Isle Lake winterkill..........?

[sheepstalker]

I have heard many conflicting reports about this? Some people say they havent had a bite this year some people say the fishing has been as good or better than it has in years past. I am trying to decipher through the BS?

Anybody been out there recently? Anyone get their walleyes out of there yet? I tried to contact F & W they were NO help!

Thanks for the help!!

[Guitarplayingfish]

Only one way to find out! Different reports = Go do some adventuring.

[HunterDave]

Here's my theory..........The lake suffered a partial (?) winterkill but SRD netted walleye in Lac Ste Anne and relocated them into Isle Lake late summer/early spring. That would explain why people going there earlier on didn't catch anything and people after the stocking were catching some.

Like I say, it's just a theory but what I do know for sure is that SRD did net walleye for relocation to a different lake in the area. I don't know which one though. Considering that they opened Isle Lake to draw this year, it would make sense to me that they were put in there.

Regardless, it's a perfectly good rumour to start anyway. :evilgrin:

[Kim473]

Here's my theory..........The lake suffered a partial (?) winterkill but SRD netted walleye in Lac Ste Anne and relocated them into Isle Lake late summer/early spring. That would explain why people going there earlier on didn't catch anything and people after the stocking were catching some.

Like I say, it's just a theory but what I do know for sure is that SRD did net walleye for relocation to a different lake in the area. I don't know which one though. Considering that they opened Isle Lake to draw this year, it would make sense to me that they were put in there.

Regardless, it's a perfectly good rumour to start anyway. :evilgrin:

Before last winter they were taking eyes out of isle and puting them in Wabamun. I don't think they would be stocking isle this year even if it did winter kill. They would have to to some surveys before they did that. Two years ago there was almost too many eyes in isle, thats why it opened for tags. If Isle did winter kill I think it would only be a partial as there are some perty deep holes in that lake. The relocation of eyes probly went in to Wabamun or other lakes in the area. I think Isle is just fine, will check this winter for perch at my honey hole. Usualy find a few pike and eyes at that spot too. Could'nt get to that spot last last winter cause of too much snow.

[RapStaff]

It killed bad, I talked to some friends with cabins out there. Fish all over the shores this spring

[Morph1]

Well all I can contribute to this thread is that I know this lake pretty well,
and there is not that many deep holes as you say, most of the lake reads 18-22 FT of depth, every may long weekend for the past 7 years I had great fishing there I mean great to the point my wrist would hurt from pulling 3-6 lbs pike to the boat in quantities of 40 + in a matter of 4 -6 hours of fishing not to mention plenty of decent size walleyes.
This year may long weekend I had been everywhere on this lake and had not a single bite, what worse there was no fish showing on the fish finder...
I checked all my hot spots that I'm sure I would get at least a couple of hookups, there was absolutely nothing there..., I spent there 3 days
trying and using different bait/lures/rapalas... checked the tributaries, talked to many people that fish there regulary and NOTHING....
It sux bad as I love this lake and its so close to Edmonton, I hope they are restocking the lake with walleyes from Lac st anne.
what else to say..., I just wish that there was some winter kill prevention in place.... checking the oxigen levels through the winter season and perhaps when its low then place in a aerators , it maybe expensive ... but would that be worth the saving of the resources that had been put in there for years.....

I will talk to someone this week that has a cabin there and will try to get some more info.

cheers !

[HunterDave]

This year may long weekend I had been everywhere on this lake and had not a single bite, what worse there was no fish showing on the fish finder...

It sux bad as I love this lake and its so close to Edmonton, I hope they are restocking the lake with walleyes from Lac st anne.

Well Morph, I wouldn't give up on Isle just yet. The fish that they netted from Lac Ste Anne had to go somewhere and logically speaking you'd think that they'd put them in Isle.

I don't fish the lake but it's hard to imagine that no one has been out there fishing since May especially when they have 3 tags for walleye. You'd think that you'd hear more complaining about the money wasted on tags if there were no walleye in the lake. I'd be checking for myself. :lol:

[trkrstu]

I question how active the lake is. I was there last year for boat motor testing and didn't get much activity. I noticed last year how much alge was in the water,turned my reels green. I have been there again this year early this summer and the alge is at it again. It's not as thick as last year but it was still early. With the lengh of the winter cold and the alge I just wonder how much oxygen was left in the lake waters. It does't help convince me when I try many areas of the lake and get no bites with several lure changes and no hits on the sonar. I will be going elsewhere for the summer and will question when the lake turns around.

[Daceminnow]

Well Morph, I wouldn't give up on Isle just yet. The fish that they netted from Lac Ste Anne had to go somewhere and logically speaking you'd think that they'd put them in Isle.

I don't fish the lake but it's hard to imagine that no one has been out there fishing since May especially when they have 3 tags for walleye. You'd think that you'd hear more complaining about the money wasted on tags if there were no walleye in the lake. I'd be checking for myself. :lol:


Dave where did you get the information about fish being netted and moved out of Ste. Anne this year? i know you're a local boy, what's the scoop? i have family that lives on the lake and spend a lot of time on the water. no sign of fish from them either. again, it's sad.

Dace

[AlbertaAngler]

I don't fish the lake but it's hard to imagine that no one has been out there fishing since May especially when they have 3 tags for walleye. You'd think that you'd hear more complaining about the money wasted on tags if there were no walleye in the lake. I'd be checking for myself. :lol:

I found out on Friday me and my son got drawn for Lake Isle. Only reason I found out early is someone from SRD called. They have said the lake has severly wintekilled again (common for Isle) and they gave me two other choices of tags instead, to keep all tags off the lake. Apparently they were going to do this with the others that were drawn as well. So, I am supposed to now be getting Lac Ste Anne for my son and I. Winrelm still says Lake Isle, but he said it will change shortly.

Looks like they were giving guys that gone drawn a choice of other lakes.

[Gecko]

I have a cabin out at Lake Isle and from my experience and from talking to several others is that there was a very severe winter kill this year. Not sure of the causes of a winterkill but speaking from experience over 40 years at this year its very unusual, usually its as close to a sure thing as fishing gets at this lake. I have no insight into any restocking programs or anything official from Fish and Wildlife, but if you are looking for a lake to fish, keep driving because you will waste your time at Lake Isle this year.

[bigbuck19]

I have a cabin out at Lake Isle and from my experience and from talking to several others is that there was a very severe winter kill this year. Not sure of the causes of a winterkill but speaking from experience over 40 years at this year its very unusual, usually its as close to a sure thing as fishing gets at this lake. I have no insight into any restocking programs or anything official from Fish and Wildlife, but if you are looking for a lake to fish, keep driving because you will waste your time at Lake Isle this year.

x2, just heard the same thing from someone else with a cabin there.

[HunterDave]

Dave where did you get the information about fish being netted and moved out of Ste. Anne this year? i know you're a local boy, what's the scoop? i have family that lives on the lake and spend a lot of time on the water. no sign of fish from them either. again, it's sad.

Dace

I have a trailer out at Gunn and as soon as someone saw them netting word of it went through the local community like chit through a goose. I heard about it from one fella that I know and heard talk of it at the local diner (Kitt's) in Gunn. If I had to have seen it firsthand I would have asked where the walleye were going.

[Kim473]

I have a trailer out at Gunn and as soon as someone saw them netting word of it went through the local community like chit through a goose. I heard about it from one fella that I know and heard talk of it at the local diner (Kitt's) in Gunn. If I had to have seen it firsthand I would have asked where the walleye were going.

When were they netting?

[Gerry]

I went out to the narrows at Lac Ste Anne late last spring.
There were 3 F&W boats there trying to catch walleye (rod & reel).
While I was there they asked for every walleye that I caught, when I asked why, I was told that they're relocating them to Isle Lake for a restocking program.
So maybe some of the stories are true.

[HunterDave]

Yeah, it was sometime in late May. Maybe they couldn't catch enough with the rod and reel so decided to net instead.........lol!

[Kim473]

I still dont beleive that a winter kill at Isle was realy that bad last year. Lots of deep holes in that lake. Hope the perch are still there. Gonna try this winter and see. Love those 12" perch. Dont want to have to go to N.Buck all winter, Lot of miles.

[RCollins]

I've read quite a lot on this subject on this forum, and would like to clear a few rumours up.
The St. Albert Fish and Game run a Fun Fishing Day for the disabled every year out of Camp He Ho Ha on Lake Isle. We've been doing it for the past 18 years.
This year we had 18 boats and 2 barges on the lake fishing on June 5/2011.
There was not a single fish caught let alone a bite. Sad but true.
I contacted Stephen Spencer (Area SRD bioligist) directly after the derby and gave him the info... Here was his response:

Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 10:13 AM
Subject: Re: Lake Isle

Yes, sadly it was a severe winterkill. A night of electrofishing produced nothing. Beach seining and 3 multimesh nets fished for 24 hrs caught only sticklebacks.

Isle is a hyper eutrophic lake (high algae& plant growth) naturally with lots of human development to exacerbate the situation...agriculture, riparian development, vegetation harvesting, golf courses etc.

We will likely ask for catch and release and unless we find signicant survival, we will need to propose the restocking of the lake -the sturgeon river is too blocked for natural immigration to occur.

Thanks for the fishing information Randy.

Stephen

So that is where we stand as of this moment.
I have been told some info will be posted on My Wild Alberta on the subject but so far I've seen nothing.
Hope this clears up some of the rumours... and if you have gone out and caught something at Lake Isle, I's sure like to know.
I don't know what we're going to do next year for the derby.
Thanx

[HunterDave]

I don't know what we're going to do next year for the derby.

Welcome to the forum! :sSig_welcome2:

There are still plenty of fish in Lac Ste Anne and I'm willing to bet Lac Lanonne. :)

[RCollins]

Thanx HD.
I've been around a while....
Would love to relocate the derby, but the facility at Camp HeHoHa at Isle is the only place around that can handle all our needs for this event.

[RCollins]

Thanx HD.
I've been around a while....
Would love to relocate the derby, but the facility at Camp HeHoHa at Isle is the only place around that can handle all our needs for this event.

I meant because of the winterkill situation. The camp has been great all these past years and hopefully we can run it out of there again next year!