Kokanee Stocking in Ab

[I’d rather be outdoors]

Another forum member and I were debating the merit of Kokanee stocking in Alberta. Simply gauging interest on the question of:

Would you support a pilot stocking program for Kokanee in Ab?

Yes/No

This keeps it simple.

[newguy]

Yes.

[stob]

Yes

[I’d rather be outdoors]

You don’t have to directly respond in the thread. Can use the voting options/button to stay anonymous if you wish.

[deschambault]

I am not in favor of introducing more invasive species into Alberta. I also can't think of a decent kokanee spot (at least in southern AB). If they are determined to add fish, my preference would be smallmouth bass in either Crawling Valley or Newell but we are likely better off without any further additions.

[Frank_NK28]

I'd bet we could grow some real good Largemouth Bass in southern waters that have been invaded by Prussian Carp. Largemouth would grow big and fat on those puppies!

[goku88]

Originally Posted by Frank_NK28

I'd bet we could grow some real good Largemouth Bass in southern waters that have been invaded by Prussian Carp. Largemouth would grow big and fat on those puppies!

i like the way you think. stock them in water thats lost cause, cheaper than trying to kill carp.only thing is someone will try to eat once bass gets big...then complain nobody warned them not safe for dining

[Frank_NK28]

Originally Posted by goku88

i like the way you think. stock them in water thats lost cause, cheaper than trying to kill carp.only thing is someone will try to eat once bass gets big...then complain nobody warned them not safe for dining

Why would they not be safe for dining?
I've eaten plenty of largemouth bass when I lived in northern ontario and imo they were far better eating than walleye. I'd love to see a couple decent bass fisheries in AB. It might actually convince me to buy an AB fishing license and fish AB waters.

[Lornce]

Kokanee needs a few things to thrive, many of which do not exist in most Alberta waters, test stocking programs have proved that. They feed exclusively on large quantities of zooplankton, tiny aquatic animals from the size of a pinhead to the size of a small fish and mysid shrimp, pure water quality, and distinct water temperature.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Lornce

Kokanee needs a few things to thrive, many of which do not exist in most Alberta waters, test stocking programs have proved that. They feed exclusively on large quantities of zooplankton, tiny aquatic animals from the size of a pinhead to the size of a small fish and mysid shrimp, pure water quality, and distinct water temperature.

Yup and this is why I am a No

[Marty S]

Montana actually stocked prey species in the past to feed the desireables. Bring in the shrimps! Can just regularly stock like we do rainbows and others, doesn’t necessarily have to self sustain. A little nicer thing to bring home than some dirty catfish

Lets do bass again, maybe a little further south this time. Shes a different world now to discover with these carps everywhere and going bsllistic. We might even havecto start stocking pike down south if the carps eat all the spawn. Im all for diverse-ness… 8” rainbows very boring

[BuckCuller]

I would like to see if Kokanee would be plausible in many lakes that support Lake trout such as Waterton, Abraham and Lake Minnewanka.
At the very least it would be a good source of forage fish for lakers and at best make a viable put and take fishery.
Stocked Kokanee are not an invasive species.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Marty S

Montana actually stocked prey species in the past to feed the desireables. Bring in the shrimps! Can just regularly stock like we do rainbows and others, doesn’t necessarily have to self sustain. A little nicer thing to bring home than some dirty catfish

Lets do bass again, maybe a little further south this time. Shes a different world now to discover with these carps everywhere and going bsllistic. We might even havecto start stocking pike down south if the carps eat all the spawn. Im all for diverse-ness… 8” rainbows very boring

All for stocking prey species and would be open to species that would be better suited for Alberta’s conditions

When it comes to Kokanee I am not going to debate it anymore and just say research what they need diet wise, water quality, oxygen demands, and temps. This will explain the issues of even attempting a put & take tripliod Kokanee fishery in Alberta. They are more demanding than trout

Sometimes want and worthwhile don’t match but that isn’t what people like hearing

But really we can all dream

How about some Murray cod instead

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Marty S

Montana actually stocked prey species in the past to feed the desireables. Bring in the shrimps! Can just regularly stock like we do rainbows and others, doesn’t necessarily have to self sustain. A little nicer thing to bring home than some dirty catfish

Lets do bass again, maybe a little further south this time. Shes a different world now to discover with these carps everywhere and going bsllistic. We might even havecto start stocking pike down south if the carps eat all the spawn. Im all for diverse-ness… 8” rainbows very boring

And in Montana the brown trout are in decline in multiple blue ribbon fisheries. They’ve found where bucket biologists have relocated bass and are fighting to keep them from spreading. They implement no limits and all fish of X species must be killed and turned into FWP. I’d love to have pike and walleye in my local lake but I understand the bigger picture and the effect it would have on native fish. In general bad things tend to happen when you start moving species from one area to another they weren’t meant to be in. Just look what’s happened with wild hogs, Prussian carp, zebra and quagga muscles, Eurasian milfoil, Curley leaf pondweed, rag weed etc..” they’re called invasive species for a reason.

[I’d rather be outdoors]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

And in Montana the brown trout are in decline in multiple blue ribbon fisheries. They’ve found where bucket biologists have relocated bass and are fighting to keep them from spreading. They implement no limits and all fish of X species must be killed and turned into FWP. I’d love to have pike and walleye in my local lake but I understand the bigger picture and the effect it would have on native fish. In general bad things tend to happen when you start moving species from one area to another they weren’t meant to be in. Just look what’s happened with wild hogs, Prussian carp, zebra and quagga muscles, Eurasian milfoil, Curley leaf pondweed, rag weed etc..” they’re called invasive species for a reason.

Maybe little known fact, but brown trout aren’t native to the bow. Most will agree that bucket stocking is bad (& illegal). Also, a lot of mountain lakes were barren prior to stocking. Not to go too philosophical, but how would the introduction of Kokes to the province upset “the balance” or it it just a fear that it might?

[tallieho]

No Lot of testing has been done on stocking them here.K counrty lakes,you would have to get rid of trans alta drawdowns.Food specific also.

[goku88]

Originally Posted by Frank_NK28

Why would they not be safe for dining?
I've eaten plenty of largemouth bass when I lived in northern ontario and imo they were far better eating than walleye. I'd love to see a couple decent bass fisheries in AB. It might actually convince me to buy an AB fishing license and fish AB waters.

depends which waterbody you eat from.frank lake near high river is wast water for meat plant.blood indian water so dirty now. natures of carp they borough everything up.used to be decent clean water. if from bow or red deer river safe. it was suggested stock in lost cause water body...

[Marty S]

Sounds like the Bow, Oldman, South Saskatchewan, Red Deer, and probly North Saskatchewan River drainages are fast all becoming lost causes to the carp. Dams arent even going to contain these things for long if at all due to birds spreading carp eggs. Might as well think proactively on fish stocking these areas, and in the irrigation start trying to revover the high value gamefish that get sucked out of the lakes daily and poisoned off with regular magnicide treatments in the canals. The loss of fish to this is ASTRONOMICAL!!!

[EZM]

I'd love to have Kokanee in Alberta, but the reality is what many have mentioned above .... not many suitable deep, clear and cold lakes that are suitable for these Kokanee and fewer less where an introduction could disrupt the native species here.

I love Kokanee - but we can all dream.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by Marty S

Montana actually stocked prey species in the past to feed the desireables. Bring in the shrimps! Can just regularly stock like we do rainbows and others, doesn’t necessarily have to self sustain. A little nicer thing to bring home than some dirty catfish

Lets do bass again, maybe a little further south this time. Shes a different world now to discover with these carps everywhere and going bsllistic. We might even havecto start stocking pike down south if the carps eat all the spawn. Im all for diverse-ness… 8” rainbows very boring

They made that same mistake in BC, and Montana. The thought was to just bring in shrimp and the kokanee would have a great food source. Long story short was the mysis shrimp ended up competing for the same food as the kokanee and basically collapsed the population on more than a few lakes. While trying to fix that screw up Okanagan lake has a boat that goes out at night when the shrimp come up close to the surface and nets them to try and help restore the kokanee population. That same boat actually sank while shrimp netting a little over a week ago when a freak wind storm blew up during the evening.

[I’d rather be outdoors]

Pretty solid majority :-). There are waters that would support them too. Think fear of competition with native species (which are mostly C&R) are what’s holding this back. Nothing wrong with wanting kokes in ab waters.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by I’d rather be outdoors

Pretty solid majority :-). There are waters that would support them too. Think fear of competition with native species (which are mostly C&R) are what’s holding this back. Nothing wrong with wanting kokes in ab waters.

Looks like you have some lobbying to do

Good luck