Proposed changes for some southern AB reservoirs

[elkhunter1234]

Looks like pike and walleye limits will be set at zero.

[PlayDoh]

I can't read it, its too small. Can you provide a link for where you found it. I'll see if I can post a larger pic

[elkhunter1234]

Not sure if this will be any bigger. An email I just received from our local Rod & Gun club
Sorry, not sure why I can't copy and paste. Just saying the proposed change for Jensen, Crawling Valley, Badger and Little Bow reservoirs will have a zero limit for pike and walleye due to low numbers.

[huntsfurfish]

Cant read it. to small

[1bluZebec]

Glad I'm up north for now

[huntsfurfish]

Think it would be good to see other lakes going to 1 fish from 3(pike and walleye). Or will be seeing them go to 0 fairly soon as well.

1 over 63 for pike and 1 over 50 or 55 for walleye should be on all lakes down south(except for the 1's that have already gone to 0).

If it doesnt we will see zeros soon in all the rest!

[deerguy]

Badger is going to zero for Walleyes?

Does anyone else have an attachment or link for the proposed changes?

[Crankbait]

happy for badger, and still a bit sad as I have enjoyed many a shore lunch there with family. it had to happen, actually surprised it didn't happen earlier.

[Pike fisher]

huntsfurfish[B]

I couldn't agree with you more. I've been saying for years that closing some lakes while leaving others with a 3 keep limit (for pike) simply pushes all of the fishing pressure onto a select few lakes. Make all the lakes 1 pike over 63 cm and 1 walleye over 50 cm and spread out the pressure.

I have emailed the former fisheries minister and got the form letter response..thanks for your input. You think that they would take a little advice from the guys who spend 50 days a year on the lakes.

[Buck Krazy]

I'm gonna quit fishing in Alberta all together!

[huntsfurfish]

I'm gonna quit fishing in Alberta all together!



Thanks for doing your part. Just need 99,999 more.
That will help.;):)

[Newellknik]

As long as poaching goes unabated . And it is ..
The days of keeping a fish in the south are almost
Behind you .
The price of licences will grow , but between poaching and
The mortality rate of C&R ....the fishery will decline .

[oilngas]

newellknik; I would add; and as long as the population continues to grow.

My thinking is with Calgary at 1.3 MM + Okotoks, Airdrie, Chestermere etc., add Lethbridge, The Hat etc. most of the southern Reservoirs are within a few hours of say 1.75 MM folks.

[tallieho]

As long as poaching goes unabated . And it is ..
The days of keeping a fish in the south are almost
Behind you .
The price of licences will grow , but between poaching and
The mortality rate of C&R ....the fishery will decline .

Let's add to the mix.No lic. if your over 65 or under 16.So hypo. granpa takes a bunch of under 16 fishing,no lic. moneies to help counteract .Poaching/over limits etc.IMO. If you use the resource you have to pay!

[TROLLER]

Let's add to the mix.No lic. if your over 65 or under 16.So hypo. granpa takes a bunch of under 16 fishing,no lic. moneies to help counteract .Poaching/over limits etc.IMO. If you use the resource you have to pay!

Good way to make friends there bud. I am now a senior and only practice C&R.

Sorry if you don't like the idea of me not having to fork over 25 bucks for my license but that's the way it is and I like it that way.

[Pikebreath]

Do not underestimate the cumulative effect of the thousands of legal anglers.

It is the combined mortality from legal sport harvest, illegal harvest, domestic fisheries and C&R mortality that is creating problems for fish populations and sizes.

Like it or not, the only real thing SRD has control over is the legal sport harvest. Reduced and / or "0" retention rates do contribute to significant reductions in overall mortality.

[DonTreadOnMe]

On another note, these closures just make it easier to spot the people keeping fish illegally. Hell I made $800 off report a poacher, for a couple calls last year fishing a lake with 0 pike & walleye retention.

[Newellknik]

A senior non payer . I don't keep any fish anyway .....
The problem in Alberta is not funding , it is mostly a
Lack of will to do the right thing by any government .
Puny fines , no enforcement . All about the revenue
No expenditure .
$800 bucks where was that , may be my new occupation .
There s a couple of spots in the south ,could make some
Serious coin .

[DonTreadOnMe]

It's too bad more people don't call or are under the impression nothing will come of it. If more people called more poachers would think twice about it.
It was Central Alberta, Often in front of many others, $300 and $500 rewards for people keeping pike. If we had more officers to respond to calls it would have been significantly higher amount. & I don't call for the reward, but it is a nice bonus for trying to help ensure our fisheries for future generation.
Well worth the call, some idiot learned a lesson and A guy can pay for a few trips and gear. Don't

[deerguy]

Does anyone have any more info on these changes or a link where one can see the proposed closures?

[deschambault]

That is a good question and does anyone know if these are just "proposed" or are they cast in stone, thanks.

[Unregistered user]

On the subject of funding, if the government put all monies collected from sales of licences back into the resource as does Montana, we'd keep lots of fish/

[depolloc]

Probably a mook point, since this comes up every year, but a robust stocking program for walleye & pike couldn't hurt..my 2c. These "proposed" changes are typically implemented form what I've seen. Sad & happy to see some of these changes. It would be nice if some of the closures were followed up with a plan to reopen previously closed fisheries (Mcgreggor, Travers, etc...) Might lessen the sting a little if people knew that it's not the intent of the government to create a complete C&R fishery. Would be nice to have a balanced approach.

[elkhunter1234]

That is a good question and does anyone know if these are just "proposed" or are they cast in stone, thanks.

It is just a proposal that was sent to AFGA for there input.
If anyone wants I can forward you the email and see if you can post it on here, my computer skills are very limited. PM me your email

Jim..

[livinstone]

first problem is that 63 size fish only been kept l for one have seen great fishing for pike when you could kept the 12 inch fish and kept 6 which seemed to make the meat eater happy because when he would get his limit he would leave and the bigger fish would be there to spawn now you hook the smaller one and some don't release right and the fish dies under the ice which is why the numbers are low

[Wes_G]

As far as I am concerned limits are way to high. How about only keeping 1 fish?

There is also a large amount of poaching going on but unfortunately you will never be able to stop that. Although I believe that stiffer fines, fishing bans and seizure of gear and vehicles would go a long way as well as increased enforcement.

I also believe that slot sizes would go along way to helping fish recover. It makes no sense to be removing your breeding stock from the lake. Provinces to the east of use have figured this out.. why hasn't Alberta yet?

[Wes_G]

first problem is that 63 size fish only been kept l for one have seen great fishing for pike when you could kept the 12 inch fish and kept 6 which seemed to make the meat eater happy because when he would get his limit he would leave and the bigger fish would be there to spawn now you hook the smaller one and some don't release right and the fish dies under the ice which is why the numbers are low

The numbers are low because you are keeping 6 fish... There is no need for that. There are only so many fish in a lake and if everyone keeps that many on a busy lake then it gets fished out real quick. PCR is a fine example of this with the burbot, or lack there of now!

[Jigger]

.

[deerguy]

Got the email, thanks Elkhunter. It seems due to poor netting results in the fall of 2015 is the driving factor behind the closures.

Now while I do support the closures to catch and keep types, my curiosity is what happened between the netting of 2014 and the netting of 2015 to make them feel that last year a 3 pike limit was sustainable and a-ok with some lakes even having a 3 walleye limit and now one year later deciding the fishery is collapsed. I feel like they are closing the fisheries for the wrong reasons or just not really doing proper research.

Does anyone have an email for someone I can send a letter off to in order to find out more on the process?

[huntsfurfish]

As far as I am concerned limits are way to high. How about only keeping 1 fish?

There is also a large amount of poaching going on but unfortunately you will never be able to stop that. Although I believe that stiffer fines, fishing bans and seizure of gear and vehicles would go a long way as well as increased enforcement.

I also believe that slot sizes would go along way to helping fish recover. It makes no sense to be removing your breeding stock from the lake. Provinces to the east of use have figured this out.. why hasn't Alberta yet?


Bolded.
In short.
Because we dont have 6000 water bodies that Sask does, we have only 600. The further east you go the more water.
Most current size limits allow for fish to spawn at least once. Fish removed before spawning never spawn.

[michael p]

Badger is a good examble. I used to catch some dandies, not any more

[Habfan]

Bolded.
In short.
Because we dont have 6000 water bodies that Sask does, we have only 600. The further east you go the more water.
Most current size limits allow for fish to spawn at least once. Fish removed before spawning never spawn.

Besides the fact they stock heavily !!

[Habfan]

Got the email, thanks Elkhunter. It seems due to poor netting results in the fall of 2015 is the driving factor behind the closures.

Now while I do support the closures to catch and keep types, my curiosity is what happened between the netting of 2014 and the netting of 2015 to make them feel that last year a 3 pike limit was sustainable and a-ok with some lakes even having a 3 walleye limit and now one year later deciding the fishery is collapsed. I feel like they are closing the fisheries for the wrong reasons or just not really doing proper research.

Does anyone have an email for someone I can send a letter off to in order to find out more on the process?
Could be due to the fact that Mcgregor and Newell are closed for pike and walleye, not to mention the closure of Traverse, every meat fisherman congregated on this little lake and cleaned it out.

[SNAPFisher]

As long as poaching goes unabated . And it is ..
The days of keeping a fish in the south are almost
Behind you .
The price of licences will grow , but between poaching and
The mortality rate of C&R ....the fishery will decline .

LOL, gloom, doom!!! Everyone stop fishing...it's no good. :)

[Wes_G]

Bolded.
In short.
Because we dont have 6000 water bodies that Sask does, we have only 600. The further east you go the more water.
Most current size limits allow for fish to spawn at least once. Fish removed before spawning never spawn.

Obviously....and fish killed after spawning once never spawn again.. so if they are protected once they reach spawning size, they will continue to spawn many more times.

[huntsfurfish]

Obviously....and fish killed after spawning once never spawn again.. so if they are protected once they reach spawning size, they will continue to spawn many more times.

You asked, I answered.

They are protected till they get to spawn 1-2 times. And not all get caught.

Unless they are willing to spend lots of money to monitor each lake it would be dangerous to remove under size/immature fish.

edit: Plenty of threads on the subject.

[deschambault]

I agree there seemed to a few less large pike in CV than some years back but there were still lots of them including a 16.5 lb girl which we caught and released mid summer. I can't figure out how anyone can consider CV collapased for walleye though - they are pretty much everywhere in the lake including some really big girls.

[Habfan]

I agree there seemed to a few less large pike in CV than some years back but there were still lots of them including a 16.5 lb girl which we caught and released mid summer. I can't figure out how anyone can consider CV collapased for walleye though - they are pretty much everywhere in the lake including some really big girls.

It's not collapsed for walleye, just like Mcgregor, Traverse, Pine Coulee. Alberta gov. does not know how to regulate and manage its fishery so they just make it catch and release and think all is fine !!! Kind of like prohibition !!

[deerguy]

It's not collapsed for walleye, just like Mcgregor, Traverse, Pine Coulee. Alberta gov. does not know how to regulate and manage its fishery so they just make it catch and release and think all is fine !!! Kind of like prohibition !!

Would like to see a tag system implemented on Crawling Valleye for Walleye. Anyone know what numbers have to be in a lake to have a tagged harvest?

Edit : I emailed Aesrd about the criteria that must be met and whether or not their is a plan in the works for future harvest considerations. Will post the response I receive.

[DonTreadOnMe]

Would like to see a tag system implemented on Crawling Valleye for Walleye. Anyone know what numbers have to be in a lake to have a tagged harvest?

Edit : I emailed Aesrd about the criteria that must be met and whether or not their is a plan in the works for future harvest considerations. Will post the response I receive.


Why? What's wrong with C&R. Do we really need to keep fish out of Alberta. We have to much pressure not enough fish bearing waters. You want to eat fish go to the grocery store or Sask where the pressure is less and the fish populations can support catch and keep.
Man do we live in a greedy province.

[panko]

If you guys want save this fisherie you need to get after irrigation divisions on these body's of water. That's what's killing the pike.chin, st Mary's, and all lakes between they where just puddles this year that's what's killing your fish, the fluctuation of water is such bs for the pike
As for the walleye raise the legal length to at least 55cm that way that fish has at least spawned twice maybe three times in its life
A 50 cm may never have spawned.
Travers and mcgreger have same issue its the selfish farmers using to much water.
This should get me tard and feathered but it's the truth I live in the taber area and I see it all summer every summer and it's getting worse they are plowing more and more prairie up every year and un irrigated land to irrigated land.
I just don't see where we are going to get all this water from.
And yes I know these are irrigation reservoirs first. The

[Habfan]

Why? What's wrong with C&R. Do we really need to keep fish out of Alberta. We have to much pressure not enough fish bearing waters. You want to eat fish go to the grocery store or Sask where the pressure is less and the fish populations can support catch and keep.
Man do we live in a greedy province.

How nice of you too offer up Saskatchewans fish !! I have a cottage there, most people don't want Albertans fishing there at all.

[whitetail Junkie]

If you guys want save this fisherie you need to get after irrigation divisions on these body's of water. That's what's killing the pike.chin, st Mary's, and all lakes between they where just puddles this year that's what's killing your fish, the fluctuation of water is such bs for the pike
As for the walleye raise the legal length to at least 55cm that way that fish has at least spawned twice maybe three times in its life
A 50 cm may never have spawned.
Travers and mcgreger have same issue its the selfish farmers using to much water.
This should get me tard and feathered but it's the truth I live in the taber area and I see it all summer every summer and it's getting worse they are plowing more and more prairie up every year and un irrigated land to irrigated land.
I just don't see where we are going to get all this water from.
And yes I know these are irrigation reservoirs first. The

I fished the ridge this year and in one day between me and 5 other guys caught around 300 walleye....the biggest being only 19".....lots of fish in there and That is a 55cm lake....had a monster pike on too that day....saw one guy land a nice 8 pound keeper so there are some legal fish in there,seemed like a healthy lake.

[deerguy]

Why? What's wrong with C&R. Do we really need to keep fish out of Alberta. We have to much pressure not enough fish bearing waters. You want to eat fish go to the grocery store or Sask where the pressure is less and the fish populations can support catch and keep.
Man do we live in a greedy province.

Easy buddy, take a look at my posts in the fishing forum, I am very much about C&R. However, I would like to know what the criteria is for a lake to go to a tagged harvest. pine coulee is fun and all but it would be nice to catch something bigger then just stunted Walleyes, they either have to take some out or start stocking bait fish to plump them suckers up.

I think all fish should go to a draw system until people can govern themselves more to my way of thinking of not keeping everything they catch.

I do believe Crawling Valley could sustain a limited harvest on Walleyes.

[whitetail Junkie]

I think all fish should go to a draw system until people can govern themselves more to my way of thinking of not keeping everything they catch.



They need to start putting bull trout on draw too.

[deerguy]

They need to start putting bull trout on draw too.

No

[TROLLER]

Just take a look at a few of the guys who post constantly their catches that do not appear ever to be C&R

I am so wanting to ask if they ever let a fish go and if not what do they do with all the catch? Can't be eating fish every other day. Most likely into the freezer to get burnt and tossed at a later date.

Now that is a waste and I believe it goes on lot more than anyone can imagine.

[whitetail Junkie]

I think all fish should go to a draw system

No

[deerguy]

No

Pine, walleye, trout (sans bull trout and certain areas where brook or cutthroat trout are a problem) And Perch need to go on a tag system. Burbot should also go on a tag system but one that does not need a draw. 15 Burbot tags per license. 45 perch tags per license. 5 pike tags per license , 10 trout tags per license then have Walleye on draw. Have this as a 5 year plan and see how things look after 5 years.

[huntsfurfish]

Why? What's wrong with C&R. Do we really need to keep fish out of Alberta. We have to much pressure not enough fish bearing waters. You want to eat fish go to the grocery store or Sask where the pressure is less and the fish populations can support catch and keep.
Man do we live in a greedy province.

Nothing wrong with it, I am C&R too but would like to see some for the people that like to eat them too.
If we would have went to one fish instead of 3 it would be sustainable for longer.
It is also not all about catch and release(whos being greedy).:)