We had this creature show up in our campsite on our last trip.  Nothing we could do to keep the beast out of our food, either hanging or stashing worked; nearly ate us out of house and home.  Fortunately he paddled a canoe pretty well and carried stuff on the portage okay.

starwatcher

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Worthy quarry indeed!

It's not a fish, so you don't need a fishing liscence. But since everything is regulated these days, it wouldn't surprise me if you needed some kind of permit...

No seasons or size limits that I'm aware of, but they won't fit in any canoe.

Do you need a fishing license?  What is the season and are there any size limits?

Westwood

Okay, there musta been one off my campsite, one night.  It was breaching, and I heard it slapping the water all night.  got up red-eyed and shakey!

Grappling hooks make good trebles for catching a 'humper.

They feed on mature sturgeon, beaver, or, sometimes, in the spring, moose calves learning to swim alongside mama.  Personally, I don't mess with them anymore... at least not since the incident.  If you happen to get one on the line, best to have a club handy (36" X 2", minimum) and pop them between the eyes; they generally release.  Keep your hands away from their teeth & dorsal barbs & you should be OK.  Heavy-duty leather gloves serve better than rubber.  If you hook a big one, cut your losses immediately by cutting the line.  Don't mess with it unless you are in a vessel larger than 20' & are reasonably close to shore.  Snap a picture, if you can.  They are almost as rare as Sasquatch.  If you are a masochist, bait your hook with beaver and troll that northern bay of Sturgeon Lake, not but 200 meters offshore from the portage into Ram Lake.

Good luck!

Jimbo  

They are beasts of the larger lakes in Q. They seldom surface, hence they are not widely known, nor is their danger appreciated. But, when they do surface, they have been known to upset or swamp canoes, endangering the paddlers, who have been known to be tasty hors doevers for these beasts. I once broke my favorite paddle defending myself from attack with a sharp blow to the snout. They seem to be especially sensitive there, as the piercing screams haunted me and my party all through the night.

Off track just a bit, but what are "pollyhumpers?"  I know what 'mini-bears' are, but never heard of pollyhumpers...   Ray T.

PhantomJug wrote on Feb 7^th, 2010 at 6:13pm:


So you want to catch bass?? (Quetico Carp)?? That's too easy... Just pitch anything with a hook.

I would prefer knowing how to avoid catching those pests. After all, they are non-native alien invasives.