Connecting Lake Simcoe's Community

By David Hawke -- This month feels so much like a recently completed festival -- coloured leaves are gone, wildflowers have been killed by frost, Thanksgiving and Halloween are over, Indian summer has come and gone, and most of the birds, mammals and insects have either migrated or are hibernating. Nothing left but memories.

          By David Hawke -- Nature’s annual autumn colour party was well done this year, with the local maple trees sporting posh crimsons and oranges, splashed against the more somber yellow cast.

Are you looking for the purr-fect companion?

By David Hawke -- It's just after a rain, and I'm walking along an old logging road, my boots absolutely silent as they press against the wet layers of fallen leaves. Tall poplars line each side of the roadway, their butter-yellow leaves spread thickly on the ground before me. Brambles hang over the trail's edge and clutch at my clothing as I pass by. Occasionally a raspberry thorn catches my attention and then, with exaggerated annoyance, I stop, back up, and disengage it from my sleeve or pant leg.

             By David Hawke -- Although birdwatching is certainly a year-round activity for naturalists,

By David Hawke -- Each spring we (well, okay, my wife Julie) tries to "improve" the looks of the landscape around our home, the most obvious endeavor usually being the flower gardens.

By Sara Taslim, Guest Blogger — Buying local not only helps out local farmers and businesses, but is also healthier for you, the Lake Simcoe community, and the environment.

By Sara Taslim, Guest Blogger

With the development of modern technology, social media plays a major role in real world events, yet it can be very easily misused.

Commentary By Mark Reusser, Vice President,Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Lakehead University has once again received top spot for research in two assessments of Canada’s universities. 

Lake Simcoe anglers have taken the pledge. Read the pledge below, then take it yourself here.

As a responsible and caring ice angler on Lake Simcoe, I PLEDGE:

• To know and follow all the fishing regulations
• To quickly live release all fish with a year-round closed season like cisco (lake herring) and muskie
• To be able to identify fish species found in Lake Simcoe — so that I know which ones have closed seasons and need to be released immediately if caught
• To recognize the value of unclipped “wild” lake trout and lake whitefish
• To voluntarily release extra large fish and keep the smaller ones for a meal or two
• To report any fishing violations to the MNR Tips line – 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667)
• To keep litter and old fishing line from blowing away and to take all of my garbage off the ice with me
• To never waste fish, take only what I need, and to quickly and carefully live release all other fish I catch
• To park responsibly so as to not block driveways or infringe on privacy of local homeowners
• To always show courtesy and have respect for other anglers, local residents, non-anglers and the environment To set up my hut or ice holes at a respectable distance (eg 50-60m) from other anglers and commercial ice hut operations
• To only use a snowmobile, ATV or other vehicle on the ice when I am absolutely convinced conditions are safe, and if I do I will drive responsibly, always thinking about the safety of myself and others
• To take my hut and all of its contents off of the ice by the March 15 deadline
• To become a true ambassador to the sport of ice fishing by promoting this great wholesome outdoor activity to others — especially our future anglers:
• “Today’s young people are tomorrow’s anglers and the future of our sport, so please TAKE A KID ICE FISHING!”                     
• I also PLEDGE to minimize my impact on the environment by:
• Not throwing garbage down the fishing holes
• Not emptying bait buckets with live minnows down the hole
• Using only baitfish caught from the Lake Simcoe watershed (Bait and tackle shops should know where their baitfish originate; so please ask)
• Calling the OFAH/MNR Invading Species Hotline (1-800 563-7711) if I suspect I have caught a species not native to Lake Simcoe. (Please keep the fish for positive identification.)
• Never refueling equipment such as ice augers or snowmobiles while I’m on the ice.
• Sharing this code of conduct and its message of good lake stewardship with others.
• Staying informed about environmental issues facing Lake Simcoe and making every effort to protect and conserve this great fishery for future generations.

LAKE SIMCOE IS MY LAKE AND MY RESPONSIBILITY!