Message from Shane Petry. S.AB Biologist

[tallieho]

Hello everyone – well another year has passed and I hope everyone is healthy and still abiding by the provincial health orders during an increasingly difficult time. Once again we’ve looked at our stocking approach and tried to improve opportunities where possible to allow people to get out and enjoy some fishing. So, to that end, I want to share the following information about ponds stocked by both Alberta Environment and Parks and the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) that will hopefully create some interest and excitement regarding stocked fishery angling opportunities this summer around Lethbridge and in the southeast (when we can angle safely in accordance with provincial health orders and all other closures or restrictions i.e. access and parking area closures).

• *NEW* Corner (Lake) Reservoir – This is a new stocking site south of Lethbridge in Raymond. It will get 5000 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about April 19 and 50 (>26cm) Rainbow Trout in late May. It will also get stocked in September (7000-10000, 20 cm Rainbow Trout) as this pond is expected to overwinter fish well.

• Keenex Trout Pond – will get 3500 Rainbow Trout (20 cm) I about April 15 and this year we are looking to stock 150 Brook Trout (28cm) by about May 21.

• Nicholas Sheran Pond – I’ve had positive feedback from this pond in terms of angler use. I’ve changed the stocking of this pond again this year to increase opportunities. This includes stocking 2000 Rainbow Trout (20 cm) on about April 15. Then, 2000 Brown Trout (19cm) will come in first week of June. In addition, there will be 290 Brook Trout ( >35cm) and an additional 50 Rainbow Trout ((>25cm) early in June as well.

• Riverstone Pond – this pond get a lot of anglers so going to increase some stocking here as well. There will be 1200 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about April 15. Will look to put another 800 Rainbow Trout (20cm) in around May 24. Will also try to put 100 Rainbow Trout (25cm) in early June then round it out with another 1000 Rainbow Trout (20cm) in September.

• Brooks Aqueduct Pond – will get 15000 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about April 14. It will also get a few larger rainbow Trout, abut 75 (>26cm) in mid-May. Finally, another 5000 Rainbow Trout (20cm) will be stocked in September.

• Michel Reservoir – This reservoir received a lot of fish last year for this small reservoir so we are going to bring number down a bit. It will get 5000 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about May 06. It will also get another 100 (>30cm) Brown Trout in Late May and 1500 more Brown Trout ( 25cm) in June.

• Cavan Reservoir – we have been reviewing Cavan Reservoir with the support of our water managers and currently this reservoir is not at a level that it can be stocked to provide angling and harvest opportunity. Many know that this is an opportunistic stocking based upon annual water level projections and has been stocked in past years with the knowledge that fish will either be harvested or could perish due to low water sometime in the summer/fall depending upon irrigation needs. We will continue to monitor and if conditions change such that it fills, we will look to put fish in it if they are available.

• Reesor Lake – this lake has been fishing well with both Rainbows and Tiger Trout being caught. This year it will get 17000 Rainbow Trout around April 29 when ice off is well underway or complete. It will not be stocked with Tiger Trout this year but will be next year.

• Spruce Coulee Reservoir – this waterbody will get 9000 Brook Trout during the first week of June.

• Spring Coulee Park Pond – 3000 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about April 15.

• Pine Coulee Reservoir – this reservoir will get 7500 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about April 14. Given the size of this reservoir and its ability to over winter fish, we will also look to stock 25000 Rainbow Trout (8cm) in September.

• Taber Trout Pond – this ACA stocked pond 2250 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about May 21. Another 2150 Rainbow Trout (20cm) in mid to late June.

• Gold Springs Park – this ACA stocked pond will get 2363 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about May 21 and then another 2362 in mid to late June.

• Magrath Fish Pond – this ACA stocked pond will get 500 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about May 21.

• Sterling Fish Pond – this ACA stocked pond will get 1000 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about May 21 then another 1100 of the same in September.

• Enchant Park Pond – this ACA stocked pond will get 1000 Rainbow Trout by about May 21, another 1475 of the same in June then another 700 of the same in September.

• Bow City East Pond – this ACA stocked pond will get 2000 Rainbow Trout (20cm) by about May 21.

• Echo Dale Park – this ACA stocked pond will get 1800 Rainbow Trout (20cm) by May 21.

• McVinnie Pond – this ACA stocked pond will get 1155 Rainbow trout (20 cm) and 400 Tiger Trout (NEW). Anticipated stocking date is April 13. It will also get 2655 Rainbow Trout in mid to late June and another 1000 in mid to late September.

• McQuillan Reservoir – this ACA stocked pond will get 1900 Rainbow Trout (20cm) on about April 13. It will get another 2800 Rainbow Trout in mid to late June.

• Granum Pond – this ACA stocked pond will get 600 Rainbow Trout (20cm) by about May 21 then another 300 of the same in September.

• Foremost Reservoir – this ACA stocked pond will get 1500 Rainbow Trout (20cm) by about May 21.

Unfortunately Bullshead Reservoir is still being monitored and there no plans to stock it so far this year. An update will be forthcoming once we can retrieve our sampling gear and look at the data.

This list largely contains stocked ponds in and around Lethbridge and southeastern Alberta but also includes Pine Coulee Reservoir by Claresholm. Please check the ACA as well as the My Wild Alberta webpages for other stocked fishery opportunities.
https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/fish-stocking/default.aspx





Regards,




Shane Petry
Manager, Provincial Fisheries Policy
Resource Stewardship Division
Fish and Wildlife Stewardship
P 403-382-4362 / 403-634-6615
Email: Shane.Petry@gov.ab.ca



To report aquatic invasive species, please call our 24/7 hotline at: 1-855-336-BOAT (2628).




Classification: Protected A

[pikergolf]

Thanks for posting that. Lots of pelican and cormorant food. :mad0100:

[Scott N]

Maybe I can knock a tiger trout off my list at McVinnie this year.

[WayneChristie]

Thanks Shane, hope your crew is doing good as well. Any news on the dino front this year?

[Stump thumper]

Thanks Shane, hope your crew is doing good as well. Any news on the dino front this year?

Are you referring to the tagging program?

I exchanged a couple emails with both Shane, and Owen Watkins a few months ago, and the tagging program isn’t starting back up this year, possibly starting in 2022.

[smith88]

What is the issue with Bullshead? I have heard some rumors but would like clarification

[Soab]

What is the issue with Bullshead? I have heard some rumors but would like clarification

Not sure, but very frustrating

[roper1]

Thanks for you efforts Shane. Some support, some want something else, some want nothing, you know the gamut. I'm not informed enough to have a good opinion, but your research, efforts, and results are appreciated.

Thanks again!

[fisher69]

this is some great info thanks! i always though they kept the stocking dates a secret, id like to see how they actually do it, might be interesting for the kids too.

[Dark Wing]

Are they taking the tiger trout quota out of Blood Indian or from the rest of Alberta ?

[fisher69]

I don't want to be that guy, but I'm just wondering what other people think about this. I was at two of the places stocked this last week, and both times I encountered other grown men who were catching and releasing at least 10 or 20 or these tiny stocked rainbow trout.

Personally I caught five and decided that was enough small fish and called it a day. I have heard that these tiny trout have a lower survival rate from catch and release, especially when using barbed hooks, so I didn't want to leave a huge impact on the lake. There is a limit on how many fish you can keep, but there seems to be no limit on how many you can catch and release.

This was the first year I have been to a stocked lake so early, and what a difference. You actually see school of fish swimming around and its pretty easy to get a bite. Usually I don't end up going until later, mainly summer and fall, and usually by then the fishing has slowed down substantially, and you're lucky if you even see a fish jump.

So while those people weren't technically in the wrong, I feel like they are over fishing the early stock and not giving them a chance to grow, and lowering the overall stock available to everyone else.

[goldscud]

Bullshead probably winterkilled 2 winters ago from low oxygen. With little oxygen available, the nitrogen cycle probably got interrupted which led to high ammonia levels. That is toxic to the trout.
The lake needs a good flushing from lots of rain. Not sure how much run off there was this year. Most places seem really dry.
Hopefully the good bacteria can rebound to get rid of the ammonia and some fresh water arrives to fill up the reservoir.
Aeration would be awesome

[buckman]

I don't want to be that guy, but I'm just wondering what other people think about this. I was at two of the places stocked this last week, and both times I encountered other grown men who were catching and releasing at least 10 or 20 or these tiny stocked rainbow trout.

Personally I caught five and decided that was enough small fish and called it a day. I have heard that these tiny trout have a lower survival rate from catch and release, especially when using barbed hooks, so I didn't want to leave a huge impact on the lake. There is a limit on how many fish you can keep, but there seems to be no limit on how many you can catch and release.

This was the first year I have been to a stocked lake so early, and what a difference. You actually see school of fish swimming around and its pretty easy to get a bite. Usually I don't end up going until later, mainly summer and fall, and usually by then the fishing has slowed down substantially, and you're lucky if you even see a fish jump.

So while those people weren't technically in the wrong, I feel like they are over fishing the early stock and not giving them a chance to grow, and lowering the overall stock available to everyone else.

At least they were released ,I have seen many small trout kept.

[buckman]

Thanks for posting that. Lots of pelican and cormorant food. :mad0100:

Cormorants are a disgusting bird, right up there with Crows and Magpies. I used to shoot them when I lived in England. They are now a protected species,and decimating some of the lakes.

Pelicans are on the rise and eat around 4lbs of fish per day.I have seen them scoop up large Walleye and Pike which were struggling,after being badly hooked and released on zero limit lakes