The Bruce Peninsula Sportsmen’s Association (BPSA) made history releasing the largest fish ever produced by the club’s hatchery. The brown trout averaged 76 grams or .165 pounds. Some others were nearly nine inches long.
Another milestone … this was the first time this conservation group stocked fish through the ice !!
BPSA President Kevin Harders said, “It was very exciting as the water temperatures worked out great for transferring the fish from our hatchery. It was another successful stocking of the brown trout that are fin clipped for identification purposes. Clipping helps identify a hatchery-raised fish when it is caught.  Our organization has worked hard for 60 years maintaining fish stocking in the waters of Colpoy’s Bay. This is just another highlight and its what our club is all about – conservation.”
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters past president Rob Hare was impressed, “… great job – keep up this fantastic work.”
Due to circumstances related to COVID, BPSA had extra space at its hatchery. This allowed the club’s volunteers to keep the brown trout longer than usual and grow the fish to reach record sizes.
The 200 member BPSA was established in the sixties to “preserve and enhance fish and wildlife.” BPSA boasts the longest operating volunteer-run fish hatchery in Ontario.  Since then, the community group has stocked more than four million rainbow and brown trout and salmon in Southwest Georgian Bay. One tourism study credited the clubâs efforts with pumping $18-million into the regional economy.
As Ontario moves to more normal times, this Wiarton based club is slowly resuming its usual schedule. It will soon release dates for the annual SPRING KIDS FISHING DERBY and the 2nd annual LuresNLines SPRING DERBY, which last year raised $5,000 to support the BPSA hatchery.
The Club belongs to the 40-member Ontario Community Hatchery Program (CHP) which is funded by the province and operated by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. Many of the costs of the fish stocking program are covered by the CHP.
BPSA is more than fish stocking however. It also has an active youth and adult archery program, a busy handgun club, firearms training classes, tree planting and the invasive species awareness program. Its hoped that many of these activities will resume this year including open houses and the annual major fund-raising PORK AND BEEF BARBECUE.
The BPSA annual general meeting is slated for 7:00 p.m. Thursday March 31st at the clubhouse at 611 North Acres Rd. in south Bruce Peninsula. Some Director positions are now vacant and, if anyone wishes to step forward, contact bpsportsmen@gmail.com. “We guarantee that you will find what we are up to very interesting.”
This year BPSA celebrates SIXTY YEARS OF SERVICE to the Grey-Bruce community.
For more information, newsletters and updates, visit:Â www.bpsportsmen.com .
