2011/2012 Fishing news and changes

Rockymtnx · #1 02-25-2011, 06:47 PM

Hello everyone,
I thought I would update you on the changes and some news for fishing in 2011/2012. This morning SRD announced these changes at the AFGA conference in Edmonton.

- Walleye Draws will occur in Lac St Anne, Isle Lake, La Lanonne.
- Gods Lake will be closed for fishing till June 15th of this year.
- Vegerville trout pond perch limit is changing to 15.
- Schuman and Dolberg the perch limit will be zero.
- Over the next several years there will be a Walleye restocking program in Wabamum.
- Battle Lake, Sylvan Lake, and Pine Lake, will be studied to see if a limited (tags) number of walleye could be harvested in the future

Dust1n · #2 02-25-2011, 06:52 PM

F&W have been saying it possible that there may be tags for sylvan lake walleye never seen it happen yet....

Rockymtnx · #3 02-25-2011, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Hunter7

F&W have been saying it possible that there may be tags for sylvan lake walleye never seen it happen yet....

After they complete their studies this year, I am sure you will see tags for the lake. If it wasn't a good possibility of happening they would not be spending money and resources studying the walleye population.

buckmaster · #4 02-25-2011, 07:03 PM

It would also be good if F&W would of opened pigeon for walleye with no tags! Like they first did at calling at 1 fish per day. Just sayin...........

Rockymtnx · #5 02-25-2011, 07:10 PM

I personally cant see this happening anytime soon. Especially with how they have reduced the number of tags in the past couple of years.
One thing that could happen though, is once Wabamum has an good established population of walleye (10 years?) there maybe less pressure put on Pigeon. I am all for the stocking program in Wabamum. One day we could have two great walleye fisheries with in 40 mins of each other.

chubbdarter · #6 02-25-2011, 07:13 PM

does the Wab have any surviving eyes or will this be a fresh start from zero?

Rockymtnx · #7 02-25-2011, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

does the Wab have any surviving eyes or will this be a fresh start from zero?

Yes they do have some.

chubbdarter · #8 02-25-2011, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

Yes they do have some.

So there is some sucessful spawning....
Thanks for the update......its good news

JohninAB · #9 02-25-2011, 07:28 PM

I for one am glad they did not open up Pigeon Lake like they did Calling Lake. Fishing pressure on Pigeon is ridiculous at best and that lake would be done for if you could keep one a day. Just saying....

chubbdarter · #10 02-25-2011, 07:35 PM

does anyone know where the brood stock in the walleye hatchery originated from?

HunterDave · #11 02-25-2011, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

- Walleye Draws will occur in Lac St Anne, Isle Lake, La Lanonne.

Well, I can't see why they wouldn't do it for Lac Ste Anne and Lac Lanonne anyway! I fish both lakes and there are a ton of walleyes in both. I don't know about Isle Lake though.

Daceminnow · #12 02-25-2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Well, I can't see why they wouldn't do it for Lac Ste Anne and Lac Lanonne anyway! I fish both lakes and there are a ton of walleyes in both. I don't know about Isle Lake though.

i would say the walleye population in isle is very similar. good to see these three lakes coming around enough for this decision to be made. having tags available to anglers beats moving them to other waters in my opinion. maybe there's enough fish in isle that this will continue as well the tags?

Willowtrail · #13 02-25-2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

does anyone know where the brood stock in the walleye hatchery originated from?

I heard last summer after the powerplant closed down at Wabamun that Trans Alta is trying to help revitalize the lake. The are pitching in the $$ for the Walleye.

Rumor was they were taking Walleye out of both Isle and Lac Ste Anne and breeding in a Cold Lake hatchery and then restocking all 3 lakes.

Just what I heard, don't shoot me if I'm wrong

nicemustang · #14 02-25-2011, 09:06 PM

There's no walleye in sylvan or pine.

Daceminnow · #15 02-25-2011, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willowtrail

I heard last summer after the powerplant closed down at Wabamun that Trans Alta is trying to help revitalize the lake. The are pitching in the $$ for the Walleye.

Rumor was they were taking Walleye out of both Isle and Lac Ste Anne and breeding in a Cold Lake hatchery and then restocking all 3 lakes.

Just what I heard, don't shoot me if I'm wrong

i understand they were running them right from the those lakes down to wab.
don't shoot me if i'm wrong either.

Jwood 456 · #16 02-25-2011, 09:52 PM

It's about time they had tags for lake Isle. I remember 5 years ago I could get my limit of Jumbo perch. Over two years the fishery off of Silver Sands greatly collapsed in my opinion. At the same time the perch fishery collapsed, I noticed that there was alot more walleye showing up on the fish camera. Perhaps if more Walleye are harvested the silver sands perch fishery will come back.

Daceminnow · #17 02-25-2011, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jwood 456

It's about time they had tags for lake Isle. I remember 5 years ago I could get my limit of Jumbo perch. Over two years the fishery off of Silver Sands greatly collapsed in my opinion. At the same time the perch fishery collapsed, I noticed that there was alot more walleye showing up on the fish camera. Perhaps if more Walleye are harvested the silver sands perch fishery will come back.

i understand no one has been fishing the sandbar, and the one member who commented said they saw no perch out there. i haven't fished it for three winters now, but we had good big perch days consistently there for a number of years. hmmm.

goober · #18 02-25-2011, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jwood 456

It's about time they had tags for lake Isle. I remember 5 years ago I could get my limit of Jumbo perch. Over two years the fishery off of Silver Sands greatly collapsed in my opinion. At the same time the perch fishery collapsed, I noticed that there was alot more walleye showing up on the fish camera. Perhaps if more Walleye are harvested the silver sands perch fishery will come back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daceminnow

i understand no one has been fishing the sandbar, and the one member who commented said they saw no perch out there. i haven't fished it for three winters now, but we had good big perch days consistently there for a number of years. hmmm.

It is absolutely about time Isle got some tags!!! The lake is over run with eye's!!! As for the perch they are still there. Yes it has slowed by Silver Sands but there are a few other spots you can still find them on a regular basis. The Walleye have basically just pushed them off of the flats by Silver Sands. This year was by no means as productive as last but if you looked hard enough you could find them. I caught my biggest Perch of the year out there this year at 12.5".

Icefishin · #19 02-25-2011, 10:56 PM

I can understand the 0 perch in dolberg and schumann as I haven't seen a perch in either lake and this would hopefully prevent the bucket brigade from trying to put them in those two pot holes!

SNAPFisher · #20 02-26-2011, 08:17 AM

Sooooooooooooo Wabamun is still zero limit is it not? Since the spill. Has the water magically cleared up? If not, why would they stock fish into a lake with poor water quality?

michaelmicallef · #21 02-26-2011, 08:42 AM

I think it's just wrong that you have to pay for a tag to catch fish, and it is scary to see how well accepted it is among fishermen that target walleye. What's next tags for lake trout. Hell why not get SRD to sell use some Bull trout. I know Alberta is different than other provinces and that lakes are not plentifully, but I still can't get my head around this commercial fishing in the prairies thing. I thought we do cattle, grain and oil. I guess if it's worth a buck go for it! Something fishy with the whole thing. I know someone going to let me have it over this one.

walking buffalo · #22 02-26-2011, 10:36 AM

SRD Stories
Fish and Wildlife

Lake Wabamun Walleye Restoration

http://www.srd.alberta.ca/Newsroom/SRDStories.aspx

DuckBrat · #23 02-26-2011, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Sooooooooooooo Wabamun is still zero limit is it not? Since the spill. Has the water magically cleared up? If not, why would they stock fish into a lake with poor water quality?

Lets hope the 0 limit stays. Keeping the poaching to minimum at Wabamun has increased the quality of the fishery by infinite amounts. The quality of the fish has skyrocketed from what it was pre-spill and it's nice to be able to go out locally and catch those types of fish again.

The state of Wabamun fishery pre-spill goes to show that you can't allow for the harvest levels that were in place, being that close to an urban center. As much of a disaster as that was when the oil was spilled, the 0 limit turned out to be the silver lining in that dark cloud.

Rockymtnx · #24 02-27-2011, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelmicallef

I think it's just wrong that you have to pay for a tag to catch fish, and it is scary to see how well accepted it is among fishermen that target walleye. What's next tags for lake trout. Hell why not get SRD to sell use some Bull trout. I know Alberta is different than other provinces and that lakes are not plentifully, but I still can't get my head around this commercial fishing in the prairies thing. I thought we do cattle, grain and oil. I guess if it's worth a buck go for it! Something fishy with the whole thing. I know someone going to let me have it over this one.

It appears that you don't understand a controlled harvest. There is zero money being made on the $10 you pay for your tags. The price you pay is eaten pretty fast in admin fees, processing fees, populations studies, regulations, and education.

The tags is one way that we are allowed to harvest some fish from certain lakes, without over fishing it. All of the lakes that are on the tag system currently can not substain a continue season.

Just think, if a lake like Pigeon wasn't on tag system you would have 2 options.
1. Catch and Release ONLY.
2. Even with a minimum limit of say one fish a day, it wouldn't take long for the lake to be fished.

To sum it up, our lakes in Alberta can not withstand a lot of harvest. With a tag system at least we are allowed SOME harvest. Last time I checked SOME is better than NONE.

WayneChristie · #25 02-27-2011, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

To sum it up, our lakes in Alberta can not withstand a lot of harvest. With a tag system at least we are allowed SOME harvest. Last time I checked SOME is better than NONE.

That is exactly the reason I am against commercial netting of any species. if there are too many whitefish open the limit to thin them out, that way no incidental catches of other species.

Penner · #26 02-27-2011, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

It appears that you don't understand a controlled harvest. There is zero money being made on the $10 you pay for your tags. The price you pay is eaten pretty fast in admin fees, processing fees, populations studies, regulations, and education.

The tags is one way that we are allowed to harvest some fish from certain lakes, without over fishing it. All of the lakes that are on the tag system currently can not substain a continue season.

Just think, if a lake like Pigeon wasn't on tag system you would have 2 options.
1. Catch and Release ONLY.
2. Even with a minimum limit of say one fish a day, it wouldn't take long for the lake to be fished.

To sum it up, our lakes in Alberta can not withstand a lot of harvest. With a tag system at least we are allowed SOME harvest. Last time I checked SOME is better than NONE.

Well said. We are unable to limit ourselves so the draw is the only option available at this point to allow some CONTROLLED harvest.

Dale S · #27 02-27-2011, 09:50 AM

Being from southern AB. I wonder how AF&W can study all these northern lakes and make new rules up for all of AB.These lakes down south are different than northern lakes. Those northern rules dont work on our lakes down here.They have made good chages,opening some of the smaller lakes year round,eleminating size limits for pike.They need to try slot limits for walleye in chin and sherburn, maybe even on the Oldman. Ive seen to many spawners taken out of those bodies of water.Its a know fact there are more walleye poached by fisherman than all the quotas for commercial fishing in the province.

SNAPFisher · #28 02-27-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckBrat

Lets hope the 0 limit stays. Keeping the poaching to minimum at Wabamun has increased the quality of the fishery by infinite amounts. The quality of the fish has skyrocketed from what it was pre-spill and it's nice to be able to go out locally and catch those types of fish again.

The state of Wabamun fishery pre-spill goes to show that you can't allow for the harvest levels that were in place, being that close to an urban center. As much of a disaster as that was when the oil was spilled, the 0 limit turned out to be the silver lining in that dark cloud.

I hear you man and agree. My problem and question is why would the even stock walleye in a lake that is still considered poor quality water? They can keep it 0 limit forever IMO but why stock it. Its kind of like adding goldfish to a tank that is never cleaned....
It is just not making that much sense to me.

PERCHY · #29 02-27-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicemustang

There's no walleye in sylvan or pine.

i dont know about pine cuz i never fish there but sylvan has walleye. Buddy got 7 on the ice this year and i have gotten one so far.(and ive only fished it once so far this year)

crazyfish · #30 02-27-2011, 07:17 PM

the water at wabamun has greatly improved, very amazing at how quickly nature can repair the damage we can dish out !!! The issues as i can figure is the lingering effects of the spill. Most toxins gather in the top predators ,so these big pike that are 10 yrs old + , they would potentially have large amounts of residual toxins ! Not sure if we will see that lake opened up for another 5+ years.