Another point highlight.
In 2010, the catch rate in Upper Kananaskis Lake was 1.0 fish/hour -- over 7 times higher than it was in 1983 -- despite the fact that anglers are supposedly now hampered in catching fish by no longer being permitted to use bait. Furthermore, the average size of the fish caught in 1983 was much smaller than in 2010.
This is clearly evident by looking at the size distribution of the catches in the gillnetting poster in Post 40, which shows the size distribution of the rainbow trout gillnetted in 1983. Most of the rainbows caught in 1983 were very small, recently stocked fish measuring <20 cm (<8 inches). A couple of the main reasons for the low catch rate and small size of fish in 1983 were the liberal bag limit and absence of any size limit. Furthermore, although relatively few fish were released in 1983, those that were would have had a much lower survival rate than in 2010, owing to the fact that the hooking mortality rate for bait-caught fish is about 10 times higher than for fish caught on artificial lures.
The increase in the catch rate in 2010 likely reflects the combined effects of the 30-cm minimum size limit, reduced bag limit and higher catchability of cutthroat trout. Add to this the huge (20-fold) increase in the proportion of sport fish in the catch and the greatly reduced density of suckers in UKL, largely due to predation of suckers by bull trout, and one has to wonder how it is possible for some anglers to continue to claim that we "destroyed" the fishery in UKL when we stocked bull trout and implemented the bait ban, 30-cm minimum size limit and reduced bag limit. If they think that a higher catch rate for larger fish amounts to a "destroyed" fishery, then I guess that the proposed regulations will "devastate" it with even more fish to be caught and those that are keep are of an even greater size than ever before.
Essentially...look at the past data as an experiment proving what the future holds.
In the past...with liberal limits and not size restrictions...catch rates were low and sizes were tiny.
Then limits were reduced to 3 and size restrictions was 12 inches. Catch rates went up dramatically and the average retained size also increased.
Now look forward in time to a 1 fish limit but 20 inches. Now even more fish to catch and an even larger fish to retain. One twenty inch fish blows three 12 inch fish out of the water.
We are moving towards great fishing in UKL and LKL. I can hardly wait.
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