Freshwater Fisheries in Canada: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Resources and Their Management

Chapter 19: Perspectives from Retired Canadian Freshwater Fish and Fisheries Professionals

F. William H. Beamish, Richard J. Beamish, Lynda D. Corkum, Pierre Dumont, Charles K. Minns, and Geoff Power

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781934874707.ch19

When Dick and I were young, our father took us on hikes in the countryside around Toronto every Sunday after church. This seems to be the shared experience that affected our career choices. Catching fishes from local rivers with “homemade” nets fashioned from a “coat hanger” and worn out “nylons” from our mother undoubtedly helped. Whenever possible, we went after “real” fish; Dick was the better fisher. This meant trying to catch trout, bass, or pickerel. Yellow Perch Perca flavescens, despite their delicious flavor and abundance, were not a species for which one got “bragging points;” other fishes were not favored for the creel or table.