Cow Lake Derby

[sheepguide]

Originally Posted by pope

Natural rainbows?? I think this was a trout stocked lake for years before some goof tossed in some perch.

Sorry should have said stocked! And then winter killed and was then turned into what it is now.

[Dust1n]

ya last year F&W said the rainbows are fished out very fast

[sheepguide]

Here is a little history on Cow Lake.

Watershed Unit ES2
Clearwater Area Fisheries Management
Cow Lake’s Fishery:
Successes and Struggles
Cow Lake, south west of Rocky Mountain House historically contained suckers and minnows. In the 1950s, rainbow trout were periodically stocked to create a fishery. Survival and growth of these fish was dependant on overwintering success. On one occasion during the 1980s, trout survived three consecutive winters, growing to sizes exceeding 75 cm (30 in) and 7 kg (15 lb), bringing anglers from long distances.
Around 1990, yellow perch were illegally introduced in the lake by someone. After 1995, rainbow trout stocking was reduced to a small number of large retired brood fish each year, due to competition with perch for food. There were larger perch caught initially, but the average size has since declined because of too many perch.
The illegal introduction of perch into trout lakes is a very serious problem in Alberta. As with Cow Lake, it can result in the loss of a high profile trout fishery and the associated economic returns.
Options for removing perch from Cow Lake were explored and the use of a fish toxicant was considered, but was found to be cost prohibitive at over One Million Dollars. As well, the physical features of the lake and groundwater inflows would probably have made this option ineffective.
The days of Cow Lake as a destination trout fishery are gone. Fish & Wildlife’s next best option was to introduce northern pike to diversify the fishery by producing large pike and to bring the perch population to a healthier condition. In the spring of 2006, 300 pike were transferred into Cow Lake, and a regulation of one pike over 100 cm was put in effect to protect and help establish the new pike population and to create a trophy fishery.
The pike population is off to a good start! In 2008, Fisheries staff confirmed pike reproduction in Cow Lake. Many anglers have also reported catching larger pike,. However, recently, there have been some anglers that have been caught by Fish & Wildlife Officers with undersized pike in their possession. We need your help to protect this developing pike population. If you see any angler keeping illegal sized pike (under 100 cm in total length) at Cow Lake, or know details of illegal perch introductions, please call the Report a Poacher Hot Line at 1-800-642-3800, anytime.
For more information about the Cow Lake fishery or other fisheries in the RMH area, call Fisheries Management at (403) 845-8230.


SG

[smitty9]

SG:

Thanks for the copy and paste! Learned something new (thought it always had pike previously).

Here's hoping with proper management and enforcement, the hope for a trophy pike fishery turns into a reality.

Wouldn't be a bad thing for that to happen...flyfishing for 20+ lb pike in that shallow slough!

Smitty

[sheepguide]

Originally Posted by smitty9

SG:

Thanks for the copy and paste! Learned something new (thought it always had pike previously).

Here's hoping with proper management and enforcement, the hope for a trophy pike fishery turns into a reality.

Wouldn't be a bad thing for that to happen...flyfishing for 20+ lb pike in that shallow slough!

Smitty

No problem. Seemed that a few others didnt know what the lake was previous either so thought it would be a good read for them. been a great lake to me. Been fishing it for around 30 years now.
SG

[Tabrnack]

What a horrible mistake they made introducing pike..
K so there's a lack of walleye in alberta...walleye eat small perch...
Pike are in nearly every waterbody in alberta,it's why we call them slew sharks,
pike eat EVERYTHING..small trout/big trout,small/big perch,theyll eat each other if they get a chance

Cow lake was a real perch destination a few years back...
one of the only perch spots around, unless you want to drive to edmonton or farther north

Shouldnt be much longer till its all their is ,pike, filthy things.

i dont think they gave it much thought at all.
Why not walleye??

[smitty9]

Tabrnack:

Wow - you've really got a thing against pike. No matter.

They picked pike because I assume Cow Lake has far better spawning habitat for pike over walleye. Very few "just" walleye-perch lakes occur naturally (anyone know of one in Alberta). Usually, if walleye are present, so are pike. Anyways, to answer your question, stocking walleye would be a waste of money, because of the continual need to stock them. Whereas pike, stock once, twice, maybe three years, and then you're done; natural recruitment takes over. (Aside from winterkills, naturally).

Your comment about perch fishing displays your ignorance of fisheries management. With no pike, sure you can still have a perch fishery.

If you like catching 200, 4" perch per day.

You need a predator to thin them out. Perch fishing in terms of sizes and overall aquatic ecosystemic balance should improve because of the pike.

As the article says, the days of Cow Lake being a trophy trout lake are over. As long as the perch bucket brigade in the province wrecks trout stillwater fisheries and gets away with it, you'll never see a lake the size and potential of Cow ever be used as a trout fishery again. (with the limited exception of using it as a dump for old, tired brood stock).

Better off trying to lobby, convince, and work with the native group down at Chief Hector to restore that lake to its former glory.

Smitty

[Tabrnack]

first off ya got me wrong, i like pike ..i fish pike everywhere!
Sometimes i'd like to just get perch, so hate me

then ya go assuming more stuff on why they picked pike..!.. of course it was cheaper and faster..

3)Very few "just" walleye-perch lakes occur naturally (anyone know of one in Alberta)
everybody jump in now...anybody know of a naturally occurring stocked trout pond...what a rhetorical comment.. we're talkin about STOCKING fish my friend.

i'm not ignorant..i suggested a predator.. you ignored that.

And who's trying lobby what?did i try to convince you of something??

Tellin ya i like a Perch spot,..and wouldnt mind keep some walleye too!
TabrnacK

[Dust1n]

i like a perch spot too but aftr they put n pike they have slowed the perch down alot i wish it was kept a trophy trout lake.i like perch