Twin Lakes

[Mish]

I'm out at my friend's cabin on Crimson a lot in the summer so I fish Twin a lot...I've heard rumors from other fishermen on the dock that they haven't stocked Twin Lakes this year because they are thinking of poisoning the lake...and clear it of all the perch.

I've been looking for information about this but can't seem to find any....to me it seems like a ridiculous practice but hey I don't know it all. Does anyone know for sure what is going on?

[Don Andersen]

Mish,

Some jerk off illegally dumped perch into Twin Lakes. There is at least 3 years of them. The F&W have applied for money to remove the perch.

Don

[TundraBuck]

Living in Rocky since 1978, the first time I ever actually fished Twin was the spring of 2006. I had heard that there was some good-sized trout to be had, not the brood stocks but grown fingerlings that had been stocked. We got the boat in the water and started casting prince nymphs and not 2 casts in we had 2 perch in the boat. Well I'll be darned we only caught one trout that whole time. This really has to stop, what's next? Dumping perch into Mitchell, Struble, even the creeks?!

The threat thats out there makes one want to cry. Why would people want to ruin a trout fishery? Do they think they're greating a multiple species fishery where both species will fluorish? WRONG. Curious to see what everyone else thinks.

[Mish]

You know, funny thing is, I've never had any luck with perch at Twin Lakes. I've seen kids with a hook and a line tied to a sturdy stick fish out perch after perch with worms, but I've always been at my trout limit within an hour when going to Twin.

I saw in the fishing guide that last year's trout record was caught in Twin Lakes.

I agree with getting rid of the perch...even week to week you can see the increasing numbers. Perch seem to like hanging out right off the fishing dock, and I swear by July last year the population under the dock had tripled.

Another question I had is what the limit for trout and perch there are. I've seen some fishermen taking 10 tiny trout and countless perch out of the lake. When I tried questioning them they all said that you can keep anything out of that lake, no limits. At first I thought it was just one jerkoff, but several people have said this to me, even in passing conversation. Is this true? I've been using province wide regulations since I can't seem to find any specific to Twin Lakes.

[schimmel]

Which twin lakes are you guys talking about.

In the regs it states that any body of water not listed in the regs. You use the procincial limits. 5- trout, 15- perch, 6 pike over 63cm, & so on. These guys probably looked in the regs didn't see the lake they were looking for & decided themselves that there were no limits.

[Mish]

Yep, I know what the province wide regulations are, that's why I was wondering. A lot of fishermen out there claim that since the lake is going to be poisoned anyway all regulations go out the window....why they would want to eat a tiny trout with all those bones is beyoned me though.

I'm talking about the Twin Lakes just out of Rocky Mountain House.

[schimmel]

Thanks I was cofused witch twins lakes you guys were talking about. There's one up towards Winfield does anybody fish that one. I have thought about going there several times over the years but have never talked to anyone that has fished there.

About the regs being thrown out the window because they are going to poison a lake I'm not sure about that one. Before they drained or poisoned Dickson Trout pond the last time I was out there ice fishing catching tons of 8" pike & releasing them & a warden told me that they wanted the fishermen to take as many of those as they could but don't waste them & don't take more than your limit. I was very confused.:)

[Mish]

The one up by Winfield, is that East Twin Lakes? I think I may have heard about it, but can't recall if it was good or bad, sorry :)

Well my big concern is that I can't find out for sure anywhere if they really are even going to poison Twin Lakes....and I've never even seen a warden out there to ask, although I spent most of my summer there. Maybe I should just call 1 800 Poachers next time I see a guy hauling a cage full of little trout to his truck, haha.

[Oldcrow190]

Catch limits at Twin are no different then any other stocked pond in Alberta. Trout limit is 5 (no size limit) and perch limit is 15. Although it may be tempting to retain more that 15 perch to assist with the management of them it is still illegal to retain more than the daily possession limit. If your caught over possession on either species you would still be charged.

Yet another thing to remember is that if they are retained they can not simply be thrwon away, all edible flesh must be used. I have seen a lot of guys out there simply catching them and throwing them into the bush or killing them and tossing them back into the water. Even though you are trying to help manage the perch, it is still classed as a game fish and subject to the applicable laws.

It's one of those issues that is very hard to manage. I can't forsee the poisoning of the lake anytime soon as that management tool would take considerable consultation between all parties involved (SRD, Alberta Parks and the public). Even if it was poisoned, whose to say that another quick bucket dump of perch wouldnt happen again (and most likely would).

[tallieho]

Mish,

Some jerk off illegally dumped perch into Twin Lakes. There is at least 3 years of them. The F&W have applied for money to remove the perch.

Don

I sure hope they[gov't] puts an end to this ILLEGAL STOCKING.

[perchie15]

Out by winfield, Went out there 3 weeks ago ice is about 7inches you can only walk on the ice anyways, Lake has hot springs under near so watch for that. But i didnt see much for perch. but caught 4pike, No keepers! Was out there for 11:00-4:30pm.

But guy down from me caught a 18lb pike out of there! Must be nice!! So maybe thats why there wasnt no perch around they we all hiding!! Grr:mad3:

[perchie15]

Heard its a deep deep lake up to 150ft, and its where they take scuba diving school, so could be true and the old guy there said the divers had seen some big ole monster pike.