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Old 01-20-2018, 11:00 AM
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Sundancefisher Sundancefisher is offline
 
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Default Official Lake Sundance Calgary Perch fishing bonking club

I keep fielding posts and questions on Lake Sundance. There are also other members on the forum from the community.

Lake Facts:
  • There are 9 man made lake communities with sport fishing options. Bonavista, Bonaventure, Arbour, Chaparral, Sundance, Midnapore, McKenzie, Auburn, Heritage.
  • Lake Sundance was constructed in 1980 and consists of a 33 acre (13.2 hectare) man made lake and a 22 acre (8.9 hectare) park.
  • As the lake is manmade there is no inlet or outlet stream with no chance of emigration or immigration of fishes.
  • The lake has become more eutrophic over the years with an increase in nutrients coming from both man made fertilizers from lawn run off and a
  • lso birds such as Canada Geese.
  • There is open water fishing for about 7-8 months (April –November) of the year and ice fishing for approximately 2 months (January –Feb) of the year.
  • Ice came off the lake on April 30, 2009 and April 7, 2010, April 23, 2013, April 24, 2014, March 31, 2015, March 28, 2016, April 20, 2017.
  • Lake froze over November 19, 2010, November 16, 2011, November 15, 2012, November 14, 2014, and November 26, 2016
  • Lake Sundance has an average depth of about 22 feet or 6.7 meters and has no natural inflow or outflow or natural springs.
  • Water levels are controlled and topped off yearly if required using a water well drilled in 2011 or city water. Prior to that, water was only purchased from the City of Calgary.
  • Summer activities on the lake include boating, swimming and fishing. Winter activities include skating, fishing and cross country skiing.
  • Off lake activities include skating and tobogganing in the winter and beach activities, playground activities, tennis, basketball, road hockey and picnics in the summer.
  • The volume of water in this lake would be approximately 800,000 m3 to 830,000 m3 depending upon the water level and time of year.
  • Currently we have rainbow trout as well as brown trout, brook trout and grass carp which are all currently catch and release.
  • There are illegally introduced yellow perch in the lake which have stunted due to over population. As these perch out compete our stocked trout for natural food we strongly encourage everyone to catch as many as possible. All caught perch must be killed. Brown trout and brook trout will eat small perch whereas rainbow trout will not. Grass carp feed on the aquatic plants
  • in the lake.
  • Community Facts:
  • Lake Sundance falls within the Sundance Lake Community boundary sandwiched on the west by MacLeod Trail and the east by Fish Creek Provincial Park. The north boundary is Midnapore community and the south is highway 22 X.
  • Lake Sundance sits at an elevation of 3411 ft above sea level and the coordinates at the center of the lake is approximately 50o 54 ‘ 05.74” N by 114o 02’ 2.30” W (Google Earth, 2007).

Residents can bring up to guests in to fish at a time. I and others have brought in many guests over the years. Fun times sitting on the ice bonking perch and casting in the summer for trout. Many times I personally just head out to fish...way better than watching fishing on TV. If interested...PM a local resident.

I and others will post fishing updates here as to what is happen fish wise. What is biting. What they are biting on. Hopefully other residents will also chime in with their updates.

Cheers

Sun
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Old 01-20-2018, 11:19 AM
The Spank The Spank is offline
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I can recall fishing rainbows in one of the community man made lakes in the summer of ‘81 as a guest of a friend. I just can’t recall which?
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Old 01-20-2018, 12:05 PM
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Originally Posted by The Spank View Post
I can recall fishing rainbows in one of the community man made lakes in the summer of ‘81 as a guest of a friend. I just can’t recall which?
bonavista was the first. Likely there. Was there houses all around the lake? 1994 was when the last lake home state in Sundance were built.
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Old 01-20-2018, 12:12 PM
The Spank The Spank is offline
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Yes there was and if I recall some kind of a community centre or complex? It was a long time ago. I was 17, memory is a bit dim. Working that summer in Calgary is a bit of a blurr from cramming so much into such a short span of time. Lol
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Old 01-20-2018, 12:28 PM
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Yes there was and if I recall some kind of a community centre or complex? It was a long time ago. I was 17, memory is a bit dim. Working that summer in Calgary is a bit of a blurr from cramming so much into such a short span of time. Lol
Must of been Bonavista then. Maybe Midnapore.
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Old 01-20-2018, 02:28 PM
The Spank The Spank is offline
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I googled both and checked out the locations and images. Definitely Midnapore. I was able to recognize a few buildings and an area of the lake from online images. It was pretty new when I was there and reading up on it the development time (1977) being as new as it was would coincide with my time there (1981).
Thanks for that!!
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Old 01-20-2018, 05:00 PM
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Sundancefisher Sundancefisher is offline
 
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Originally Posted by The Spank View Post
I googled both and checked out the locations and images. Definitely Midnapore. I was able to recognize a few buildings and an area of the lake from online images. It was pretty new when I was there and reading up on it the development time (1977) being as new as it was would coincide with my time there (1981).
Thanks for that!!
No problemo. Lots of fun memories fishing.
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Old 01-20-2018, 05:02 PM
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Was out with a couple residents today. Helped one family learn how to catch perch. The morning is fishing far better these days. Really slowed down after 1 pm.

Perch were on bottom and wanted slow presentation. No trout caught. I have only caught 1 brown and 1 brook in the past month. Caught about a 1000 perch in that time.

Small jigs with a perch eye seem the best.
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Old 01-20-2018, 07:44 PM
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What size are these perch you’re catching and bonking?
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Old 01-20-2018, 07:51 PM
the local angler the local angler is offline
 
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a couple of weeks ago i was out there with sundancefisher and average was about 7" ish. if you have the patience for them they are a blast to catch and takes time to clean but well worth it.
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Old 01-20-2018, 08:18 PM
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...takes time to clean but well worth it.
I'm at work so I can't get on youtube right now, but search 10 second perch cleaning, great technique, I believe the guy in the video is named Costas. I'm nowhere near the 10 seconds, more like a minute or two, but still pretty quick.
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Old 01-20-2018, 10:05 PM
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Home now, found the video
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Old 01-20-2018, 10:43 PM
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i have seen that video before but never even tried it.....hmmmm next time
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Old 01-21-2018, 10:13 AM
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Fish were smaller yesterday. Averaged about 6 inch. Going out again now.

The 10 second method works. Takes 60 seconds for most people.
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Old 01-21-2018, 01:19 PM
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6”-7” perch aren’t too bad to clean. Takes a bunch for a good fish fry but well worth the effort. They are tasty little beggars!
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Old 01-21-2018, 04:15 PM
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6”-7” perch aren’t too bad to clean. Takes a bunch for a good fish fry but well worth the effort. They are tasty little beggars!
I wouldn't get too excited about a 6-7" average in Sundace. I'm not sure if their tape measures are rubber, but from personal experience the average size is much smaller. My boys and I were out for the afternoon last weekend. We caught 132 perch. Only 2 made the 6" mark. The rest were under 5".
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Old 01-21-2018, 07:33 PM
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Lol, I wasnt getting excited by any means. Only offering up an opinion and word of encouragement. Calgary is a long drive to fish for perch. I can be on Lac La Ronge in alot less time catching limits of 5 pound walleye and lakers to 20lbs that I can keep without tags.
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Old 01-21-2018, 08:53 PM
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Originally Posted by sneekerp View Post
I wouldn't get too excited about a 6-7" average in Sundace. I'm not sure if their tape measures are rubber, but from personal experience the average size is much smaller. My boys and I were out for the afternoon last weekend. We caught 132 perch. Only 2 made the 6" mark. The rest were under 5".
Strange. Most I measured today were over 6 inch. I have caught more smaller ones recently.

Still...these aren't monsters. I did catch a few 8 inchers this year and couple 9's.
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Old 01-21-2018, 09:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Sundancefisher View Post
Strange. Most I measured today were over 6 inch. I have caught more smaller ones recently.

Still...these aren't monsters. I did catch a few 8 inchers this year and couple 9's.
I'd sure like to see those pictures of the 9 inchers with a tape measure.
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Old 01-22-2018, 09:05 AM
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I'd sure like to see those pictures of the 9 inchers with a tape measure.
Next time I will. As mentioned...I said couple. So out of 10,000 + perch I caught last year... less than 10 were 8 inch and 2 were 9. Of course the corner where I fish has seen significant depletion of perch within a good casting radius...and they may have a bit more food.

I have a new net to use this year to reduce perch populations.

Dimensions: 150’ x 12’ x ˝” stretched mesh
Material: Polypropylene braided knotless netting (black)
Lead line flush to net
Comes with purse/bag

When the perch move in shallow to spawn in the spring we will give it a spin. I want to try before I stock the new trout. Then during the summer when I see perch schools in tight to shore we will do more seining.

Just need to find folks that want thousands of perch to either eat, feed to animals or use as fertilizer.

Should be able to catch 10,000 to 100,000 perch in a day to start I am thinking. Depends upon how many people want to come out and help for a share of the catch.

I guess I will have to set up a registration system.

Netting like this is more fun.
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Old 01-22-2018, 09:39 AM
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Fishing was once again spotty yesterday. We moved around a bit. Lots of perch showing up on the flasher my buddy had...just not aggressive to the hook.

Every hole you drill has about 1000 perch within a 10 foot radius.
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Old 01-22-2018, 11:46 AM
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We were out there two weeks ago and caught maybe a hundred and then we also took maybe another hundred from Sundance and others that didn't want them. They all were about 6-7" and some of them were already full of eggs surprisingly.

Since they are so small, the best way I found was to simply fillet each one leaving the rib cage and skin on, takes about 10 seconds to run the knife behind the head and right down the spine, you don't need to gut them, but make sure you leave the dorsal fin attached to the spine. Then after washing the fillets quickly to get rid of any guts and stuff, I just roll them lightly in seasoned flour and deep fry them. Since they are so small, the rib bones, skin and scales just crisps up and there's no choking hazard. I learned this trick from some russian friends as a kid. For smaller ones it is also possible to run a knife down the middle of the spine and butterfly them but you need to remove the dorsal fin, head and guts. If you deep fry them properly (not in a batter), the spine will also be crispy and eatable.

Next time I do this, I'll try and take a video and photos showing the before and after. Took me maybe 2 hours and I got over 3kg of fillets.
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Old 01-22-2018, 04:05 PM
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Originally Posted by slingshotz View Post
We were out there two weeks ago and caught maybe a hundred and then we also took maybe another hundred from Sundance and others that didn't want them. They all were about 6-7" and some of them were already full of eggs surprisingly.

Since they are so small, the best way I found was to simply fillet each one leaving the rib cage and skin on, takes about 10 seconds to run the knife behind the head and right down the spine, you don't need to gut them, but make sure you leave the dorsal fin attached to the spine. Then after washing the fillets quickly to get rid of any guts and stuff, I just roll them lightly in seasoned flour and deep fry them. Since they are so small, the rib bones, skin and scales just crisps up and there's no choking hazard. I learned this trick from some russian friends as a kid. For smaller ones it is also possible to run a knife down the middle of the spine and butterfly them but you need to remove the dorsal fin, head and guts. If you deep fry them properly (not in a batter), the spine will also be crispy and eatable.

Next time I do this, I'll try and take a video and photos showing the before and after. Took me maybe 2 hours and I got over 3kg of fillets.
Great update. Good to know the cleaning and eating technique. The "10 second method" I found usually rips the guts out as well.
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Old 02-02-2018, 10:11 PM
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Going to be a cold snowy weekend on the lake.
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Old 02-03-2018, 05:38 AM
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Sundance, you should try pickled fish ! If you fillet the meat off, then follow a pickled fish recipe off of the internet, the vinegar dissolves the bones. Perch is very tasty pickled.
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Old 02-03-2018, 08:12 AM
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Sundance, you should try pickled fish ! If you fillet the meat off, then follow a pickled fish recipe off of the internet, the vinegar dissolves the bones. Perch is very tasty pickled.
How about you come out..catch a hundred...take a few hundred more...take them home and pickle then pop out to get hundreds more ...we eat some...and repeat?

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Old 02-03-2018, 08:43 AM
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How about you come out..catch a hundred...take a few hundred more...take them home and pickle then pop out to get hundreds more ...we eat some...and repeat?

Ok ! I’m in McKenzie Lake. I can return the invite, but for Rainbows instead. I’ll pm you when it warms up.
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Old 02-03-2018, 10:00 AM
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Ok ! I’m in McKenzie Lake. I can return the invite, but for Rainbows instead. I’ll pm you when it warms up.
Sounds like a plan
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Old 02-03-2018, 12:05 PM
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Fishing was once again spotty yesterday. We moved around a bit. Lots of perch showing up on the flasher my buddy had...just not aggressive to the hook.

Every hole you drill has about 1000 perch within a 10 foot radius.
Sounds like a great place to take kids.
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Old 02-03-2018, 07:24 PM
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Default Man made Winter Kill perhaps???

Sundance,

22 fow on the deep side is not much.

I have never seen the lake, but I am wondering if you can either let the lake level drop in the fall, or pump the water out onto the ice in the early winter to freeze it down to the point where it winter kills.

That would allow a fresh start sans Perch.

I have often wondered if rotenone could be distributed under the ice to consume the oxygen and force a winterkill. If that could be done in March when the oxygen levels are low to start, it would be pretty effective.

However, this is the biggest problem for our trout lakes and the Province has not rehabilitated any of our lakes. BC is now rehabilitating a number of lakes in the Kamloops - Kootenay Lake area. I am jealous.

Drewski
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