Lakers in Touchwood

[ScubaSteve]

Going to Touchwood and i know that it was stocked with lakers in the past. Just wondering if anyone has hooked any or knows of anyone taking any out of the lake.

Scuba

[Walleyes]

You are rite in that it was tryed a few years back to re introduce lakers into Touchwood but unfortunetly the Pike and Walleye population took care of that attempt. There were a few showing up in the comercial nets about 10 years ago but i have not heard of any in the last few years. I would not say that there are nun but it would be extremely rare that any survived. Definetly not worth trying for thats for sure,, but heck who needs a lazy old Laker when the lake boasts 15 - 20 pound Pike and Walleye routinely caught in the 8# range !!! Take lots of bait because if you happen to get on the Walleye they will clean you out in short order,, not bad for a lake that SRD has a zero retention on because of the low Walleye numbers,,, what a joke...

[ScubaSteve]

You are rite in that it was tryed a few years back to re introduce lakers into Touchwood but unfortunetly the Pike and Walleye population took care of that attempt. There were a few showing up in the comercial nets about 10 years ago but i have not heard of any in the last few years. I would not say that there are nun but it would be extremely rare that any survived. Definetly not worth trying for thats for sure,, but heck who needs a lazy old Laker when the lake boasts 15 - 20 pound Pike and Walleye routinely caught in the 8# range !!! Take lots of bait because if you happen to get on the Walleye they will clean you out in short order,, not bad for a lake that SRD has a zero retention on because of the low Walleye numbers,,, what a joke...

Thanks for the Info. Guess i'll just have to catch some monster walleye.

[smitty9]

Walleyes:

I can relate to where you are coming from; there are now many examples of lakes where walleyes have made an outstanding comeback.

But in my frustration I try to be grateful too; having great fishing, lots of walleyes, non-stop action is a nice "problem" to have.

I don't know how old you are Walleyes, but I remember the real joke in Alberta: back when you were allowed 10 walleyes, and lakes were fished out.

The solution of course - nowadays for the SRD - is to figure out a retention system so lakes are balanced ecosystem wise, and yet over harvest is also prevented (some lakes would collapse with even a 1 limit per day, they have so much pressure).

That's also why as much as I hate forking over extra $, the tag system is an excellent solution for lots of lakes.

I'll have to check out Touchwood; I love that lake, when I use to go semi-regularly.

Smitty

[sco22]

I have marked fish at 90-110 feet in Touchwood, although I thought it was more a case of my fishfinder picking up things other than fish. I have personally never seen one but I have never tried to fish for one either.

That is an excellent lake for C&R walleye, although I think way too many big pike come out of there. It is still my favorite recreation lake and well worth the trip.

Cheers.

[Walleyes]

Walleyes:

I can relate to where you are coming from; there are now many examples of lakes where walleyes have made an outstanding comeback.

But in my frustration I try to be grateful too; having great fishing, lots of walleyes, non-stop action is a nice "problem" to have.

I don't know how old you are Walleyes, but I remember the real joke in Alberta: back when you were allowed 10 walleyes, and lakes were fished out.

The solution of course - nowadays for the SRD - is to figure out a retention system so lakes are balanced ecosystem wise, and yet over harvest is also prevented (some lakes would collapse with even a 1 limit per day, they have so much pressure).

That's also why as much as I hate forking over extra $, the tag system is an excellent solution for lots of lakes.

I'll have to check out Touchwood; I love that lake, when I use to go semi-regularly.

Smitty


Don't get me wrong guys,, I am all for catch and release do a tonne of it a year and enjoy doing it. But the problems with Touchwood run deeper than this. First off it was a shock to all us local boys when SRD titled the lake collapsed not to sure where and how they came up with this. We never had a problem with Walleye or any fish in this lake. Again these numbers were based on creel surveys taken on weekends when the spoon chuckers from the cities were out not during the week when us locals head out after the lakes are quieted down,, we see this time and again in this area. There was a glimmer of hope a couple years back that they were going to open it up a bit but then we got the gift of the Metis Harvest Agreement thrown at us. That first winter I personally know of a dozen local boys that headed in there more than once and set 4 & 6' nets targeting Walleye. I do beleive that after the local F&G saw this that all hopes were dashed for a while anyways of any caucasian ever harvesting a Walleye from Touchwood.

Again I do love the lake and have spent countless hours out there,, a few years back we fished it atleast twice a week for a few summers and it was enjoyable. And all through this time we practiced catch and release and only took what we needed for supper maybe once a week. This lake is abundant with large Walleye why the title of collapsed is not removed is a wonder to me..

sco22;

I never have quite figured out what those fish are down around the 100' - 150' mark but we were marking them on that lake long before they tried the re introduction of Lakers.. My guess always was they were giant Pike ?? it has always been a plan to run some west coast gear down on the downriggers and spend some time trying to find out what just lurks there.. Unfortunately a person would have to have patience cause those large fish only eat once in the blue moon and my guess would be they eat under the blue moon ;) ;)

I do have a friend that dove the lake a few times and said some of the Pike he saw in that lake scared the he11 out of him,, with some stretching the 5 - 6' mark,, now thats a fish. But its hard to spend the time for a slimy Pike even if it is 30# when the Walleye are hitting and at anytime a 10# could take the bait.. Not bad for a collapsed lake eh !!!

[Sandalius]

.

This is kinda funny - but not really - FNG's

What's that saying - imitation is the best form of flattery

[Cal]

[QUOTE=Walleyes;359364]Unfortunately a person would have to have patience cause those large fish only eat once in the blue moon and my guess would be they eat under the blue moon ;) ;)
QUOTE]

Are you saying you think they eat at night here walleyes? If so have you ever had much luck catching pike after dark? I'v heard they dont see well at night, sort of dont think this would be a problem, the pike in coal lake cant see well ever and they do OK. Never had much luck fishing for pike at night, even in the yukon when its not dark at night it seemed like the bite shut down. But I've heard over in europe they catch them at night. And your probably right about them being pike. Last time I was in michigan I saw a couple nice ones that were caught on downriggers while fishing for lakers. They definatly arent scared to go real deep if theres lots of food and a good water temp down there.

[Walleyes]

[QUOTE=Walleyes;359364]Unfortunately a person would have to have patience cause those large fish only eat once in the blue moon and my guess would be they eat under the blue moon ;) ;)
QUOTE]

Are you saying you think they eat at night here walleyes? If so have you ever had much luck catching pike after dark? I've heard they don't see well at night, sort of dont think this would be a problem, the pike in coal lake cant see well ever and they do OK. Never had much luck fishing for pike at night, even in the yukon when its not dark at night it seemed like the bite shut down. But I've heard over in europe they catch them at night. And your probably right about them being pike. Last time I was in michigan I saw a couple nice ones that were caught on downriggers while fishing for lakers. They definatly arent scared to go real deep if theres lots of food and a good water temp down there.

Well I wouldn't say for sure when they eat but I know this,, that common sense tells me that what ever it is that is hanging out down there doesn't like the light that's why it's hanging out down there right ???? And I have spent enough hours and days out on that lake to know that the huge ones are not in the shallows. Oh we've put a few in the boat over the years in the 15 - 20# mark but I'm talking 30# plus here. I know their in there I have seen them come in from the nets in the 25 - 30# plus side but have never seen one caught so what does that tell us ?? they obviously have different feeding patterns than most no ?? I would think so..

[sheephunter]

that common sense tells me that what ever it is that is hanging out down there doesn't like the light that's why it's hanging out down there right ????

More likely to do with water temperature, bait and oxygen content than light. Few fish are affected in anyway by light other than changing light may give them a feeding advantage or disadvantage.

Big pike do love cool water but I doubt there is sufficient oxygen for them to survive at those depths. My guess would be burbot or even whitefish.

[Walleyes]

More likely to do with water temperature, bait and oxygen content than light. Few fish are affected in anyway by light other than changing light may give them a feeding advantage or disadvantage.

Big pike do love cool water but I doubt there is sufficient oxygen for them to survive at those depths. My guess would be burbot or even whitefish.

All true TJ all true..

Whitefish would be the obviuos fish wouldn't they.. But I must admit some of them give a pretty big blip on the sonar but I know that is hardly any real indication of a fish's true size.. Still its nice to dream about the possibilty of some large gators lurking in those depth's,, you know just to keep life a little interesting and heck you just never know do yah..

[sheephunter]

All true TJ all true..

Whitefish would be the obviuos fish wouldn't they.. But I must admit some of them give a pretty big blip on the sonar but I know that is hardly any real indication of a fish's true size.. Still its nice to dream about the possibilty of some large gators lurking in those depth's,, you know just to keep life a little interesting and heck you just never know do yah..

No, you sure don't but I've never seem pike deeper than 65 feet. No doubt the big girls do love the cool water depths though!

[Cal]

Does the oxygen content realy drop that much between 65 and 100 feet? Their well bellow the thermocline at either depth, a few buddies that dive say that in most alberta lakes it gets pretty dark even at 30-50 feet with the vegetation getting pretty sparse as well which to my rational would be the major influencing factors on how much oxygen the water would have. I was told that those two I saw in michigan were caught at 90'.

btw SH would you agree that walleye would be the exception and the light plays a major part in their feeding habits or do you also think it is more the changing light conditions that make them bite?

[kreator]

Just came back from Touchwood...spent the week there and caught several nice Walleye. The two best were 5 and 6 pounds. They put up quite a fight! I think the lake should have, and probably will have, a tag system for Walleye.

[sheephunter]

btw SH would you agree that walleye would be the exception and the light plays a major part in their feeding habits or do you also think it is more the changing light conditions that make them bite?


Definitely changing light, especially in perch lakes. Walleyes' eyes adapt very quickly to light changes...ie: sunset, sunrise, wave action, mudlines....perch's don't. This is why walleye turn on at these times when light intensity changes. The thoughts of light hurting walleye's eyes or walleye not liking light is absolutly nothing but old wives' tales!

[Cal]

I dunno, I'll keep that in mind but I've always had better luck on overcastdays, or when theres a chop both cut down the light coming in. As well I think the time of day that walleye bite best changes with the water clarity with them feeding hard later in the morning and earlyer in the afternoon when the water is more discolored and vice versa. Theres lots of other reasons that I think they are sensitive to light but I wont bore you with them and I definatly could be wrong.

[sheephunter]

I've cashed a lot of cheques by fishing in two or three feet of clear water on a hot sunny day. I love fishing against people that believe walleye are sensitive to light! :D Keep spreading the word :innocent:

[Cal]

lol heck lets start another poll and pretend that it proves somthing.

[sco22]

I have thought the about doing the same thing Walleyes. . .but then I end up going to the point and catching about 150 walleyes or trolling through the narrows and around bare ***** point for big pike. There really are some monsters, both pike and walleye, in that lake.

I chatted with the netters 2 winters ago and they still think there are lakers in there. Maybe. I doubt it would be pike and certainly not whitefish, but maybe burbot. The netters would sell whites, pike and burbot to us, but within the limits and then the key part is those purchased fish count to your posession limit. They had some giant burbot for $1 each.

Cheers.