Slave Lake | Grouard Bridge
 

Just finishing up 4 days camping at Hilliard’s Bay at west side of lake. Rained on and off each day, but I Love it here. Great campground, but shocking water levels. High for entire area and lake. No dock at boat launch as it was washed out but people were making it work. Fishing was good, we were hooking up shallower than usual. Water was very murky everywhere. Friday was insanely choppy, but all the hard cores were out around Shaw’s Point. Saw a guy pull out a large 1meter pike in about 10ft of water, off campground while jigging for wallys.

My main point... how is fishing off this bridge even allowed (right at main access of key spawning ground?). I think understand he Swain is in spring but still this just encourage poor fishing practises. During a couple hours off water, the boy and I drove to the bridge to check it out. On Saturday at about 12pm, there must have been 75 people with lines over edge. I witnessed so many things, like a guy hooking up and reeling the fish all the way up from water to bridge (20ft) and over railing. He let it flop around on the ground while he ran to his box about 50 ft away to get pliers. He came back, unhooked the fish, picked it by tail with pliers and dropped it down the gutter which is basically a hole in bridge to water below. Saw many more instances. Brutal behaviour. Soon as we get home, I’ll be at writing a note to fish and game.

Maybe it’s me, but conservation includes proper catch and release practises.


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I hear you, I think it's a lost cause with these new generations nobody gives a hoot about nothing.

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I don't think we can generalize that new generation are ignorant. I witnessed lots of young fisherman following the rules and regulations.
For this case, I guess most of the fish have to be released, to reduce the mortality F&W can install a notice on either side of the bridge that"No fishing on the Bridge deck". It may work.

Slave lake
 

Some people are just clueless, and couldn’t care less. Problem is, they seem to be more and more common.

Not everyone has a boat. I like to think of others and not worry about stuff like that. I remember when I was young and never had a boat and how I’d see everyone in their boats catching loads of fish and I was happy if I caught one.

If it bothers you so much that people fish off the bridge maybe offer to take them out in your boat?

Thats a good perspective. I appreciate that and share it as well. Maybe next time I'll speak to some more people see about taking someone out.

I think that my main issue was improper C&R practices. If you are lifting fish that far up from a river over a bridge... then extra care is needed.

Your are right about not everyone having a boat, the bridge is a great place for kids learning to fish, especially kids who haven’t done much casting or reeling. Just drop the hook straight down. Both my kids caught their first fish there.

I wonder who taught them this appreciation and respect to release fish like that? The generation before perhaps?

People been fishing that bridge forever. That behaviour was worse in the 80’s when I fished that bridge.

Atleast nowadays , I see people lowering a net on a rope and netting fish. They also use it to release them.(it’s not perfect but better than a belly flop from the top.)