Enjoying illegal activity

[Don Andersen]

Was perch fishing at Crimson Lake to a illegally stocked population and it occurred to me that I was benefitting from an illegal activity.
Kinda like buying a stolen car.
Should I be allowed to continue?
And if the fish were stocked illegally, why are they not treated as vermin w/or a limit?

Don

[fatboyz]

How was the fishing Don?

[Mountain Guy]

there's a lake in the mountains that was illegally stocked with perch....and National Parks reg's stat that you aren't allowed to keep them!
Can you figure that one out?

[Don Andersen]

How was the fishing Don?

Took about 4 hours including row time to catch near 40. Killed 15 of the suckers. 10>12" long.

Don

[Don Andersen]

there's a lake in the mountains that was illegally stocked with perch....and National Parks reg's stat that you aren't allowed to keep them!
Can you figure that one out?

Sure can - why reward the illegal activity. The only way I would allow fishing if the limit was a pickup box full and you don't quit till you're loaded.

Don

[tight line]

Took about 4 hours including row time to catch near 40. Killed 15 of the suckers. 10>12" long.

Don

My Mother will be Pleased! She loves Camping there, and I Never want too, because the lack of Fish, But, even a Few Perch can keep me happy some weekends! Im Glad they are in there, and doing Good!

[dodger]

Back to the OP. It does not make sense that " none " of these lakes/ponds do not allow people to keep the illegally introduced fish ????

Dodger.

[Talking moose]

Don. The answer is simple. By allowing people to keep unlimited amounts, would only encourage others to introduce perch to other lakes via "the bucket brigade". Should be 0 limit imo.

[burbotman]

Don. The answer is simple. By allowing people to keep unlimited amounts, would only encourage others to introduce perch to other lakes via "the bucket brigade". Should be 0 limit imo.

Bang on

[58thecat]

Don. The answer is simple. By allowing people to keep unlimited amounts, would only encourage others to introduce perch to other lakes via "the bucket brigade". Should be 0 limit imo.

Yep

[EZM]

Don. The answer is simple. By allowing people to keep unlimited amounts, would only encourage others to introduce perch to other lakes via "the bucket brigade". Should be 0 limit imo.

You are correct - that is the reason they have instituted a zero limit, however without an ability top control the fish they might be exasperating the issue.

I can see both sides of the coin and I do have a simple solution ....

Institute a catch and kill policy where all the carcasses of the invasive species must be put into a waste receptacle. However wasteful, it does address both sides of this issue.

[Penner]

Don. The answer is simple. By allowing people to keep unlimited amounts, would only encourage others to introduce perch to other lakes via "the bucket brigade". Should be 0 limit imo.

x4

[McLeod]

there's a lake in the mountains that was illegally stocked with perch....and National Parks reg's stat that you aren't allowed to keep them!
Can you figure that one out?

Out of curiousity..and I don't fish for perch..what lake ?

[Okotokian]

Don. The answer is simple. By allowing people to keep unlimited amounts, would only encourage others to introduce perch to other lakes via "the bucket brigade". Should be 0 limit imo.

True, in one sense, and I'm fine with the rule... but if I'm the bucket boy, I've already done something illegal, so of course I'M going to keep any illegally introduced fish I want. And the rules will ensure that I'm the only one doing so. My own private perch lake, so to speak. So it really doesn't dissuade me from introducing the fish. I mean, guys that do this aren't doing it for altruistic reasons.

[Talking moose]

True, in one sense, and I'm fine with the rule... but if I'm the bucket boy, I've already done something illegal, so of course I'M going to keep any illegally introduced fish I want. And the rules will ensure that I'm the only one doing so. My own private perch lake, so to speak. So it really doesn't dissuade me from introducing the fish. I mean, guys that do this aren't doing it for altruistic reasons.

By allowing liberal retention of fish will motivate other people to introduce perch into lakes near their home turf. Who wouldn't want a lake with a perch limit of 100 five minutes from home? A lot more lakes than we already have now would be stocked illegally.

[huntsfurfish]

Don. The answer is simple. By allowing people to keep unlimited amounts, would only encourage others to introduce perch to other lakes via "the bucket brigade". Should be 0 limit imo.

This is why.
And I agree!

[huntsfurfish]

By allowing liberal retention of fish will motivate other people to introduce perch into lakes near their home turf. Who wouldn't want a lake with a perch limit of 100 five minutes from home? A lot more lakes than we already have now would be stocked illegally.

Also agree.

[Dean2]

If a lake can produce a large quantity of edible fish then why does it take the bucket brigade to stock it. Maybe SRD and the Parks Service need to get off their lazy asses and start creating fishing opportunities that benefit the large number of people who don't want to just catch and release.

(Just for those flamers among you, I don't like fish to eat so it doesn't help me any. I do however like to fish and have always released whatever I caught. That said, a bunch of high producing Perch fisheries might take some of the poaching pressure off of other places).

[huntsfurfish]

If a lake can produce a large quantity of edible fish then why does it take the bucket brigade to stock it. Maybe SRD and the Parks Service need to get off their lazy asses and start creating fishing opportunities that benefit the large number of people who don't want to just catch and release.

(Just for those flamers among you, I don't like fish to eat so it doesn't help me any. I do however like to fish and have always released whatever I caught. That said, a bunch of high producing Perch fisheries might take some of the poaching pressure off of other places).

In a lot of cases, they already were "producing" fish just not the ones that bucket heads wanted! It is not up to the individual to decide which lakes should be stocked and with what fish!
And thankfully it is not up to you either.:)

[Redfrog]

HMMM? So 'they' already do stock, but just not a very popular species, that a ton of fishers want? And that's because the fish wouldn't do well? But the fish dumped unceremoniously from a bucket after a few hours in truck over run a lake in a few years?

Confusing.

[spopadyn]

Crimson is a very shallow lake that winter kills (this is the one by Rocky Mountain House right?) I am amazed that perch have survived and are flourishing. In this case maybe the bucket brigade did a service as I believe this lake has never been stocked (they tried rainbows but they all died). Just stating what I think is fact...maybe I need educating however.

Cheers.

[Mountain Guy]

True, in one sense, and I'm fine with the rule... but if I'm the bucket boy, I've already done something illegal, so of course I'M going to keep any illegally introduced fish I want. And the rules will ensure that I'm the only one doing so. My own private perch lake, so to speak. So it really doesn't dissuade me from introducing the fish. I mean, guys that do this aren't doing it for altruistic reasons.

Exactly.

[Junglefisher]

By allowing liberal retention of fish will motivate other people to introduce perch into lakes near their home turf. Who wouldn't want a lake with a perch limit of 100 five minutes from home? A lot more lakes than we already have now would be stocked illegally.

So someone who is willing to break a law by relocating live fish is not going to be willing to break the law by taking more than their bag limit?
More laws do not stop law breakers.

[Talking moose]

So someone who is willing to break a law by relocating live fish is not going to be willing to break the law by taking more than their bag limit?
More laws do not stop law breakers.

Your not grasping it. Gaurenteed if there was no catch limits, a lot more of these ponds and lakes would magically have illegally introduced perch in them.

[CBintheNorth]

HMMM? So 'they' already do stock, but just not a very popular species, that a ton of fishers want? And that's because the fish wouldn't do well? But the fish dumped unceremoniously from a bucket after a few hours in truck over run a lake in a few years?

Confusing.

Gotta agree here.
I am in no way condoning illegal activities, but who decided that the majority of people wanted to eat 10" rainbows vs 10" perch? Personally, I don't like either, but that's me.
Seems to me that the most sought after fish in the province are walleye and perch.
Funny part is, these 2 species may actually thrive in some of our mud holes.

[Diamondhitch]

Havent followed tis post just the initial one. Just hit me, its is not illegal to fish for perch that were illegally stocked in a trout pond but it would be illegal to catch and release them lol.

[Junglefisher]

Your not grasping it. Gaurenteed if there was no catch limits, a lot more of these ponds and lakes would magically have illegally introduced perch in them.

Why?
Why would people be willing to break one law but not another?
Why not just make it illegal to break the law, then no one will right?

[Talking moose]

Omg.... Do you honestly think if the govt set a no limit on illegally stocked ponds that more of these ponds/lakes wouldn't pop up? Lol....... It's because the bucket brigade (after stocking there local pond, wouldn't have to worry about taking fish home everyday, and having to look over they're shoulder. Easy peasy. No consequences after the initial infraction and get all the fish they want....

[Diamondhitch]

Laws mean nothing without consequence. Our courts and justice system prefer to make more (ineffective) laws (that they will not enforce) instead of properly punish the existing laws.
What is proper punishment? As much as it takes to affect a change in peoples behavior.
Are we there? Not even close.

[Diamondhitch]

Omg.... Do you honestly think if the govt set a no limit on illegally stocked ponds that more of these ponds/lakes wouldn't pop up? Lol....... It's because the bucket brigade (after stocking there local pond, wouldn't have to worry about taking fish home everyday, and having to look over they're shoulder. Easy peasy. No consequences after the initial infraction and get all the fish they want....

What he said ^

[Heron]

If so I hope they were caught on the "fly" with a grass rod. I am going to Lesser Slave on a family trip and hope to use my long rod. I have caught walleye both in the Pembina river and Pigeon lake on muddlers. I will sweeten a muddler if I have to.

[Junglefisher]

Omg.... Do you honestly think if the govt set a no limit on illegally stocked ponds that more of these ponds/lakes wouldn't pop up? Lol....... It's because the bucket brigade (after stocking there local pond, wouldn't have to worry about taking fish home everyday, and having to look over they're shoulder. Easy peasy. No consequences after the initial infraction and get all the fish they want....

And I can't believe that you think that all that is stopping people from breaking the law and stocking perch into every lake is that fact that they would only be able to take 15 perch a day each from those lakes without having to hide the extra fish somehow. An open bag limit on lakes where they don't want perch would see many people targetting those lakes. The original stockees would actually have less chance of catching fish there.
If I was someone who only cared about myself and not about following the laws and I REALLY wanted to catch perch... I'd stock ALL the lakes around me with perch. I'd put some in my dugout and aerate it through winter so I have an easy source of stockers. Then, I'd go fishing in one lake, catch 15 and take them home. Next lake, 15 then home. Next lake, 15 then home. Removing the bag limit is not going to change my attitude. I would never illegally stock a lake and bag limit law changes would not induce me to do so. Maybe they would be enough to tip you over the edge. But if that's the case, what is stopping you from doing it now? The fact that you would only be able to keep 15 a day? Really????

[huntsfurfish]

Omg.... Do you honestly think if the govt set a no limit on illegally stocked ponds that more of these ponds/lakes wouldn't pop up? Lol....... It's because the bucket brigade (after stocking there local pond, wouldn't have to worry about taking fish home everyday, and having to look over they're shoulder. Easy peasy. No consequences after the initial infraction and get all the fish they want....

This^^^^^

[xxclaro]

I understand what you guys are saying, but its not working. The idea may be correct,but in practice it fails. The perch are in there, one way or another. As far as I can tell, most people really like catching and eating perch. I see and hear way more talk of good perch lakes than trout lakes. It doesn't seem that they are willing to go to the trouble of trying to eradicate the perch from the lake in which they were stocked, so instead we make the problem worse by not allowing people to take them out? Your cutting off your nose to spite your face!

Like others have said, you can't stop lawbreakers from breaking the law with more laws. Either put in the effort to clean out the lake or let guys fish them out. I personally don't understand the problem with perch. They are fun to catch and maybe the best eating out there. They do well in the kinds of lakes we have here, and don't cost us money trying to keep them stocked. Bring on the perch, I say. If there is a lake where they exist and are for some reason unwanted, let people catch as many as they want. People will swarm the lake and the perch will soon be reduced to levels where they are not a problem. Problem solved.

[slingshotz]

People will swarm the lake and the perch will soon be reduced to levels where they are not a problem. Problem solved.

Unless this lake is in an extremely highly populated country, there will not be enough people available to swarm all the lakes to keep the perch from stunting. They reproduce too fast without predators.