Wabamun Lake Fishery

[gloszz]

Hello everyone,

After gone fishing to Wabamun a few times this summer and always catching something I have tried to figure out why the limit is still 0. I talked to the officers there and they said that they would allow a take home limit but biologists keep stopping them, so does anyone here have a better idea than me when we might actually take some of the fish home? It is honestly a trophy lake now I think that is close to Edmonton and quite easy for me to hook people onto fishing since they always catch something.

[kirbstomps]

if they open it up, it will be an average lake in about 2 years with the pressure that lake gets. I like the fact that it is off limits myself, but that's just me :) but i am sure i am not alone...

[gloszz]

I have no problem with it being 0 limit but even getting to keep one pike would be nice haha.

[Kim473]

I wish more lakes would be zero keep limit for a year or two. Then maybe the fish populations in general would increase rather than continue on the decrease side. I have noticed that my catch and keep has been on the decline for at least the last 5 years. Smaller fish also in general. 1 big perch is like 3 small ones etc... Drop the limits and close more lakes. Gonna be some very nice whites in Wab. one day soon. Hopefully the wallies take off there.

[syncronized77]

I work closely with some of the biologists that did the surveying after the spill incident and there are still high concentrations of HCs in the fish sampling....so if you feel like growing a 3rd eye or always wanted an extra finger to come in handy have at'er!

But seriously I'm with the crowd on zero keep limit...just imagine pikes rivaling the size of muskies in a few years!!

[Lund rebel]

Yeah I also hope they keep it zero and keep up the enforcement, if you want to eat fish go to red lobster.
Like previously posted its awesome being able to catch a fish and potentially one of epic size 10 minutes from home.


I heard from locals that there plan was to keep hopefully keep it as a trophy lake in hopes to boost the economy of wab and seba.

[FreshAirGetter]

I hope they leave it catch and release too. The last couple times I've been out it's been slow as it is, especially compared to other lakes I've been trying. Is it too much to ask that every cast at a pencil reed, boulder, log, or any structure at all result in a fish?:)

[EZM]

To preserve the high quality fishery it should remain closed to retention (zero limit).

It is too close to the city and it would be destroyed by the added traffic and meat hunters very quickly.

My vote is to keep it a zero retention lake and buy fish sticks for the starving fishermen who can't calculate the cost of what a harvested fish really costs them to put on their dinner tables.

[syncronized77]

To preserve the high quality fishery it should remain closed to retention (zero limit).

It is too close to the city and it would be destroyed by the added traffic and meat hunters very quickly.

Agreed. Added pressure from the city close by would have more of a negative adverse affect on a species population than people think.

Case in point, I was muskie fishing earlier their year in Minnesota where most of the muskie lakes are only 30 minutes away from the twin cities, with one actually in the downtown core (can you imagine having a lake in the middle of Edmonton or Calgary with a species population?! ) ....And all the local anglers would talk or complain about is "metro pressure". And this is for a species of fish that is pretty much catch and release.... imagine how much more "pressure" would an added limit be on a species.

[JohninAB]

To preserve the high quality fishery it should remain closed to retention (zero limit).

It is too close to the city and it would be destroyed by the added traffic and meat hunters very quickly.

My vote is to keep it a zero retention lake and buy fish sticks for the starving fishermen who can't calculate the cost of what a harvested fish really costs them to put on their dinner tables.

X2

[Lund rebel]

To preserve the high quality fishery it should remain closed to retention (zero limit).

It is too close to the city and it would be destroyed by the added traffic and meat hunters very quickly.

My vote is to keep it a zero retention lake and buy fish sticks for the starving fishermen who can't calculate the cost of what a harvested fish really costs them to put on their dinner tables.



Look at that picture of yourself in your aviator, heck I would say you yourself could eat wabamun clean of fish

[BrownTrout]

I spoke with one of the wabamun park officers this summer. He told me that the lake was recently declared the second cleanest lake in Alberta. Not gonna lie, this caught me off guard.

It made me question a very big question. If wabamun a the second cleanest lake in Alberta, with the 'recent' history, what does that say about the rest of Alberta's lakes?

I like that it's zero limit. Had a fantastic day and a chance at some really big pike.

[AppleJax]

Agreed. Added pressure from the city close by would have more of a negative adverse affect on a species population than people think.



Case in point, I was muskie fishing earlier their year in Minnesota where most of the muskie lakes are only 30 minutes away from the twin cities, with one actually in the downtown core (can you imagine having a lake in the middle of Edmonton or Calgary with a species population?! ) ....And all the local anglers would talk or complain about is "metro pressure". And this is for a species of fish that is pretty much catch and release.... imagine how much more "pressure" would an added limit be on a species.


Trophy fisheries right in the core of both these cities. Not lakes but ever heard of the Bow and North Saskatchewan rivers?

[schmedlap]

All you have to do is look at some "remote" lakes, like Siebert, to see how misguided "keep" policies have ruined some premiere fisheries. Wabamun is close to the Chuk and very accessible, and if you allow any keep at all, it will be a disaster for those of us who just like to be able to have the chance to catch one or 2 of those big hens. If we do allow any keep, it had better be some "little" ones.
Siebert used to be a premiere place to go and catch VERY large pike, if you knew how, when it was a "trophy" lake, relatively hard to get to, no bait (which is still the case) and 0 limit. Now, the "RV" crowd can get there, it is "busy", and it is permitted to keep one Pike over 100cm. Now, why anyone would want to kill such a pike is beyond me. I never have or would. One can very easily catch, as bycatch or deliberate, and keep one's limit (one each per day) of 50 cm.+ Walleye, and they are much better eating than a 20 year old pike (?). But, it appears that numbers of 100 cm + Pike have been removed due to this policy and some misguided "pride" in keeping one (?).
The result, in Siebert, is that really large pike are increasingly very rare (almost non-existent?) and the Walleye population has boomed. I guess that is wonderful if one is just a "meat" fisher (? - walleye are kind of "girly" on a comparative basis). But, I sure miss having any expectation of hooking into one of those old girls, the fight and challenge of a real gamefish, and releasing them for another day. So, if they were to open Wabamun to some "keep" for pike, I sure hope it would be just a very limited and strict "slot" size of small ones. Otherwise you can kiss your chances of catching those big old hens goodbye - the meaters will not voluntarily let them go, and they outnumber the real sport fishers by a large margin.

[EZM]

I spoke with one of the wabamun park officers this summer. He told me that the lake was recently declared the second cleanest lake in Alberta. Not gonna lie, this caught me off guard.

It made me question a very big question. If wabamun a the second cleanest lake in Alberta, with the 'recent' history, what does that say about the rest of Alberta's lakes?

I like that it's zero limit. Had a fantastic day and a chance at some really big pike.

Lies and fair tales will, quite often, catch you off guard if you are unprepared for them. The "Wabamun park officer" is absolutely wrong.

Wabamun ranks in the middle of the pack for secchi clarity, and general water quality, for lakes classified within its particular trophic status.

In the case of Wabamun, as a Eutrophic lake, it has moderate levels of phosphorous, which contribute to algae growth, and lead to reduced clarity as the season progresses.

As far as dissolved oxygen, commonly measured contaminants, etc... again, Wabamun is neither clean nor dirty.

All of the studies I have read will underpin and support the fact this officer was either grossly incompetent or a complete liar.

Perhaps the person who "declared" Wabamun lake the second cleanest in Alberta was drunk.

[RavYak]

Wabamun can barely take the catch and release fishing pressure it receives let alone deal with a retention limit. All but the odd big pike would be gone in a year or two and then it would be like every other lake close to Edmonton where you can only catch hammer handles.

[ESOXangler]

Agreed. Added pressure from the city close by would have more of a negative adverse affect on a species population than people think.

Case in point, I was muskie fishing earlier their year in Minnesota where most of the muskie lakes are only 30 minutes away from the twin cities, with one actually in the downtown core (can you imagine having a lake in the middle of Edmonton or Calgary with a species population?! ) ....And all the local anglers would talk or complain about is "metro pressure". And this is for a species of fish that is pretty much catch and release.... imagine how much more "pressure" would an added limit be on a species.

I don't think it's possible to compare here to there. We are a 1000 km north, and our water quality is far from the same. Slower growth rates...

[Talking moose]

I don't think it's possible to compare here to there. We are a 1000 km north, and our water quality is far from the same. Slower growth rates...

Edmonton is 1000 km north of minnisotas latitude?

[Talking moose]

Prairie lakes are very fertile and helps with growth rate. Canadian Shield lakes are slow growing.

[Bhflyfisher]

I think its hilarious how questions like these arise, many of you praise wabamun for the great fishery that it is, but yet, there is a want/feeling of entitlement to take fish out of this great fishery. When you kill a fish, its dead. Which pretty simply put, Meaning one less fish in a lake capable of producing large numbers of better then average pike.

Lets take fish, out of lake, that we all love so much, because we ALWAYS catch fish.

Its blatantly obvious, catch and release fisheries DONT work... :snapoutofit:

Siebert is a great example. Meatheads.

[gloszz]

I don't think it's possible to compare here to there. We are a 1000 km north, and our water quality is far from the same. Slower growth rates...

I think you are confused with Montana. Montana is 600km from Edmonton. Minnesota is right under Manitoba.

[BrownTrout]

Lies and fair tales will, quite often, catch you off guard if you are unprepared for them. The "Wabamun park officer" is absolutely wrong.

Wabamun ranks in the middle of the pack for secchi clarity, and general water quality, for lakes classified within its particular trophic status.

In the case of Wabamun, as a Eutrophic lake, it has moderate levels of phosphorous, which contribute to algae growth, and lead to reduced clarity as the season progresses.

As far as dissolved oxygen, commonly measured contaminants, etc... again, Wabamun is neither clean nor dirty.

All of the studies I have read will underpin and support the fact this officer was either grossly incompetent or a complete liar.

Perhaps the person who "declared" Wabamun lake the second cleanest in Alberta was drunk.

I won't argue anything you have just posted, I haven't researched or done the work to read up on the conditions of the lake.

Like I said, I was told this by one of the officers that patrols the park, parking lot and recreational area. I don't believe what he said was true, because this would mean that a lot of our lakes that SRD allow the retention of caught fish would be allowing the willful endangerment of the people harvesting said fish.

I do know from the small amount I've read and heard, that I wouldn't willfully harvest any of the fish caught in Wabamun.

I could very well be wrong in that assessment but it is my opinion based on my reduced knowledge.

I again say that I feel Wabamun as a zero keep fishery is the best option to keep it as the fishery it is.

[Speckle55]

Wow I always laugh when I read some of these post on closed lakes as some lakes don't have the potential to ever be a good fishery but we will try too make them into something they are not ..man is always trying to tweak Mother Nature

Lets see before the leak Wab was a great fishery that had been in Edmonton's shadow ..for year anglers came from all over to fish it.. even had spear fishing done .. so there were lots of fish being harvested

each lake has a quota that can be harvested just like a herd of cows and in some lakes the genetics is of a different strain and even some lakes man has started to feed the lake to enhance the food cycle(Kootenay lake)

Now with Triploids we have again increased the growth cycle and age

with the mentality of making everything a trophy lake is taking away from the spirit of fishing

soon we will be like Europe in places where you have to pay too fish for 4 hours

History of Wabamun Lake as a fishery

Spill

Closed and now a C&R Lake

I hope there are no more spills in any Alberta Lakes

Athabasca River Closed to catching and keeping any fish from Obed mine spill (Plante/Apetown)

Gregg River etc etc

in some cases the rules get in the way of fishing for political reason

Food for Thought

David:)

[syncronized77]

Not trying to stir the put any more than it has been stirred, but a lot of people that are in favour of making Wabamun a fishery, just like the good ol days before the spill, and that it was doing fine back then, why wouldn't it do so now?

Well for one, the population of Alberta will surpass BCs over the next 20 years, and with a larger population, comes a wider urban sprawl, bringing people closer and closer to the vicinity of the lake.

And second, that larger population will bring a larger # of anglers.

[EZM]

I just hope the lake remains catch and release ....... up until the point walleye overrun the lake like they did at pigeon and a few other lakes where they have now stunted their own growth.

Two, maybe 3 years ago walleyes were but mere legends at Wabamun, with very few anglers reporting catching them. Now they are quite common and easy to catch ..... how quickly they have adapted has really surprised me. Shocking is a better description.

In a few years .... maybe my mind will change ..... and we can thin out the walleyes ..... but for now ..... leave it a C&R fishery .... the trophy potential is outstanding .... let's not ruin it.

I hope the lake will retain the balance of species ..... only time will tell.

[Pikebreath]

One thing to consider about the good old days when Wab still allowed retention is that it was also a big thermal power cooling pond. It was an artificial fishery back then. which likely contributed to a "longer growing season" for the pike which enhanced their growth rates. Today the lake is reverting back to a more natural fishery and it's likely growth rates have slowed.

Having the same level of harvest now as 10 / 20 years ago would probably cause a significant decline in the average size of fish caught.

[justinO]

I wish all the lakes in Alberta would be C&R...... Obviously this is not a reasonable request as everyone has different wants... but I think it is also unreasonable for people to complain about the few lakes we do have that are catch and release. I've been fishing wab for over 20 years.. In the fall in the past it was hard to find a place to stand on shore when the whites started biting... Now the number of fishermen and women in the Edmonton area has increased drastically. If Wab goes back to the same catch and keep limits like it once was it will have disastrous results IMO...

If against my wishes it goes back to catch and keep I hope they go with a slot limit and a tag system, so freezer don't over flow with fish :scared0018:

[spopadyn]

Lies and fair tales will, quite often, catch you off guard if you are unprepared for them. The "Wabamun park officer" is absolutely wrong.

Wabamun ranks in the middle of the pack for secchi clarity, and general water quality, for lakes classified within its particular trophic status.

In the case of Wabamun, as a Eutrophic lake, it has moderate levels of phosphorous, which contribute to algae growth, and lead to reduced clarity as the season progresses.

As far as dissolved oxygen, commonly measured contaminants, etc... again, Wabamun is neither clean nor dirty.

All of the studies I have read will underpin and support the fact this officer was either grossly incompetent or a complete liar.

Perhaps the person who "declared" Wabamun lake the second cleanest in Alberta was drunk.

Actually, you are both right. What the Park Ranger is referring to is that when the CN Rail spill occurred, there was a substantial amount of PCB's detected in the fish population. This is now gone. Thus, the reason for the C&R being put in place (fish are unhealthy to consume) has disappeared. Wabamun needs some thinning out or it will start stunting the pike population. Limited catch and take would be just fine.

[YeeHaw]

Dare i say Tag System! !!!:scared0018:

[RavYak]

The only way I would be ok with Wabamun pike fishing being opened is if they opened it to 1 fish a day under 25 inches. Do that for 1 year and then close it again. Thins out the smaller guys and lets the bigger ones keep growing. SRD would never do something like this though.

[EZM]

Actually, you are both right. What the Park Ranger is referring to is that when the CN Rail spill occurred, there was a substantial amount of PCB's detected in the fish population. This is now gone. Thus, the reason for the C&R being put in place (fish are unhealthy to consume) has disappeared. Wabamun needs some thinning out or it will start stunting the pike population. Limited catch and take would be just fine.

I have 2 points of discussion for consideration.

PCB's ...........

PCB's? I assume you are talking about polychlorinated biphenyl? Related to the 2005 spill? I would suggest that is incorrect information.

PCB's are related to mining activity, and well documented long before the CN spill.

The spill contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (naptha)..... and the residual effects can still be measured and will be for a long time. These are not PCBs.

These are a different kind of poison - a carcinogen to be more precise.

Contaminants gone in Wabamun ?.....

I am not aware of any published studies that indicated that the contaminants (PCB's specifically as you have referred to) have "disappeared" or "gone" from Wabamun fish.

There is still a relatively high level of chromium, arsenic, copper and mercury which are, ironically, deemed at safe levels, by the government regulatory agencies.

Unfortunately, the levels are deemed "safe" by regulatory bodies - but appear near the top of the list at Wabamun.

Unfortunately, again, these are not uncommon here in Alberta.

I probably wouldn't sweat eating a fish or two out of there, but I certainly wouldn't do it too often.

Either way ........ opening it to harvest might be worse for the overall fishery .... but I do recognize the potential of under harvest, which often leads to stunting.

A limited harvest is something I'd consider, but certainly not an open limit - that would destroy this lake.

[Segundo]

I remember the lake in the late 80's .

A couple fish and wildlife officers patrolled the lake on weekends as well as the other local lakes.

Those stone rail crossings by the plant had huge numbers of people fishing off them alone , plus countless boats on the lake and so on, and I can only imagine what was taken out in reality regardless of limits.

Openning it up will have consequences .

[Pinhead]

Was out there on Friday, we were the only ones on the east side of the lake. The fish were on, biggest around 43inches about 20lbs. They were picky though. I would love to get out again if I can find someone who wants to catch big pike! :sHa_shakeshout:

Dan

[chanter]

I just hope the lake remains catch and release ....... up until the point walleye overrun the lake like they did at pigeon and a few other lakes where they have now stunted their own growth.

Two, maybe 3 years ago walleyes were but mere legends at Wabamun, with very few anglers reporting catching them. Now they are quite common and easy to catch ..... how quickly they have adapted has really surprised me. Shocking is a better description.

In a few years .... maybe my mind will change ..... and we can thin out the walleyes ..... but for now ..... leave it a C&R fishery .... the trophy potential is outstanding .... let's not ruin it.

I hope the lake will retain the balance of species ..... only time will tell.

Good to hear, 4/5 years ago I helped some ACA friends catch and transport Walleye from Isle Lake- very interesting experience. Don't recall what the numbers were but I remember some people thinking it was either going to work or make the pike really happy.

[Kim473]

Good to hear, 4/5 years ago I helped some ACA friends catch and transport Walleye from Isle Lake- very interesting experience. Don't recall what the numbers were but I remember some people thinking it was either going to work or make the pike really happy.

Maybe you can help them take some back to Isle to start its process of fish again after there winter kill a few years back.

[ddddd05]

The larger than normal pike in Wabamun won't last forever, even with C&R regulations. The increased angling pressure is resulting in increased fish mortality.

The reason the pike got so big is that after the oil spill there was low angling pressure accompanied by C&R regulations for a few years. It took several years for the the tar balls to disappear from the lake. During the year of the spill the lake was closed and subsequent years the lake didn't receive a ton of pressure. The power plant introducing hot water into the lake had not closed at the time of the spill so this also contributed to quicker fish growth. The pike can digest their prey quicker in the warmer water. The inflow/outflow of the plant also attracted large pike due to the current.

Since then the large Wabamun pike have become popular and angling pressure increased substantially. To my knowledge the pike population in Wabamun is in decline. I see less large pike than previous years.

I am in favour of C&R regs until populations of pike, walleye, whitefish, burbot and perch stabilize. This may take a decade. Although one day I would like to see walleye tags, whitefish tags, burbot tags...maybe even perch tags.

Who wants to eat a 20lb pike out a lake with increased levels of heavy metals?

[Geezle]

Who wants to eat a 20lb pike out a lake with increased levels of heavy metals?

Nevermind the heavy metals...have you ever tasted a pike that size? Yuck!!! :sick:

[Don Andersen]

So for <> 50 years Wab.was "managed" and now it's not. How about we leave the lake with the present regs. for the next 50 years and see who is more skilled at lake management. SRD or nature.
Looks like walleye are increasing. Too early to tell on everything else.
One thing total C&R does is not target one species and ignore the others.


Don

[HunterDave]

I always find the infatuation with Wab pike a little humerus. Label a lake C&R and everyone goes crazy with the thought of catching bigger pike because of it yet lakes like Lac Ste Anne that have been no keep for pike for longer are overlooked.

I don't buy into the theory that the fishery would collapse at Wab if they ever opened it up due to the close proximity to Edmonton. A few years ago they opened Lac Ste Anne and Lac Lanonne to 3 tags for walleye and the fisheries are doing great. IMO, it's all about proper management.

As far as the increase of the number of walleye caught at Wab, F&W have introduced a lot of them by netting them in Lac Ste Anne and putting them into Wab.....I've seen it first hand. My understanding of what's happening in Wab is that it has a walleye recruitment problem and it is stocked from other lakes for that reason.

I have no issues with Wab remaining a C&R lake, it keeps the C&R anglers happy and it gives them somewhere to go. If I want a pike to eat I can go to Lac Lanonne, there are plenty over 63 cm and some real whoopers as well. Just as long as the biologists know what they are doing and manage Wab correctly. If the time comes that the fish there need thinning and the flesh is safe to eat, then I hope that they do the right thing and open it to get things back in balance.....not just keep it C&R "CUZ".

[Chief16]

Wow I always laugh when I read some of these post on closed lakes as some lakes don't have the potential to ever be a good fishery but we will try too make them into something they are not ..man is always trying to tweak Mother Nature

Lets see before the leak Wab was a great fishery that had been in Edmonton's shadow ..for year anglers came from all over to fish it.. even had spear fishing done .. so there were lots of fish being harvested

each lake has a quota that can be harvested just like a herd of cows and in some lakes the genetics is of a different strain and even some lakes man has started to feed the lake to enhance the food cycle(Kootenay lake)

Now with Triploids we have again increased the growth cycle and age

with the mentality of making everything a trophy lake is taking away from the spirit of fishing

soon we will be like Europe in places where you have to pay too fish for 4 hours

History of Wabamun Lake as a fishery

Spill

Closed and now a C&R Lake

I hope there are no more spills in any Alberta Lakes

Athabasca River Closed to catching and keeping any fish from Obed mine spill (Plante/Apetown)

Gregg River etc etc

in some cases the rules get in the way of fishing for political reason

Food for Thought

David:)

Speckle, some people don't like killing fish, nothing to do with political reasons. I personally don't like whacking any fish, have done it once and absolutely hated it. Fishing to me is getting out and being outside, not bonking world record white fish. To each their own and I don't believe we should be attacking each other on our views about what the spirit of fishing is :)

[syncronized77]

Speckle, some people don't like killing fish, nothing to do with political reasons. I personally don't like whacking any fish, have done it once and absolutely hated it. Fishing to me is getting out and being outside, not bonking world record white fish. To each their own and I don't believe we should be attacking each other on our views about what the spirit of fishing is :)

This

[BH4L]

everyone keeps saying that over population stunts fish growth, ever think maybe pike arnt supposed to be 25 -40 lbs? if no pressure equals smaller fish due to over population, maybe that's how it was before the humans started fishing....
Everyone is so hung up on catching the bigger fish, its not the result that matter sin all this, its the experience about getting out...

[EZM]

Wabamun is neither in decline nor is it being ruined by any stretch of the imagination .....

At Wabamun you can realistically catch 50+ fish/person in a day with half dozen in the 8+ lb category. That's why people rave about this lake, comparing it to St.Anne or LacLaNonne is simply a stretch.

........ where else can you do this within 40 minutes of a major city?

This is a fishery we should leave alone as far as I'm concerned.

This lake works for me, and if it's been ruined, then point me in the direction of another ruined lake that will produce similar results within 40 minutes of my driveway.