility of Muskies Canada members in managing, conserving and protecting our fishery. Catch per Unit Effort (CUE) can be used to monitor trends in local fisheries. As a general rule, information collected becomes more valuable over time. With the current spread of VHS (viral hemorrhage Septicemia) through Ontario, the data collected through the log program is being used to assess impacts of the virus on waters such as the St. Lawrence River, Niagara River and Lake St. Clair.

Participation rates in the program have varied from year to year; however, the trend continues to show an increase in log submissions . Log sheet submissions in 2008 totaled 1901, down slightly from a record 2025 in 2008. Totals in recent years included 1428 in 2006, 1364 in 2005 and 1759 in 2004We encourage all release directors to promote participation at the chapter level so that we can aim to set a new record of angler submissions.

Release Awards Program

At the national level, the Release Awards program recognizes the achievements of club members. Recognition includes a pin commemorating your 1st, 10th, 25th, 50th, 100th and 200th release, and certificates acknowledging the release of 50"+ and 54" plus muskies. Pins are also issued recognizing your 50 inch and 54 inch releases. Individual big fish are also recognized in our Big Fish awards.

Rod and Reel Draw

Each year at the Board of Directors meeting, a draw is held for a rod and reel. All that is required to participate is the submission of your log sheets. For every month (up to a maximum of 7) that you submit log pages, your name will be entered into the draw - increasing your participation will increase your chances of winning!

The winner of the 2008 rod and reel draw was Hamilton Chapter member Bruno Biancucci. A nice reward for the few minutes Bruno took to record his results after each fishing trip. As always, the big winner will be the OMNR biologists who will make use of the data to enhance their under standing of the fishery and ensure its continued health. Are you ready to win the 2009 Rod and Reel? Contact your Chapter Release Director at any time and plan on submitting your pages to qualify for next years draw to be held at the 2010 MCI Board of Directors Meeting.

Of course, if this is not incentive enough, remember that participation in the log program provides an opportunity for each Muskies Canada member to give something back to the fishery and promote the stewardship and long-term sustainability of the resource.

Where do I get a Log Book?

Angler log books and log sheets can be obtained from your chapter's release director at your monthly chapter meeting. If you are unable to attend chapter meetings but would like to obtain a log binder, please email our National Research Director Davin Heinbuck for further information.

How to Participate

Filling out the log sheets is a quick and easy task and should be done immediately following your day on the water. When log sheets are completed, they should be given to your Release Director to forward the data through MCI's National Research Director and onto the OMNR. Members should be aware that the data collected by Muskies Canada is confidential and submissions to the OMNR do not contain personal information; only the information on waterbody, angling hours, number and length of fish caught is submitted to the OMNR for reporting.

Option One: Anglers may choose only to complete the portion within the box enclosing the Ontario logo on the page (plus fish health notes) - This OMNR-required data is very basic - angler name, date, water body, total hours fished, size of fish caught (submit record even if no fish were caught), presence of lampreys or disease.

Option Two: For members wishing to create a rich chronicle of their days on the water, they may choose to fill out the rest of the page. Many top muskie anglers have discovered the importance of this kind of record for patterning fish across water types and seasons. This detailed fishing information is for individual use only and will not be compiled by the Release Directors or the OMNR.

Any lesions, signs of injury, scars, parasites or other evidence that could indicate poor fish health should be noted in the logs.
All days, regardless of whether a fish is caught or not need to be recorded in the logs. This will ensure that the CUE of that waterbody better reflects the conditions experienced.

If requested on the log sheet, the Release Director will promptly return the log sheets to the member after the data has been recorded. Fishing logs make great winter reading but even better, by keeping a fishing log you may develop more effective strategies on the water. Top tournament pros and veteran recreational anglers increasingly acknowledge the importance of "logging" their outings.

Take Your Log Book Fishing!

In any given year only a minority of our total membership has contributed to the monitoring of our fishery! Clearly there's much room for improvement. For this to happen, it is important not only to acquire the binder (from a Release Director), but also to take the book with you in the boat so that the details of the day can be recorded while they're still fresh in your memory.

Spreadsheet Template

If you are currently out of log sheets, this spread sheet template will provide a substitute log sheet until which time the waterproof replacement sheets can be obtained. Click here for Excel format Spreadsheet

or

The MNR has been kind enough to develop a new PDF Angler Diary. Please download it, fill it out, then email it to your chapter release director, or Davin Heinbuck

→ Download English Angler Log Diary PDF Form

→ Download French Angler Log Diary PDF Form

Parting Words

For more information on the Log Program, please speak to you chapter's Release Director at a future chapter meeting about how you can get involved in the protection and management of this valuable resource. Please note by accepting a log book, you are agreeing to participate in the collection and submission of basic catch data. Additional refill pages will not be provided to members who do not submit their data.