Quote:
Originally Posted by fly Guy
i also have always wondered why we can not stock more perch. I think it is important to remember that rainbows are not native. We put alot of work into bull trout and cutts, but for some reason perch are not as important. I fish lake mcgregor alot, and would love there to be more perch in this lake.
the gov't seems to spend alot of money on stocking rainbows in put and take ponds. I wonder how many of these fish die in these ponds over the winter????
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There are plenty of perch in Mcgregor, spend some time hunting them.
Sundancefisher, you are on the ball with this one. It is obvious you know what you're talking. Other users, are just not listening. I like what you stated about the false information being provided to other anglers that do not know. If we keep going the way we're going, Alberta's Fisheries have a decade left... if that.
Major things need to happen. First off, we need more enforcement. Alot more. What is it going to take for the government to invest in our fisheries? and wildlife? Cut some spending elsewhere and give back to the province?
The way I see it, as already stated, you can not have a long-term, solid, perch fishery constantly producing big perch without proper management. There are a few key things; One of the big ones is balance. You need predators, ample food sources, etc.
Cow Lake is an excellent exmaple.
1982. The government of Alberta was annually stocking low numbers of about 5" rainbows. We were catching rainbows over 24 inches constantly on our flyrods. As Don Andersen stated, this lake did and still can produce rainbows of expodatious sizes.
Some moron dumped perch into the lake, and, although it was an excellent trophy rainbow AND trophy perch fishery, this was not for the long-term. The perch soon began reproducing and more perch meant more food was required. The competition really started for the trout. As perch school up, it is often easier for them to find food and gorge. This gave them the upper hand, along with the fact that they can spawn in the lake. Soon the perch numbers were significantly higher than the trout numbers and it began to take its toll. The trout became and still are non-existent (except for brood stocks which aren't true trout).
Ok, fast forward to 1994. We are catching limits of decent perch, lots of fish from 8 to 12 inches and perch over a pound and a half weren't uncommon. Trout are nowhere to be found.
1998, we're catching more perch, but SLOWLY noticing a decrease in the size.
Over the next 10 years I have carefully watched this fishery progress to it's current state, which is ridiculous. Now it is just like this lake in Calgary that is being mentioned. 4" perch, one after the other, all day. There is the very odd bigger one but they are far and few between. Now nobody keeps them, and as Sundancefisher so thoroughly explained, the perch are stunted. This is because there is not a sufficient amount of food for perch to grow anymore. It is a natural thing for perch to stunt. This has already been clarified.
So now this lake is at a fork in the road. The thing I like is that the government has acknowledged the perch issue and has began to do something about it (stocking pike and making a limit of 1 fish over 40"). As long as the government continues to keep a watch on the pike and regularly checks on the lake to see if the pike are doing anything, growing, etc. this lake may just be salvageable. I am curious to see how this lake will be in 10-15 years, theoretically there could be some large northerns consistently being taken, and with the perch numbers under control there may be room and ample food for perch to grow big again.
As a flyfisher and a conservation-minded person, I know I'm not the only one, I would personally like to see this lake scrapped altogether and started from scratch. It is going to take years for the lake to come back as a big trout producer but it could, assuming nobody stocks perch again.
People are ignorant and think they are doing alberta a favour by creating "multi-species fisheries" when in fact they are hurting it, it is all because they are not aware of the facts and science behind it.
Cow Lake isn't the only one in the Rocky Mtn House area now as a former trout lake with perch. Now Twin Lakes has them in it, and I have heard rumours that there may be perch in Struble and Mitchell Lakes. Let's hope not.
all the rainbows gone
you can catch northerns anywhere
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