Fishin for the Gov

[WayneChristie]

Well, I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time this weekend, got an email saying a Fisheries Technician from the Bow Habitat Station in Calgary would be down at the forks, and if I would mind pointing him in the right direction. He arrived after dark Thursday night, and eventually we got him to the right location. They were and are looking to replace the display fish they were forced to give away due to complications from the big June flood. First and foremost was the collecton of a Lake Sturgeon, and after some serious fishing :sHa_shakeshout: Ryan managed to hook into a perfect specimen, just the right size, and we got it into the tank he brought along for that purpose. I managed to catch a nice silver redhorse sucker and added it to the tank, then it was time to call it quits for the night. The next day he was back after depositing the first 2 fish in a quarantine tank in Lethbridge, and we got back to fishing. Rough job Ryan! Managed to add a few more suckers to the mix, as well as a sauger caught by another fisherman out in his boat. I got a few pics I thought I would share, it was a priveledge assisting in the collection process, and I will have to make a trip to the hatchery once they are out of quarantine to visit the fish for sure.
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/October%204-6%202013/PA030012_zps7176fee4.jpg
nice sharp scutes, I have the cuts to prove it, best thing, in a tank they wont get a chance to wear off.
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/October%204-6%202013/PA030015_zpsd1c7579d.jpg
Silver Redhorse
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/October%204-6%202013/PA030026_zps6a64b3ec.jpg
I had a bite, and since I was using a single hook I was amazed to see 2 suckers when I got them to shore, wasnt quite sure how that was going on, until I got them in and saw a tangled mess attached to my hook, a pickeral rig that had broken off with 2 fish attached. This is why I will never use one, and dislike them very much, both fish would have been dead eventually, unable to get free,, and it could have been any 2 types of fish, not just suckers. Lucky for them they were able to get a new lease on life, and will be on display in Calgary eventually. Heres the mess I pulled in.
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/October%204-6%202013/PA040033_zps2009d053.jpg
Here they are in the tank on the trailer.
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/October%204-6%202013/PA040034_zpsa7bf8b04.jpg
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/October%204-6%202013/PA040035_zpsacd056a1.jpg
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/October%204-6%202013/PA030024_zps4a37a5d3.jpg
It was a great start to the weekend for sure.

[FisherPotch]

Very jealous looks like a great lot of fun! Thanks for sharing

[ineptflux]

Awesome stuff,

I pull so many of those pickerel rigs out of the water up here near Edmonton, it's actually quite annoying. Glad you saved those 2 fish tho - good job and amazing pics!

[AppleJax]

Seen an 18 pack of pickerel rigs at Cabelas.... For less money than the pack I bought enough Gamaktsu Circle hooks and terminal tackle to make twice that much.... end of rant...

[the local angler]

very cool i pretty much take the pikeral rigs i find and cut the line off and take it home and make just single pickeral rigs instead of the doubles.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Awesome thread!!

[waterninja]

thats great wayne. they went to the right guy.

[AppleJax]

thats great wayne. they went to the right guy.

X2, now that's an aquarium! ;)

[OneGirlWolfPack]

I probably would've teared up if I saw those two suckers like that. Lol! I'm such a softie. I'm glad you were able to save them and help out the fisheries guy. That would be fun but I'd probably feel a little pressured. Lol!

[burbotman]

I bet that was something pretty cool to be involved with.

[tight line]

:) !!!

[Geezle]

Very cool Wayne :cool: