Question (Ecosystem Imbalance)

[ice]

Iv been visiting family on Laurier lake (Whitney Lakes Provincial Park) and up until about 6 years ago, we were always able to get a pike or 2 in the morning, the lake has been on the decline for years, it's lost a good 10 feet of water.

This year it's way up, probobly A good 50-60 feet up the shore, so alooot. Before this year the lake averaged 6 - 10 FOW with one very large 20' hole on the east end,
We haven't caught a pike out of it for the last 5 - 6 years,.

I figured there was none left, so last winter for the hell of it, I went up for some perch, I threw down a camera and there was perch.
They were biting in that fashion that you would get 10 small for 1 large perch, nonstop action all day.
But to my amazement, there were pike... BIG Pike.*
But for the life of me I couldn't entice a bite. So I moved on to another spot, and the same thing... Tons of perch. And Big pike, no medium or small pike all big.. But As always. They just won't bite.. And believe me I tried everything. I ended going back another 5 times to try again. But they just wouldn't bite.

So my first thoughts.. The lake is overloaded with perch... They are too well fed.
But then that got me thinking.. Why no smaller pike?
Could it be that they aren't reproducing? Or Mabey they are just good at hiding from the larger fish... But I searched the whole lake to no avail.
I'm not Gona say that the lake is riddled with huge pike. But they are there and they won't bite.

So I went back this summer, and the lake is way up, so I thought hey everything is more spread.. More water, Mabey it has evened out,
But nope, nothing to be caught but perch. I KNOW the pike are there.

Just mind boggling, I am writing this in my tent not 40 feet from the waters edge and just cannot begin to try to understand what is going on with this lake,

It used to be a thriving lake with pike perch walleye.. Since the walleye have vanished. None left however they are still listed in the regs ANC the collapsed walleye signs are still up.

So what do you think could be going on here?
I know one thing is for sure that there is too many perch. *But the pike are there, I can't understand why the lake is so unbalanced,

Anyone who likes eating perch, I encourage you to come and harvest your limit. Because the numbers need to be thinned.

[WayneChristie]

maybe they have just too much easy food to bite, but there is always a way. try some big lures or bait, something that will really stand out, and fish it at different depths and speeds. with all those pike theres bound to be at least one or two dumb ones around :bad_boys_20:

[Sundancefisher]

The first question that comes to mind is do you use one or techniques for pike and over the years never changed. In which case you may just need to change it up.

You can use different types and colors of spoons, spinners, plugs, rapalas, jigs, spinner baits etc.

If there are lots of perch around you should be trying more of an attractor...erratic and noisy diving plugs.

[fish gunner]

first question, is this a popular lake that is fished hard.
second, have you tried trolliing at high speed to force a reaction strike.
lastly, do you use heavy florocarbon as a leader material.
one suggestion try night fishing.
one issue that may affect big pike, water temp during summer may put large pike off feed.
I would try a sizable dead sucker on a quick strike rig. big pike eat big dinners.
solunar charts will let you key in on prime feeding times.
pike luv rattlers & husky jerks # 17 as a color in perch lakes just before ice up.
hope that helps.

[ice]

maybe they have just too much easy food to bite, but there is always a way. try some big lures or bait, something that will really stand out, and fish it at different depths and speeds. with all those pike theres bound to be at least one or two dumb ones around :bad_boys_20:

That sound like a good idea, Iv done just about everything, except increase the size and increase the speed, I'll stop using the minnkota, and throw the merc in with the happy troller, if that fails, I'll take off the troller, change lures and such, thx Wayne,

The first question that comes to mind is do you use one or techniques for pike and over the years never changed. *In which case you may just need to change it up. *

You can use different types and colors of spoons, spinners, plugs, rapalas, jigs, spinner baits etc.

If there are lots of perch around you should be trying more of an attractor...erratic and noisy diving plugs.
*
I use as many diffrent techniques as I can, from slow retrieves, to jerks, and jigging. To no avail. I've tried every color of the rainbow, and just about every kind of lure I could think of, Iv been trying rattling raps so far this year, I'll throw on a clacin see if that improves the odds, thanks


first question, is this a popular lake that is fished hard.*
second, have you tried trolliing at high speed to force a reaction strike.
lastly, do you use heavy florocarbon as a leader material.*
one suggestion try night fishing.
one issue that may affect big pike, water temp during summer may put large pike off feed.
I would try a sizable dead sucker on a quick strike rig. big pike eat big dinners.
solunar charts will let you key in on prime feeding times.*
pike luv rattlers & husky jerks # 17 as a color in perch lakes just before ice up.
hope that helps.

This lake is popular for recreational activities like atv'ing and water sports, *but as for fishing pressure, there is none, because as I said, everyone considers it a dead lake except for perch.

And no I haven't trolled at a conciderable speed so I will give that a try, I'll throw on some large baits and use the cranks,
I already follow the charts but haven't helped,
I'll try that right before ice up,
Thanks for the input guys.
You can literally go anywhere on this lake, throw a perch hook down, and get hits. It's crazy.
Spent this morning jigging off the dock, caught 20 or so perch.*
Just crazy...

Ice

[avb3]

If the lake has been that low, it is quite likely that the breeding areas were out of the water. With no recruitment, that would explain only older age cohort.

Now how to catch them? They have so many perch to eat, I dunno!