Aerating the lakes please!
 

Went to an aerated pond today and had so much fun. Caught two big rainbows with 18 inch and another one 14.5 inch and some newly stocked little guys...

Does aerating cost a lot? Why do those remote ponds or lakes get aerated but not the one in Hermitage or the one at Beaumont or those close to Edmonton? (I have been fishing Heritage lake twice this year, but not a single keeper. clear indication of winter kill. What a waste!) Why do people like to spend a lot money to stock Edmonton ponds year after year every year but don't want to do something to save those having be stocked in the pond?

When fishing at an unaerated pond looking at the tiny fish I caught, I feel really sorry for them. Whether I release the fish or not, this fish wouldn't pass the harsh winter. What a shame!

I am willing to double my fishing licence fee, but please get those pond aerated..thanks!


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The cost ratio of aerating a pond, plus allowing for it to be a 5 fish limit so people can catch "keepers" doesnt work out too well. We have quality fisheries designed to allow people to keep only one over 50cm, to maintain the population and allow for a greater chance at bigger fish. Cant have a 5 fish limit and still dump the money into an aerator, no best of both worlds in this scenario im afraid.

Yet many aerated lakes in the province still have a 5 fish limit :snapoutofit: If a lake is worth aerating then it's worth changing the regs as well. SRD needs to wake up.

There are plenty of places to catch +18" trout with a 5 keep limit that aren't aerated . :)

but those places are located at remote areas. most people just want to spend some time on fishing, not driving... not mention the gas price is so high these days... People can caculate: driving 100km will at least cost you 10 dollar of gasoline, how about increase the license fee a little bit, but you could catch big fish while you only drive 20km? not mention you could enjoy fishing longer time..less change you get lost and way less change get involved in an accident. lots of advantage, just don't understand why SRD don't want to do it?

YES. I one hundred percent agree with you. Those lakes you see close by a large populous, that are aerated and 5 fish limits are stupid. Such a waste of the limited funds they are already restricted to.

WOW :bad_boys_20:

Because the populations of fish become decimated, and then they're back at square one.

If you feel the need to bonk 5 keepers that you land, our lakes and ponds will not suit you well. If you can be conservative, and only bonk 1 keeper then check out our quality fisheries. Cant have the best of both worlds.

I guess SRD allow people to keep 5 fish is due to the fish too small. If the fish would be 15 inch and bigger, I don't think people would insist on keeping 5 fish.. In my view, 1 or 2 fish would be way enough...

Therein lies the problem. Believe it or not, they do.

Five fish limit is way to liberal, IMO. Costs a fortune to stock all the time and people keep dinks, down here pelicans get a whack as well. Way to much fishing pressure in Alberta to use stocked lakes as a food source, lakes close to centres get cleaned out pretty quick. I would think people should be good with one or two of a stocked species. Still don't understand people that want meat, not targeting whites.

use a plant and know a lake ffs

aeration costs
 

The costs to run a aeration set up in a remote area will run you about
$5800 for the compressors and diffusers,sinking lines
$900.00 for a genset
$25.00/day for fuel.
This will aerate a 10 acre lake very well.

Baloney. I know for a fact that SRD isn't stocking the lakes that I fish with +18" trout....lol! Nice theory though.

There's no need to aerate if the lake is deep enough (+30'?).

This thread is a perfect example of someone trying to find a way to make it easier to catch bigger trout with the least amount of effort instead of spending the time or money to do it. There's no remote required......unless you think $20 worth of gas is remote.

hate to say it but aereation does little to sustain a stocked lake. one cold winter with lots of snow and goodbye. man plans mother nature laughs.

Water...

You are correct only if the aeration system was incorrectly sized and O2 levels not monitored.
Once the correctly sized unit is installed, 02 level can be maintained w/o a lot of concerns.
Incorrectly chosen designs will not work.

Regards,


Don

I don't see huge chunk of money here, do you?

What I feel confused is that even those ponds close to Edmonton are not aerated.. It's very easy to access but all tiny small fish.. and not even edible. The most sad thing is that when I pull them, I feel my float is heavier than the fish...:mad0100: When I saw those big dead fish after the ice melt, I feel so sorry for them.. What a shame, SRD!

As to the 5 fish limit, if those 5" to 6" fish are the only fish you could catch, 5 fish wouldn't be enough for a dish. But, imagine if those fish grow up to more than 15 inch....who would insist to keep 5 of them?

Another big question: we only need to aerate those ponds during the winter, don't we? Why do I see all those aerating pumps run all year around? Could we save huge chunk of money if we use them only when we need aerating?

I thought Hermitage gets fished out. Consider the pressure on that pond compared to these 'remote' lakes you speak of. Plus if there were aerated ponds in areas with higher population densities you increase the likely hood of a Darwin award being awarded to an Alberta resident.

Put and take lakes such as Beaumont pond lack the capacity to be quality fisheries. They are not large enough or deep enough.

These lakes are viewed as areas that someone can go and catch and keep a fish....and quite a few people who fish these water bodies do exactly that, they go and catch 5x 8-12 inch trout take them home and eat the muddy little things....

Don't kid yourself the same people keeping the limit every time of 8 inch fish would be happier to keep larger fish at 15-20 inches and take full limits home every time if they could.

The fish do not reproduce and are literally stocked in order for people to catch and keep them.....that's why they are there. Sadly people exploit these smaller ponds by keeping their catch every time and keeping the limits of all the family members who go to the pond when half of them or less actively fish.

Hate to say but I would rather see people rape these man made ponds than native species in lakes and rivers around Alberta.

LC

Hermitage was not fished out last year. I caught about 15 tiny not edible fish on Oct 24, 2012 from this pond. Fished from 9 to 3 that day.....

So catching fish in October means that the lake wasn't cleaned out over the ice fishing season. Got ya. Just saying. They only stock 3000 trout in there, so that's 600, 5 fish limits. Again, just saying.

what are you talking about. If people Keep the keepers out of an aerated lake, the bigger fish are selectively removed by anglers. After enough of that has happened, they then have to restock the lake, with the catchables that everyone seems to love to bonk anyways. How is that theory far fetched?

Do you even understand what im talking about?

I think Wild & Free is on to it. Aerating ponds over winter means unsafe ice and thus restricting access to it. Becomes a liability for municipalities.

X2....

A community pond has more skaters and hockey players on it than fisherman....it becomes a matter of priorities to the community.

LC

I'm absolutely on the "5 fish is stupid" bandwagon. We've had a few discussions over this here, and not a single one led to any good arguments to keep it at five.

Some say 1, some say 2, but no reason for 5, SRD is just burning money.

Personally I would like to see a yearly limit of 5 fish on stocked waters per person.....that way people would be able to catch some decent fish at all times.....

Maybe a stocked water tag system....:)

LC

Im glad to hear more and more people are thinking with this mindset. We need to get rid of the wackem stackem mentality in alberta. Our fisheries can't handle it.

5 fish limit is a waste of the funds that are already restricted to the department.

If it is a put and take fishery, any possession limit can be maintained through supplemental stocking. Keep the keep numbers high and promote fishing! :)





Instead of asking the general fishing public and the government to look after things, get proactive and JUST DO IT! :)

Garner support and funding locally to improve your fishery and get it done.


It wasn't very long ago that the majority of Alberta fishery maintainance ws accomplished through grass roots efforts. It seems to be now that most people just want to put a dollar down and have someone else do the work. We need to change this mindset and look after local projects ourselves.