Wabamun walleye Tags

[-JR-]

I heard they are going to release only class C tags for walleye at Wabamun Lake.
I hope this is not true ,as we need them to get much bigger.
May be in 5 more years for them to get big before this happens .

What they need to do is release thousands of minnows in our lakes for them to feed on .

[Smoky buck]

I was really hoping that real effort to thin walleye and a move towards management for a quality pike fishery. Alberta doesn’t need more crap runt walleye fishing

As for tags I will never contribute to the system cannot stand the system

The stocking of forage fish I would be 100% on board for though

[Talking moose]

Isn’t that what 99.9% of the fish in there are? C

[HuyFishin]

not sure if waiting another is the answer. I think they reproduce quick and they are just fighting for forage and food.

I think it needs a healthy balance of removing some smaller walleye and letting the larger ones have the forage to continue reproducing. I would be game for letting people just keep a small walleye without a tag system.

But that's just my opinion and I aint no marine biologist.

[dave99]

Originally Posted by -JR-

I heard they are going to release only class C tags for walleye at Wabamun Lake.
I hope this is not true ,as we need them to get much bigger.
May be in 5 more years for them to get big before this happens .

What they need to do is release thousands of minnows in our lakes for them to feed on .

I am not a biologist, but if this rumor is true, then I suspect that the AIM is to thin out the walleye in a controlled fashion as to allow some to reach larger size. This would further achieve a broader spectrum of walleye age classes, and might benefit the struggling pike by having fewer total walleye in the lake.

Achieving a trophy walleye fishery by dumping a bunch of bait into the lake seems a bit off the wall to me.

Just my two cents.


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[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Isn’t that what 99.9% of the fish in there are? C

Exactly
If the bulk of your population is in that range
Target that range for harvest 🤷*♂️

[OL_JR]

If they do I guess it will only be for one year, according to info posted on Alberta Relm 2021 is the last year that class c tags will be available.

Don't fish Wabamum at all so don't have to much to offer other than I think tags or something similar have their place for waterbodies that are close to big urban populations and see a lot of pressure.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by OL_JR

If they do I guess it will only be for one year, according to info posted on Alberta Relm 2021 is the last year that class c tags will be available.

Don't fish Wabamum at all so don't have to much to offer other than I think tags or something similar have their place for waterbodies that are close to big urban populations and see a lot of pressure.

That would make sense.

Rumour for now though as they proposed a number of changes at the info sessions.

Also for those that do not like the physical aspect of the tags they are also considering changes there - not sure how soon though. e.g. Reporting by app rather than a paper sticker on a wire.

[JohninAB]

Yes, last year for a Class C walleye tag draw. After this year they will be a first come first serve like undersubscribed tags. Also after this year can only keep 2 in the Class B and Class C categories. 2 class C walleyes, laughable. Said from the consultation process people wanted more fisherman getting tags.

Definitely not my comment. I wanted less licenses and more tags per license. Which is what the biologists wanted way back when this started. Politicians overruled them.

[calgarygringo]

Actually dumping in a load of bait is not an off the wall idea. They have been doing this concept on trials at several northern walleye lakes in the U.S. for several years now. From some of the reports I have read it is making a huge difference. Not as many starved and undersized walleyes for their age and more recruitment since they are maturing sooner. A lot cheaper and cost efficient than stocking walleyes that never grow.

Originally Posted by dave99

I am not a biologist, but if this rumor is true, then I suspect that the AIM is to thin out the walleye in a controlled fashion as to allow some to reach larger size. This would further achieve a broader spectrum of walleye age classes, and might benefit the struggling pike by having fewer total walleye in the lake.

Achieving a trophy walleye fishery by dumping a bunch of bait into the lake seems a bit off the wall to me.

Just my two cents.


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[-JR-]

Originally Posted by calgarygringo

Actually dumping in a load of bait is not an off the wall idea. They have been doing this concept on trials at several northern walleye lakes in the U.S. for several years now. From some of the reports I have read it is making a huge difference. Not as many starved and undersized walleyes for their age and more recruitment since they are maturing sooner. A lot cheaper and cost efficient than stocking walleyes that never grow.

Thank you .

[dave99]

Originally Posted by calgarygringo

Actually dumping in a load of bait is not an off the wall idea. They have been doing this concept on trials at several northern walleye lakes in the U.S. for several years now. From some of the reports I have read it is making a huge difference. Not as many starved and undersized walleyes for their age and more recruitment since they are maturing sooner. A lot cheaper and cost efficient than stocking walleyes that never grow.

That is good to know that there is precedent for dumping bait into lakes, at least in other jurisdictions.

This may draw some ire, but my concerns with this would be potential for disease transmission as well as the loss of the perception of a natural fishery.

Personally, I would rather catch fewer fish knowing that the lake is being kept in a RELATIVELY natural state than more fish out of an lake whose numbers are being artificially buoyed by input of bait.

This is just my take on it, and I realize others will have different views.


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[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by dave99

That is good to know that there is precedent for dumping bait into lakes, at least in other jurisdictions.

This may draw some ire, but my concerns with this would be potential for disease transmission as well as the loss of the perception of a natural fishery.

Personally, I would rather catch fewer fish knowing that the lake is being kept in a RELATIVELY natural state than more fish out of an lake whose numbers are being artificially buoyed by input of bait.

This is just my take on it, and I realize others will have different views.


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Unfortunately balance of forage has been thrown out of wack by over stocking already so it’s either cull a large number of predators or stock forage

It would take a long time for forage to recover even if there was a large predator cull. For this reason I see benefits to stocking forage

[dave99]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Unfortunately balance of forage has been thrown out of wack by over stocking already so it’s either cull a large number of predators or stock forage

It would take a long time for forage to recover even if there was a large predator cull. For this reason I see benefits to stocking forage

You make a good point Smoky, in that the forage is so slim that the biomass is far too predator-heavy.

As an armchair biologist I would knock back the walleye by implementing a tag system with retention, as well as a few years of adding forage to try to re-establish balance.

As a long term solution, dumping forage into any lake seems like a poor way to go. But if it helps restore balance more quickly, I am all for.

Fun discussion...


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[-JR-]

Just found it on line .
Wabamun walleye tags ,class C only .
Pigeon lake ,class c tags were removed .
https://mywildalberta.ca/buy-licence...-licences.aspx

[Alberta Bigbore]

Walleyes in wabamun are like rats. They have eaten all the baitfish, and now feed on whitefish fry. . Fill the coolers.

[-JR-]

They should just have an open season for them ,and no tags.
Just once a week like a Wednesday

[AK47]

I am just wondering what would happen if nobody would buy a single tag?

[Worm]

Now that class c is only good for 2 tags there could be less interest. Not worth it for myself.

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