EAGLE LAKE, ON — In a bold move to protect one of North America’s premier musky fisheries, Eagle Lake resorts and conservation partners are urging anglers to voluntarily avoid using Forward Facing Sonar (FFS) when targeting muskies. New signage posted at public boat accesses and local fishing resorts highlights growing concerns over the impact of advanced electronics on fish health and long-term sustainability.
Eagle Lake’s musky fishery is sustained entirely by natural reproduction and decades of careful catch-and-release practices. However, recent advancements in sonar technology—particularly FFS—are changing the way anglers locate and catch fish. The ability to scan and target individual muskies in real time has raised red flags among local guides, resort owners, and conservation groups.
“FFS allows anglers to sharp shoot deep-water muskies with unprecedented precision and effectiveness,” says Cal Ritchie, local private fishing guide and longtime advocate for protecting Eagle
Lake’s musky population.
“That repeated targeting and handling, especially of large fish, leads to increased stress, delayed mortality, and potential long-term impacts on the lake’s size structure and trophy potential.”
The new signage outlines best practices for responsible musky angling, including avoiding fish deeper than 25 feet, limiting air exposure, and using proper release tools. The message is clear: Protect the resource now, or risk losing what makes Eagle Lake special.
“Anglers who come to Eagle Lake value wild fish and a wilderness experience,” says Gord Bastable Vermilion Bay lodge owner.
“This is about maintaining the spirit of musky fishing and ensuring future generations can experience it too. Drone hunting is technology that went too far in the hunting world. In my opinion FFS has crossed the same line and we have to take a stand to protect this incredible fishery. By the time science can prove what we can easily predict, that it is not a good thing for our ecosystem… it will be too late.”
“We had heard several guides and experienced anglers who had extensively used FFS say that this is not good for the musky population. They could see this technology has crossed a line.”, said Charlene Snow, general manager of Eagle Lake Island Lodge.
“As a fishing lodge, we have nothing without a healthy fishery. As a resident who lives on this lake, how can we not be stewards and want the best for our Canadian waters.”
The campaign is a voluntary, community-led effort supported by Eagle Lake resorts, local businesses, conservation-minded guides, and concerned anglers. While not a regulation, the initiative reflects a growing movement to ensure that evolving technology doesn’t outpace the ethics that sustain our fisheries.
