Alberta Needs More Panfish

[camouflaged tater]

Why the heck doesn't Alberta introduce more panfish variety? So far the only "panfish" we have in this province is perch and even then our perch lakes are becoming depleted. So why not introduce, bluegill, crappies and even as a side note, bass! They're all freshwater fish, how come we can't have some more of this variety like some other provinces do? Anyone else agree or am I just ranting to myself lol

[pinelakeperch]

I also wish we had more panfish. Gills, pumpkinseed, crappies, etc. I'd have to imagine our waters are too cold.

[Scott N]

Introducing non-native species can really mess with Alberta's natural environment.

[Angler]

I don't really think it's colder around here for those species, take a Manitoba for instance. It's cool, colder than Alberta, I'd say. I have a buddy moved from Winnipeg, he drilled through 4-5 feet ice! Extension is required for some waters in the mid winter there. That proves that cold isn't an issue, I think...
There has to be some other explanation, why Alberta doesn't have those other awesome species like White Bass, Black Crappie, Bullhead, Catfish, Drum, Muskelange, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Splake, Sunfish and others.
Check the list of the fish Manitoba has HERE (http://huntfishmanitoba.ca/go-fishing/what-youll-catch)

WOW, I'm so impressed by own post, that I think it's time to move out! LOL!

I guess we need a fair opinion of strong Canadian Ichthyologist in this case, where is our piece of cake!?

[mapleleafman3]

I agree 100%. Alberta needs more than just perch. I would bet the predator fish would also benefit having more prey.

[schleprock]

I was told last year that the afga has been working on getting perch added to the list so that anyone with a private pond would be able to stock them. Hope that they are able to accomplish this.

[wildwoods]

I have no issue with the species we have here. BC is close if you need more panfish. Our freshwater lakes suck as it is. There's finally some coming around and becoming awesome fisheries. Compromising them by new species introduction could be devastating.

[dryflyguy]

I would think spawning temperature would have a lot to do with why certain species don't do well in AB, panfish likely wouldn't be able to successfully reproduce in most of our lakes

Also, our watershed drains into the Arctic and Hudson Bay for the most part, not a lot of panfish in that watershed for them to occur naturally, not sure introducing them is a good use of resources

[CNP]

I don't really think it's colder around here for those species, take a Manitoba for instance. It's cool, colder than Alberta, I'd say. I have a buddy moved from Winnipeg, he drilled through 4-5 feet ice! Extension is required for some waters in the mid winter there. That proves that cold isn't an issue, I think...
There has to be some other explanation, why Alberta doesn't have those other awesome species like White Bass, Black Crappie, Bullhead, Catfish, Drum, Muskelange, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Splake, Sunfish and others.
Check the list of the fish Manitoba has HERE (http://huntfishmanitoba.ca/go-fishing/what-youll-catch)

WOW, I'm so impressed by own post, that I think it's time to move out! LOL!

I guess we need a fair opinion of strong Canadian Ichthyologist in this case, where is our piece of cake!?

MB can drown AB. It has more lakes than an Albertan can dream about. All those fish in MB can stay there as far as I'm concerned. The Red River (part of the Mississippi River system) dumps into Lake Winnipeg. Crappies and Bass aren't supposed to be here.

[C & C]

Alberta seems to have its heart set on walleye. They are willing to sacrifice the pike and perch we have for them so I doubt we will see more of anything else.

[wildbill]

I also wish we had more panfish. Gills, pumpkinseed, crappies, etc. I'd have to imagine our waters are too cold.
They seem to just fine in Manitoba, way colder there.

[Habfan]

Alberta seems to have its heart set on walleye. They are willing to sacrifice the pike and perch we have for them so I doubt we will see more of anything else.

There is nothing wrong with that, as long as it is put and take for walleye I'm all for it. Saskatchewan continually stocks its lakes with walleye for put and take and if you want to keep a pike or a couple perch for dinner then so be it, that is if you can't catch the eyes !! If you stock a lake full of walleye then shut it down for retention, what do you think is going to happen ?

[Okotokian]

Manage what we have properly first.

We have good native species, don't mess with them (and yes, I'll call species "native" with an asterisk if they have been here for the better part of a century)

You need something to travel for anyway. Leave foreign species where they are.

[huntsfurfish]

Why the heck doesn't Alberta introduce more panfish variety? So far the only "panfish" we have in this province is perch and even then our perch lakes are becoming depleted. So why not introduce, bluegill, crappies and even as a side note, bass! They're all freshwater fish, how come we can't have some more of this variety like some other provinces do? Anyone else agree or am I just ranting to myself lol

Use up the Prussian Carp first. If we fish them out then we can move onto another species.:)

[wildbill]

Introducing non-native species can really mess with Alberta's natural environment.
Sort of like how rainbows (yes I am well aware of the Athabasca rainbow trout), brookies and browns have? All of which are introduced invasive species that have displaced and, interbred with our native species (cutts and bulls) how about artic grayling in Southern Alberta (not the Montana grayling)? Dolly Varden in Chester lake? Lake white fish in all these Southern reservoirs? Gold trout? Now tigers? All introduced! Do I enjoy fishin fer trout? Heck yes! Do I think our province could benefit from a few other game fish that are not of the order salmoniformes, family salmonidae? Well I guess! The whole non-native species argument is a croc! If wasn't for the rainbows and the browns do you think people would flock to the Bow and the Crow by the carloads? They are non-native introduced species! Let's see some new species that aren't trout!

[huntsfurfish]

Sort of like how rainbows (yes I am well aware of the Athabasca rainbow trout), brookies and browns have? All of which are introduced invasive species that have displaced and, interbred with our native species (cutts and bulls) how about artic grayling in Southern Alberta (not the Montana grayling)? Dolly Varden in Chester lake? Lake white fish in all these Southern reservoirs? Gold trout? Now tigers? All introduced! Do I enjoy fishin fer trout? Heck yes! Do I think our province could benefit from a few other game fish that are not of the order salmoniformes, family salmonidae? Well I guess! The whole non-native species argument is a croc! If wasn't for the rainbows and the browns do you think people would flock to the Bow and the Crow by the carloads? They are non-native introduced species! Let's see some new species that aren't trout!

Prussian carp is all you get.:)

[curtz]

Even just start stocking the lakes with more perch.

[wildwoods]

I'm not sure what the problem is. We have world class trout fishing, incredible walleye fisheries, places for massive pike, quality laker waters, the list goes on and on. Crawling valley, wabasca, the mighty Bow river, wabamun, pigeon, calling, pinehurst, cold lake, slave, athabasca, all incredible fisheries to name a few: right at our fingertips. There's only so much water here as we are not spoiled with all that Canadian Shield like our friends from the east. Yes we have our issues and concerns. Every place on earth has ecosystem problems. Maybe I'm just easy too please? I say leave it as is and manage what we have better.
Flame away

[alacringa]

Why the heck doesn't Alberta introduce more panfish variety?

Because we have better fish. They're called trout.

[PerchBuster]

There is nothing wrong with that, as long as it is put and take for walleye I'm all for it. Saskatchewan continually stocks its lakes with walleye for put and take and if you want to keep a pike or a couple perch for dinner then so be it, that is if you can't catch the eyes !! If you stock a lake full of walleye then shut it down for retention, what do you think is going to happen ?


Well said, I couldn't agree more! You nailed it on the Walleye issue. I would also comment that Alberta lakes far and wide have tendencies to winter kill and/or summer kill and they go through poor water cycles and conditions whether it be run off, algae blooms, low water levels, depleted oxygen levels, draughts, toxins etc. This isn't necessarily uncommon to other regions either but with a much lower number of lakes and available water in the province by comparison with a tendency to be also smaller and shallower and predominantly located more so in Nothern half this gets complicated for introduction of other panfish species. They have their limitations. I am sure some of the lakes in the Province could maybe sustain some populations under the right conditions however it would be futile to think you could introduce a province wide stocking program for let's say Bluegills or Crappies. That would be a giant experiment and potential waste of critical funding when that money could be used to boost up the aforementioned species like Perch that we already know can do very well in those same bodies of water given an effort. Let's fix what we have and what we know first about native species including the rehabilitation of their habitats and restoration of the water quality. Stocking any species in a lake surrounded by farmland sucking up all the runoff and phosphates etc and getting annual blue green algae alerts and fish die offs doesn't do anything for me. And we might get to buy retention tags for it, geez thanks. Is that where we as anglers really want the provincial stocking program dollars going? Right now their limited amount of funding is only being used on stocking trout anyways, nothing else.

[Kings]

Even just start stocking the lakes with more perch.

X2

If we go for the same argument like Non native fish, colder water etc.. why can't we stock perch in the lakes(non trout lakes). At least the kids will have fun catching them.

[FlyTheory]

If there wasn't potential for bucket brigade was a thing then crappie would be pretty sweet. I love crappie! However manage what we got. We already have significant populations of invasive brook trout, browns, non-athabows rainbows, and now Prussian carp in our waterways (bigger concern opposed to a sigular unconnected lakes).

[brooktr]

I'm from Southern ontario and used to stock private ponds and lakes with some of those species, mainly pumpkinseed, bluegill, largemouth bass and small mouth bass and I think they would survive here fine, and in all honesty thrive in lots of the smaller shallow lakes, the biggest problem with a lot of those species is how hard they are to control after they're introduced, something such as a small stocked trout lake out here bass would very quickly destroy by eating everything under a foot long, in several cases we used large mouth to eradicate goldfish and they would clean out a pond or small lake in a summer with ease, they can be relatively hard species to introduce and balance in an ecosystem because of this

[Swede]

Alberta cant even manage the native species that we have properly. So ya introducing more wouldn't be a good idea.

[Tom Pullings]

Gotta be a reason they aren't here naturally. Let's keep it that way.

[mapleleafman3]

Are golden trout and tiger trout native to alberta? Why did they stock those? Most of the stocked rainbows are of the Kamloops strain (ya I know they are triploids). Is Kamloops in Alberta? Prussian Carp are native to Siberia if you believe Wikipedia.
I like the idea of stocking perch. I'm sure the pike and walleye population would like that too.
Anyways.... Sorry for my daily rant (missing my days of fishing Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes).

[AlbertaCutthroat]

They have been here for a while, they are small and about as exciting as prussian carp to catch. Hopefully eradication efforts are succesful and they don't show up again.

[livinstone]

So if they did that and thats a big if lam guessing they will just turn around and put a ZERO LIMIT on the lakes they stocked .MAYBE if the people in charge of these would leave the office and get some commen sense and start improving ?:angry3:

[Red Bullets]

Before Alberta could think of stocking perch and pan fish it would have to do something to control the cormorant and other fish bird populations. Any pan fish stockings would just be bird food. This is one of the reasons we aren't seeing perch like we used to.

Just within a 25 km radius of one area near Lac La Biche there are about 18000 nesting pairs of double creasted cormorants. That's 36000 adult birds that can eat about 1.5 lbs of fish per day each. And they have 1.5 nestlings average per nest per season. 24000 offspring + 36000 adults = 60000 birds eating fish every day. Just in this one area. In 2005 there was an egg culling to slow down the cormorant populations in the Lac La Biche area but more needs to be done.

As far as bass being mentioned... People tried stocking bass since the 1930's in Alberta. They even tried lakes like Gull back then.

[linger]

i think crappies and sunfish are a great idea but first the retards that run our stocking programs have to stop being so gunghoe about trout and walleye thin out the walleye in the lakes thats why we have no perch in what used to be a good perch lakes we also need a slot limit instead of tags what a cash cow that is.:thinking-006:

[huntsfurfish]

Before Alberta could think of stocking perch and pan fish it would have to do something to control the cormorant and other fish bird populations. Any pan fish stockings would just be bird food. This is one of the reasons we aren't seeing perch like we used to.

Just within a 25 km radius of one area near Lac La Biche there are about 18000 nesting pairs of double creasted cormorants. That's 36000 adult birds that can eat about 1.5 lbs of fish per day each. And they have 1.5 nestlings average per nest per season. 24000 offspring + 36000 adults = 60000 birds eating fish every day. Just in this one area. In 2005 there was an egg culling to slow down the cormorant populations in the Lac La Biche area but more needs to be done.

As far as bass being mentioned... People tried stocking bass since the 1930's in Alberta. They even tried lakes like Gull back then.

Very good point.

[huntsfurfish]

i think crappies and sunfish are a great idea but first the retards that run our stocking programs have to stop being so gunghoe about trout and walleye thin out the walleye in the lakes thats why we have no perch in what used to be a good perch lakes we also need a slot limit instead of tags what a cash cow that is.:thinking-006:

Glad you dont run things.:)

[FlyTheory]

Glad you dont run things.:)

2x I'm glad most people don't run things on here 😂😂😂

[schmedlap]

Before Alberta could think of stocking perch and pan fish it would have to do something to control the cormorant and other fish bird populations. Any pan fish stockings would just be bird food. This is one of the reasons we aren't seeing perch like we used to.

Just within a 25 km radius of one area near Lac La Biche there are about 18000 nesting pairs of double creasted cormorants. That's 36000 adult birds that can eat about 1.5 lbs of fish per day each. And they have 1.5 nestlings average per nest per season. 24000 offspring + 36000 adults = 60000 birds eating fish every day. Just in this one area. In 2005 there was an egg culling to slow down the cormorant populations in the Lac La Biche area but more needs to be done.

As far as bass being mentioned... People tried stocking bass since the 1930's in Alberta. They even tried lakes like Gull back then.

These birds are native to AB. That means they were around, and probably thriving, before there was any really significant human population around Lac La Biche, or any significant human harvest of fish from the area. Was the fish population available for human harvest, commercial or sport, historically sparser in the area before we arrived, and before we started "managing" such - I VERY much doubt it (?). I suspect that if one were to be able to take one's modern gear and boat back to LLB 500 years ago, hell even 100 years ago, one might find the same or greater numbers of cormorants, pelicans, gulls, etc. along with MUCH larger populations of the same fish.

Even in my own limited span of time and experience ... let's take Siebert Lake, not far from LLB, and where one will see lots of cormorants and Pelicans and the like, for an example. Something tells me that the significant diminishment of large fish and volume of fish opportunities from even 20-30 years ago, even with relatively restrictive regulations for sport fishing, has far more to do with increased ease of access and sheer volume of fishermen than any natural predation factors (?).

Is there some factor of "civilization" that has caused the cormorant population to boom far beyond its natural level? I don't know - I'm asking. I strongly suspect the fish-eating bird population is a rather convenient and simplistic excuse and target for the relevant issues. I don't think the cormorant population has boomed because they were protected from human predation - as I understand it they are not good eating (?). Its along the same lines as those Maritimers (and, disclosure, I am originally from NS) who still avow that the diminution of cod is because of over-population of the seals, when it is established fact (and pretty much common sense) that the entire seal population of the North Atlantic, at its highest cyclical levels, consumes a tiny fraction of the amount of cod that was annually being harvested by industrial commercial fishing before this was curtailed.

I can see the issue in the case of such birds decimating small stocked fish populations, on a natural basis. If you were a cormorant, I suspect you would be pleasantly surprised to find a new dense population of perch or trout in a water body previously devoid of such fish, and would be ignorant of the regulations or private property rights involved (?). No issue with reasonable and intelligent measures to deter the birds in such context. Too bad they aren't, apparently, eating more Prussian Carp (?) - could we train them to do so:sHa_sarcasticlol:

I strongly suspect the cormorant is a rather convenient and simplistic scapegoat in this scenario - not uncommon in the competition for such resources - but rather sad in terms of how we regard and "manage" our natural environment.

[huntsfurfish]

It is not the only factor, but it is a factor.

Not sure if it was DDT and this is a recovery of cormorants, pelicans and other species. But numbers are way up. Never used to see pelicans in southern Ab, now they are everywhere.

When man interferes, man needs to manage.

[Isopod]

I would love to see a variety of pan-fish stocked in Alberta waters to provide fishing opportunities that we don't have currently. There were attempts made 50-100 years ago to introduce southern and eastern species to Alberta, and mostly those failed, but surely we could do much better in 2017.

Unfortunately, there is a school of thought that thinks that any species that had not already colonized Alberta in the 12,000 years since 1.5 km of glacial ice melted off of central Alberta, well, that fish species must now never be allowed to colonize Alberta. Ever. At all costs.

Even the native perch that managed to expand their range into Alberta before the authorities decided that all further expansion of perch was evil, well, those perch must now be prevented and eliminated from colonizing any new water bodies. That means fighting any natural expansion of perch into new waters, counter to what would be the natural progression of a species expanding its range.

So it's mainly the alien and introduced Rainbow Trout that are permitted to be raised, promoted, and stocked into Alberta waters nowadays. So, yah, forget the introduction of panfish opportunities anytime soon.

[wildwoods]

Can someone enlighten me as to why they would want this opportunity?
Call me a snob but I find catching panfish incredibly boring. Honest question

[Tom Pullings]

Can someone enlighten me as to why they would want this opportunity?
Call me a snob but I find catching panfish incredibly boring. Honest question

Not boring at all on ultralight tackle. Plus they're quite voracious and easy for kids to catch.

But I still don't believe we know better than nature.

[huntsfurfish]

I would love to see a variety of pan-fish stocked in Alberta waters to provide fishing opportunities that we don't have currently. There were attempts made 50-100 years ago to introduce southern and eastern species to Alberta, and mostly those failed, but surely we could do much better in 2017.

Unfortunately, there is a school of thought that thinks that any species that had not already colonized Alberta in the 12,000 years since 1.5 km of glacial ice melted off of central Alberta, well, that fish species must now never be allowed to colonize Alberta. Ever. At all costs.

Even the native perch that managed to expand their range into Alberta before the authorities decided that all further expansion of perch was evil, well, those perch must now be prevented and eliminated from colonizing any new water bodies. That means fighting any natural expansion of perch into new waters, counter to what would be the natural progression of a species expanding its range.

So it's mainly the alien and introduced Rainbow Trout that are permitted to be raised, promoted, and stocked into Alberta waters nowadays. So, yah, forget the introduction of panfish opportunities anytime soon.

Fortunately, those are the smart ones.:)

If people want to catch other species go where they are. Dont need them here.

PS - also bet, most of those wanting different species are from other provinces.

[wildbill]

Because we have better fish. They're called trout.

More like better people, called trout snobs!

[AlbertaCutthroat]

Can someone enlighten me as to why they would want this opportunity?
Call me a snob but I find catching panfish incredibly boring. Honest question

Very boring. The ones in southern Alberta hardly ever approached 6", pretty pathetic considering how big the pike were in the same lake. That's boring even for kids. Pretty yes, good sportfish species not so much. If you like catching tiny fish target chubs and perch. Or travel elsewhere if you want colorful stuff. Wish people would quit stocking trash fish everywhere.

[Tom Pullings]

Very boring. The ones in southern Alberta hardly ever approached 6", pretty pathetic considering how big the pike were in the same lake. That's boring even for kids. Pretty yes, good sportfish species not so much. If you like catching tiny fish target chubs and perch. Or travel elsewhere if you want colorful stuff. Wish people would quit stocking trash fish everywhere.



Well by this logic the white sturgeon is all we should bother trying to catch. Or maybe blue whales. Small fish can be fun too.

[58thecat]

Luv those little pan fish....I know move to Ontario but I don't think I'd fit in...:scared:

[coyotezh]

strange....... I have been seeing so many fishmen looking for whitefish all over the places, but not a single one here mentioned that it's getting less and less whitefish available in these lakes close to cities. Could someone tell me the reason?

[BuckCuller]

I know the thought of introducing other pan fish would sound good but they wouldn't last just like most of the perch.
They would get fished out in no time anyway.
You need a low population and a lot of water.
If my biggest hobby was fishing I think Alberta would be the last of the prairie province's I would be in.
I've seen how Gull lake has been treated over the years. I've been fishing it for most of my life. First was everyone took home there limit of pike every time out. They would throw the ling on the ice sometimes in four foot piles, the pig farmers would pitch fork them in there trucks and feed the pigs.
Then the white fish were introduced and were rapidly producing, eating all the predatory fish eggs and the pike walleye and ling declined.
Then the masses started fishing the white fish some people taking two or three limits home in a day driving back and forth as far as Edmonton.
Now the white fish numbers are down and the pike walleye and ling are slowly recovering after strict regulations so they don't get fished out again. I'm not even sure where the perch came from because there never was any before ten or fifteen years ago.
Too many people not enough water.

[Scott N]

Can someone enlighten me as to why they would want this opportunity?
Call me a snob but I find catching panfish incredibly boring. Honest question

A lot of people like to eat them.

[huntsfurfish]

Whether you are a trout fisherman, walleye fisherman, pike or perch fisherman or any other species. And whether you are a catch and release fisherman or catch and eat fisherman or a part of all the above, the province should and does for the most part try to accommodate all parties as best they can.
And I as a fisherman agree with that, even though I am primarily a C&R fisherman.

Some species suffer at the recovery of other species. Some patience is needed due to the recovery time required to ensure species has recovered and stable.

Many issues can cause perch fisheries to decline: over fishing, large population of predator species, water conditions, chemical contamination, habitat loss, poor spawning conditions/habitat, poaching, winter kill, summer kill, bird predation, and a number of other influences.

Of course being an extremely popular fish species doesnt help either.:)

[tallieho]

Is the jury still not out on the effects of the NO commercial fishing in the prov.In order for perch to grow to sizes,more fit for the table.They need to be thinned out,drasticly.Furthermore whenpecker heads go & put invasive species into a trout lake.The govt NO longer stocks it.From what i have read on this foroum there are New oppurtunities for carp,europeans, asians love them.Maybe these will fill the bill,they are tropical EXOTICS

[Isopod]

Maybe once whirling disease has decimated the trout and whitefish stocks in Alberta, they can try re-stocking with some panfish species so we have a greater range of fishing opportunities and so people don't overfish the remaining sport-fish like pike?

[Michael_Brown]

Introducing invasive species is not a good idea. Yes the novelty of having some species from other areas is somewhat interesting but the introduction of any new species into an eco-system will cause a major disruption in the underwater world. It takes years for a lake to re-balance out.
This idea is how a lot of non-native species made their way to new lakes across the country, the decision to stock the species was made (both government & residents) with little consideration to the impact they would have on the native fish species or other lake inhabitants.
Sunfish and small mouth bass are some of the most invasive species on the planet and they can take over a lake. Even large predators in a waterbody can be outcompeted by a sunfish. One 10 lb pike vs 10000 .25lb sunfish = a well fed pike who can't spawn successfully because every egg or fry is devoured. Remember most pike or walleye in the lake are 3 inches long not 3 feet long, if you are thinned out as a minnow, your not around as a monster.

I would love some great panfish lakes in Alberta to enjoy some action filled days with family, friends and mostly kids but not at the risk of destroying the existing fish species.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/picture.php?albumid=1546&pictureid=6843
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/picture.php?albumid=1546&pictureid=9702

[Sundancefisher]

Even just start stocking the lakes with more perch.

I wish it were possible for F&W to take all the perch they can from our lake and dump them in storm water ponds for people to catch. We can likely sustain taking 300,000 to 500,000 perch from our lake yearly for stocking. At 6 inch average they start growing right away where ever they go if they have ample food. You just don't want them going into trout lakes and destroying them.

Maybe if there were put and take perch lakes the idiots moving them around would stop. Winterkill ponds would be ideal. Kill them all...start new in the spring.

[Sundancefisher]

Introducing invasive species is not a good idea. Yes the novelty of having some species from other areas is somewhat interesting but the introduction of any new species into an eco-system will cause a major disruption in the underwater world. It takes years for a lake to re-balance out.
This idea is how a lot of non-native species made their way to new lakes across the country, the decision to stock the species was made (both government & residents) with little consideration to the impact they would have on the native fish species or other lake inhabitants.
Sunfish and small mouth bass are some of the most invasive species on the planet and they can take over a lake. Even large predators in a waterbody can be outcompeted by a sunfish. One 10 lb pike vs 10000 .25lb sunfish = a well fed pike who can't spawn successfully because every egg or fry is devoured. Remember most pike or walleye in the lake are 3 inches long not 3 feet long, if you are thinned out as a minnow, your not around as a monster.

I would love some great panfish lakes in Alberta to enjoy some action filled days with family, friends and mostly kids but not at the risk of destroying the existing fish species.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/picture.php?albumid=1546&pictureid=6843
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/picture.php?albumid=1546&pictureid=9702

good post

[Isopod]

Good grief, almost every town in Alberta as well as probably all rural jurisdictions have fish ponds stocked with Rainbow Trout, a non-native and invasive species. Is it really so sacrilegious to suggest that a few (or a bunch) of these ponds could instead be stocked with a variety of panfish to offer anglers some alternatives to rainbow trout, which are non-native anyway?

[58thecat]

Good grief, almost every town in Alberta as well as probably all rural jurisdictions have fish ponds stocked with Rainbow Trout, a non-native and invasive species. Is it really so sacrilegious to suggest that a few (or a bunch) of these ponds could instead be stocked with a variety of panfish to offer anglers some alternatives to rainbow trout, which are non-native anyway?

True enough.

[Sundancefisher]

Good grief, almost every town in Alberta as well as probably all rural jurisdictions have fish ponds stocked with Rainbow Trout, a non-native and invasive species. Is it really so sacrilegious to suggest that a few (or a bunch) of these ponds could instead be stocked with a variety of panfish to offer anglers some alternatives to rainbow trout, which are non-native anyway?

Trout can't breed in ponds and are now triploid.

Panfish could breed and spread. Huge difference unless sterile.

[Newellknik]

I think Prussian carp are going to fill the bill . A fish that
2/3 of the world think is delicious ! Good fighters for their size
though we are not to sure what that will be . I believe one
Invasive species at a time is enough . Look at the positive side
Not many if any of your tax dollars were wasted . IMOP

[chucklesthe3rd]

You know what doesn't make any sense?
It's that the government is stocking trout in our lakes, with the water temperatures rising they continuously start to die at around June. I personally think that the government should stock the lakes with perch so that the kids can have fun and walleyes so the older fishermen can catch bigger fish. Perch are also much more aggressive than trout so they would be easier to catch. And maybe put 2 limit on walleyes and a 5 limit for perch. maybe even a size limit on them too like 20 cm on perch and 45 on walleye so they can spawn. Also they should have more fish and wildlife officers patrolling the area so no one can keep more than their limit.

[huntsfurfish]

You know what doesn't make any sense?
It's that the government is stocking trout in our lakes, with the water temperatures rising they continuously start to die at around June. I personally think that the government should stock the lakes with perch so that the kids can have fun and walleyes so the older fishermen can catch bigger fish. Perch are also much more aggressive than trout so they would be easier to catch. And maybe put 2 limit on walleyes and a 5 limit for perch. maybe even a size limit on them too like 20 cm on perch and 45 on walleye so they can spawn. Also they should have more fish and wildlife officers patrolling the area so no one can keep more than their limit.

:)

[Sundancefisher]

You know what doesn't make any sense?
It's that the government is stocking trout in our lakes, with the water temperatures rising they continuously start to die at around June. I personally think that the government should stock the lakes with perch so that the kids can have fun and walleyes so the older fishermen can catch bigger fish. Perch are also much more aggressive than trout so they would be easier to catch. And maybe put 2 limit on walleyes and a 5 limit for perch. maybe even a size limit on them too like 20 cm on perch and 45 on walleye so they can spawn. Also they should have more fish and wildlife officers patrolling the area so no one can keep more than their limit.

Firstly perch will stunt. As amazing as lots of perch sound...people grow weary fast. Fishing pressure plummets. Walleye sound good to predate on the perch...however not enough predation. Plus the limits don't make sense. In order to provide any fishery...

Perch in say Morinville reservoir need to have a limit of 50. Walleye a limit of zero because incidental catch mortality would kill enough. Fishing pressure on walleye would be stupider than trout at Mount Lorette Ponds. Walleye would need to be stocked at a size big enough to eat the perch...ie 16 inch...otherwise they would starve. Add Pike...some fish are just too easy to catch and would be removed fast by the crowd.

Morninville and Cardiff had perch. I went there a lot when I was younger. Hardly anyone fished. Not worth the effort. Everyone wanted trout.

To fix lack of trout for catching the limits need to be lowered. Lakes enforced harder. Some people need a mindset change from I spend $80 on gas I want $90 in fish to come home with to I spend $80 on gas and caught lots of fish and have one to eat tonight but not every night.

IMHO

[Isopod]

Trout can't breed in ponds and are now triploid.

Panfish could breed and spread. Huge difference unless sterile.

But there were numerous attempts in the 1900s to introduce panfish to Alberta, into lakes, not ponds. We aren't now overrun with bass and other panfish so obviously they did not become a problem. In fact, the only lake where they actually bred successfully was Island Lake in northeast Alberta, and no-one ever reported them to be interfering with native fish populations, and the bass there seem also to have died out about 20 years ago when water levels dropped. In the other lakes, the panfish either died soon after introduction, or grew into adults but failed to breed so never became a problem. If intentional introductions into Alberta lakes did not lead to any problems, I can't see how stocking them as put-and-catch into a few (or a bunch) of trout ponds would be any cause for concern.

[Sundancefisher]

But there were numerous attempts in the 1900s to introduce panfish to Alberta, into lakes, not ponds. We aren't now overrun with bass and other panfish so obviously they did not become a problem. In fact, the only lake where they actually bred successfully was Island Lake in northeast Alberta, and no-one ever reported them to be interfering with native fish populations, and the bass there seem also to have died out about 20 years ago when water levels dropped. In the other lakes, the panfish either died soon after introduction, or grew into adults but failed to breed so never became a problem. If intentional introductions into Alberta lakes did not lead to any problems, I can't see how stocking them as put-and-catch into a few (or a bunch) of trout ponds would be any cause for concern.

You referring to bass in Wabamun and Island Lake? Those efforts failed but tried to start a population. If bass took over a lake is that good for Alberta? Would the bucket brigade stupidly move them around?

Now if you suggested putting catch and release large bass in a ruined trout lake polluted with perch so hopefully they would eat some...and make them triploid it sounds good but then would idiots that like bass more than trout intentionally ruin more trout lakes?

More species to catch is good for angling diversity however can it work? It is a good question. Does that also suggest adding catfish to lakes in Alberta? Would panfish hurt perch populations? How many really want to catch 6 inch crappie?

You should do a poll. How many have done a trip or planned a trip to just catch crappie, pumpkinseed, sunfish, bluegill etc.

[livinstone]

l think they could do a Survey on this and see if the trout programs should be replace with something else (walleye,perch.) maybe ling.:thinking-006:

[huntsfurfish]

l think they could do a Survey on this and see if the trout programs should be replace with something else (walleye,perch.) maybe ling.:thinking-006:

Trout are cheaper and easier to stock. Mostly potholes and ponds and some lakes. Most of those water bodies are not suitable for much else and are best suited to trout stocking.

Trout are here to stay whether its liked or not. They fill a need.

Stocking that was done/started many years ago does not reflect what is known now about non native species and newer policies. Just because they started stocking RBT in the 1900's does not mean they should start stocking other species now! And Trout have been here longer than you!:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[AlbertaCutthroat]

But there were numerous attempts in the 1900s to introduce panfish to Alberta, into lakes, not ponds. We aren't now overrun with bass and other panfish so obviously they did not become a problem. In fact, the only lake where they actually bred successfully was Island Lake in northeast Alberta, and no-one ever reported them to be interfering with native fish populations, and the bass there seem also to have died out about 20 years ago when water levels dropped. In the other lakes, the panfish either died soon after introduction, or grew into adults but failed to breed so never became a problem. If intentional introductions into Alberta lakes did not lead to any problems, I can't see how stocking them as put-and-catch into a few (or a bunch) of trout ponds would be any cause for concern.

There is (at least were until very recently) isolated pockets of panfish remaining, they became awfully stunted, even worse than perch. Haven't seen kids fishing that pond since the water levels were pumped down so hopefully they have died out finally. They most definitely spawned for many years, kids were filling pails with them.

[Isopod]

Now if you suggested putting catch and release large bass in a ruined trout lake polluted with perch so hopefully they would eat some...and make them triploid it sounds good but then would idiots that like bass more than trout intentionally ruin more trout lakes?

I suggest you are letting your personal preference for trout cloud your argument. If there are "idiots" that like bass more than trout, and you think they would go so far as to intentionally ruin other fisheries for more bass, surely that suggests there is some demand for bass-fishing among many Alberta anglers? If it was mature triploid bass in a put-and-take operation that was fished out each summer, I'd be OK with that.

[Isopod]

There is (at least were until very recently) isolated pockets of panfish remaining, they became awfully stunted, even worse than perch. Haven't seen kids fishing that pond since the water levels were pumped down so hopefully they have died out finally. They most definitely spawned for many years, kids were filling pails with them.
Since kids were filling their pails with them, there was obviously great interest in those fish. Even if it is just small panfish that are easy to catch and make a good place for mom or dad or grandma or grandpa to take the kids for some guaranteed fishing action, what's wrong with that? Seems like an ideal way to get the kids interested in fishing.

I'm not aware of the pond you refer to... name/location please!