Did you know that Steenburg Lake is one of two lakes within a 10km radius regularly stocked with fish by the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry (MNR)?

According to the MNR, Steenburg Lake was last stocked in the spring of 2024 with 6,000 yearling splake. Nearby Robinson Lake received 264 yearling Lake Trout.

Seventy-eight percent of the annual stocking effort happens in spring. There are an estimated 5.7 million fish making their way to over 1,000 waterbodies across the province this spring.

When it comes to transportation to remote locations, helicopters play a big role, stocking more than 800,000 fish into over 600 lakes. Additionally, over 1.2 million fish are stocked by boat, with a focus on lake trout rehabilitation programs.

MNR stocking trucks travel over 230,000 kilometers each year, delivering 200 tonnes of fish. That's like circling the earth 5.75 times! From the Great Lakes to inland lakes, these fish will help continue to enrich our waters for Ontario's anglers and aid in further supporting the province's thriving waterbodies.

Learn more about Ontario's fish stocking program.

SOURCE: MNR

by Rick Burke
Last year I decided to make some new Loon nesting platforms that were more durable and that would actually float. Some plans were found on-line from Minnesota, so I contacted them to get further details and understanding of their experience with these.

The new platforms required some expensive pipes for the frame and Kris Landon came through by providing this. Kris and his Dad Bill Landon delivered it to the lake last spring and Bill Landon, James Conquer (Landon/Conquer/Sanderson cottage) and I helped assemble the new platform bases which was no easy task.

The new platforms stayed at our cottage until this spring where my wife Diane and I completed the remainder of the assembly.

Once ready, we had to get them down to the water and deployed to an appropriate spot. Dale Taylor and his wife Sandy, along with Diane and I carried them down to the water, loaded them on Dale and Sandy’s boat and positioned them for the Loons. Nesting materials were added to the top of the platforms as well.

This all happened before my deadline of May 1st. This process took many hours of work and couldn’t have happened without those involved. A big thank you to Kris Landon for his very generous donation, and to Bill Landon, James Conquer, Dale Taylor, Sandy Lang and Diane for all their hard work to make this project a reality.

We are hopeful that these platforms work and assist with the hazards of fluctuating water levels and monstrous boat wakes, but know that it may take a few years until the loons discover them and are comfortable nesting on them.

We are renting them out for $1500/month for any interested loon couple.....