What species of Quality Fisheries part 3

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by JohninAB

Disappointing to see so much time and effort on stocking potholes with trout.

What about a quality walleye stocking program?

culturing walleye is much more difficult than culturing trout.

how would you feel about a C&R quality walleye fishery?

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

culturing walleye is much more difficult than culturing trout.

how would you feel about a C&R quality walleye fishery?

Isn't that what we have , unless you want to buy your walleye I mean get in on the walleye draw .

You have to go way north or way south to keep enough walleye to feed your family , it's pretty sad that keeping a couple walleye has to be treated like taking a moose .

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I think you missed the mark on what you think quality is Dave, or maybe I did. How many lakes in Alberta average rainbows of 15 or 16 in. BH does, lots of them. I'm sure there's 30 in trout in there as well but I'm not convinced anyone is going to catch them. There is a lot of pressure and a lot of fish C&R, they get smarter as they get bigger. How many lakes at Wab. latitude and south average the weight that Wab. fish average? None.

I don't think the peak weight is the prize, average weight is, and no lakes that are not hard to access can touch the average size of special fisheries.

I did not want to play the kid's line, but I heard an awful lot of I've got one and it's a big one. Trust me when I say there were a LOT of very happy kids at BH. I think I'm safe in saying they'd rather catch 15" trout than 8" trout. Come down some time, it's a treat, lots of northern anglers agree.

Agree, well said.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

culturing walleye is much more difficult than culturing trout.

how would you feel about a C&R quality walleye fishery?

Many, if not most/all walleye fisheries would likely already fall in that category.

[Redfrog]

The 'bucket brigade always target perch, yet perch were noy offered in the poll. ODD.

[JohninAB]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

culturing walleye is much more difficult than culturing trout.

how would you feel about a C&R quality walleye fishery?

I am C+R 99% of the time so some good C+R walleye lakes be great.

By good I mean bigger walleyes with some shoulders on them.

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

Many, if not most/all walleye fisheries would likely already fall in that category.

If that is the case, should they not therefore be quality fisheries?

[pikergolf]

In case your interested John, the south has some very nice walleye caught in the fall, they come from the rivers though. If you are looking for a 10lb wall mount, SSR in the fall, put your time in, and it will happen.

I imagine the NSR would be the same.

Lakes in Ab. get pounded, to many people not enough lakes, that in itself means we need to be regulated to death. That is just the way it is, sadly.

[338Bluff]

what I find interesting is that several lakes in Central Alberta contain 'quality' trout yet no one takes the initiative to experiment with technique to catch them. You don't have to travel 4 hours to fish Bullshead or Beaver for 20 inch trout. They are for sure good fisheries but they can be over-loved if you get my meaning.

Spend the time and gas money and you will be rewarded. How many big trout do you need to catch in a day anyways? I'm happy with a couple. Over catching and releasing is just as bad as over fishing in my books. Some days I even struggle with that concept, its hard to stop when its on.

In many cases just ban bait and drop the retention to 3 fish over 30 centimeters on all stocked waters and we would have some very good trout fishing IMHO.

TTFN

[EZM]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

culturing walleye is much more difficult than culturing trout.

how would you feel about a C&R quality walleye fishery?

I don't disagree with that statement in general, as it applies to our resources and facilities and expertise here in Alberta.

I think a lesson from the NCRAC, who are leaders in the effective and efficient aquaculture of Walleye might be in order for us up here in Alberta.

Problem is, once again, how do we pay for it ?.......

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by EZM

I don't disagree with that statement in general, as it applies to our resources and facilities and expertise here in Alberta.

I think a lesson from the NCRAC, who are leaders in the effective and efficient aquaculture of Walleye might be in order for us up here in Alberta.

Problem is, once again, how do we pay for it ?.......

Very easily the easiest way is catch and release, it is also cost effective. But and it's a big but, we want our fish and eat them too.

Far to many fishermen for the amount of lakes. I would like to see a good number of lakes go to C&R as they are relatively cheap to maintain, then have some lakes managed extensively for food. You could spent most of the stocking budget on the food lakes.

The other thing I'd like to see is the province champion the Lake White Fish, probably the most under used game fish in Ab. Run a summer tournament series or something. They don't need stocking, fun and mostly easy to catch and good to eat, the southern Res. are packed with them. WWW wins all around!!

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I think you missed the mark on what you think quality is Dave, or maybe I did. How many lakes in Alberta average rainbows of 15 or 16 in. BH does, lots of them. I'm sure there's 30 in trout in there as well but I'm not convinced anyone is going to catch them. There is a lot of pressure and a lot of fish C&R, they get smarter as they get bigger. How many lakes at Wab. latitude and south average the weight that Wab. fish average? None.

I don't think the peak weight is the prize, average weight is, and no lakes that are not hard to access can touch the average size of special fisheries.

I did not want to play the kid's line, but I heard an awful lot of I've got one and it's a big one. Trust me when I say there were a LOT of very happy kids at BH. I think I'm safe in saying they'd rather catch 15" trout than 8" trout. Come down some time, it's a treat, lots of northern anglers agree.

I don't know much about what the fishing is like down south but I'm pretty sure that there are big trout in Kananaskis......oh, isn't that another one that recently got a bait ban put on it because.....? I can think of 4 trout lakes right offhand within 100kms of where I'm sitting right now that I average 15 or 16" trout in. If I go a little farther out I can include Dolberg and MacLeod and I can drive right up to the shore of them. I can drive 3kms to the Morinville Rez and catch 18" trout for goodness sakes.

I'm not much of a pike fisherman but I can head out to Lac Lanonne and catch a monster and/or keep up to 3 over 63cm to eat if I want to. Although there's no keep of pike in Lac Ste Anne, I've seen monsters caught but it's not all the rage like Wab is for some reason. What about Gull, there are no big pike in there.....or just too hard to catch? Why are trophies being caught in Newell if there are no big pike in there?

The creation of these "quality" and C&R waters has absolutely nothing to do with the enjoyment of kids. They are created by grown men for grown men. If you want to see kids having fun fishing just go to Nakamun some weekend during the winter. Kids just like to go out and catch fish and they are just as happy catching a 10" perch on Nakamun as they are a 16" trout on Bullshead. Catching big fish is a grown up thing not a kid thing and you are only fooling yourself.

Anyone from the Edmonton area that would drive to BH to catch big trout simply does not know what he has in his own backyard. I wonder if they'd drive right by the Glenmore Rez to get there.

Anyway, according to "SRD/Quality Stocked Fisheries in Alberta 2011 Update and Status", Boehlke’s lake, Goldspring Park Pond, Tyrrell Lake, and New Dayton Rod and Gun Club Pond down south are on the chopping block to become "quality" fisheries. I'm sure that the kids in those areas will be very happy to give up their icefishing so they can catch big fish on a fly in the summer.

[pikergolf]

The creation of these "quality" and C&R waters has absolutely nothing to do with the enjoyment of kids. They are created by grown men for grown men. If you want to see kids having fun fishing just go to Nakamun some weekend during the winter. Kids just like to go out and catch fish and they are just as happy catching a 10" perch on Nakamun as they are a 16" trout on Bullshead. Catching big fish is a grown up thing not a kid thing and you are only fooling yourself.

I used to believe that Dave, but I've raised a couple and watched a lot this summer, not even close to true. Go ask a kid if he'd rather catch a 10" perch or a 16" trout. Catching nice fish is an everyone deal.

Newell is in trouble which is why the new reg's were brought in.

I am having a tough time with the claim of trout averaging 15" in a non protected water, how are you defining that? When I say 15" in BH I mean 90% of the fish are over 15". Not sure where you live but that may be playing into it as well. How many of these fish do you catch in a day?

I've fished down here a lot, I was out of it for around 10 yrs and when I came back it was to BH. What an eye opener, no more wading through a dozen dinks to get a 12' keeper. Lots of pressure here Dave, and not keeping fish is a very small price to pay for the quality that is BH. A lot of people seem to agree, look at where the people go.

None of the lakes you mentioned are near Med. Hat, wish they were, but we only have 5 trout lakes within a day trip and one of them is loaded with suckers. Funny how kids aren't lined up there catching them, nice campground that's always full with families right there.

This province is getting full, the technology is there that it's not just a small handful catching fish anymore and our resources can't stand the heat.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

culturing walleye is much more difficult than culturing trout.

how would you feel about a C&R quality walleye fishery?

C&R walleye is almost like an oxymoron. They are generaly caught using unexciting methods, the fight is that of a large stick, and bringing them up from the depths they often frequent hurts them. If I couldnt eat walleye I wouldnt fish for them, it just doesnt make any sense.

I'm all for quality fishing but I would rather eat small walleye than feed big ones to the seagulls.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

The creation of these "quality" and C&R waters has absolutely nothing to do with the enjoyment of kids. They are created by grown men for grown men. If you want to see kids having fun fishing just go to Nakamun some weekend during the winter. Kids just like to go out and catch fish and they are just as happy catching a 10" perch on Nakamun as they are a 16" trout on Bullshead. Catching big fish is a grown up thing not a kid thing and you are only fooling yourself.

I used to believe that Dave, but I've raised a couple and watched a lot this summer, not even close to true. Go ask a kid if he'd rather catch a 10" perch or a 16" trout. Catching nice fish is an everyone deal.

Newell is in trouble which is why the new reg's were brought in.

I am having a tough time with the claim of trout averaging 15" in a non protected water, how are you defining that? When I say 15" in BH I mean 90% of the fish are over 15". Not sure where you live but that may be playing into it as well. How many of these fish do you catch in a day?

I've fished down here a lot, I was out of it for around 10 yrs and when I came back it was to BH. What an eye opener, no more wading through a dozen dinks to get a 12' keeper. Lots of pressure here Dave, and not keeping fish is a very small price to pay for the quality that is BH. A lot of people seem to agree, look at where the people go.

None of the lakes you mentioned are near Med. Hat, wish they were, but we only have 5 trout lakes within a day trip and one of them is loaded with suckers. Funny how kids aren't lined up there catching them, nice campground that's always full with families right there.

This province is getting full, the technology is there that it's not just a small handful catching fish anymore and our resources can't stand the heat.

Totally agree! My observations are kids like big fish too and prefer them!

[goldscud]

Big triploid rainbows in Glenmore are escapees from a fish farm. They'll soon be all dead

[Gust]

Originally Posted by goldscud

Big triploid rainbows in Glenmore are escapees from a fish farm. They'll soon be all dead

How long have they been escaping for?

[trainerdave]

Were those from allens trout springs? Did not know they were still out there...

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by Cal

C&R walleye is almost like an oxymoron. They are generaly caught using unexciting methods, the fight is that of a large stick, and bringing them up from the depths they often frequent hurts them. If I couldnt eat walleye I wouldnt fish for them, it just doesnt make any sense.

I'm all for quality fishing but I would rather eat small walleye than feed big ones to the seagulls.

x2

Originally Posted by goldscud

Big triploid rainbows in Glenmore are escapees from a fish farm. They'll soon be all dead

nothin but hammer handle pike in glenmore

[grinr]

Originally Posted by JohninAB

Disappointing to see so much time and effort on stocking potholes with trout.

What about a quality walleye stocking program?

I would hardly say that put&take management of trout by stocking potholes for bait chuckn meat mongers and kids with bobbers is anything close to what I'd consider a quality trout fishery.
And what do you consider "quality walleye"?Lots or big ones?Or lotsa big ones?

Originally Posted by Cal

C&R walleye is almost like an oxymoron. They are generaly caught using unexciting methods, the fight is that of a large stick, and bringing them up from the depths they often frequent hurts them. If I couldnt eat walleye I wouldnt fish for them, it just doesnt make any sense.
I'm all for quality fishing but I would rather eat small walleye than feed big ones to the seagulls.

X2,what's the point of C&R walleye?The biggest specimens fight like a rubber boot at best,so again,how do you define a "quality" walleye fishery?Lots of fish and generous bag limits?Slot restrictions so one can catch a good feed with the potential for a trophy while protecting the brood stock?They're great to eat but nowhere near "sporty" enough to deserve 100% C&R status.....borrrrring.

[trooper]

When someone invents a way to catch and release deer, then I'll catch and release my trout.. I fish to eat. that's what fishing was invented for.