Lakers In Touchwood?

[Big Sky]

Reestablishing a species into it's former habitat is not easily done. There is more to it than just planting a couple hundred thousand young and hoping for the best. The trout have disappeared for a reason and if that reason cannot be remedied, the trout cannot make a comeback. If the previous attempts at stocking were unsuccessful, I cannot see why future attempts would yield a different result.

If the conditions were right for the lakers to survive, the stocking efforts should have produced fish in sufficient numbers for people to catch them on a regular basis and for the fish to spawn successfully. Until F&W can identify the limiting factors and take steps to remove them, I would think that any future stocking of lake trout into Touchwood Lake would be a waste of time and money.

Touchwood is a gem of an Alberta lake. I enjoy it for what it is.

[FisherPotch]

More lakers in AB would be great by me! Too bad if they are unable to reproduce. I think they should try some other deep lakes, like Amisk or Whitefish. They both have the depth. Cold lake can't provide for the province for ever. Even if half of the fish stocked end up in non commercial nets (as much is it upsets me) the other half could eliviate some pressure from cold. Stock triploid lakers if they won't spawn successfully, at least they will get massive (not sure if they make Triploid lakers even but sounds like world record potential to me..........it's happened b4 ie "bakerbows")

Honestly I would love to see some more funding in any species other than rainbows. And if they don't spawn successfully then might as well stalk triploids.

The fact that touchwood had them naturally sells it for me. Triploid lakers in a quantity that won't devastate other species in a lake that used to have lakers......sounds safe to me.


My $0.02

[sco22]

Originally Posted by unclebuck

I am with you sco22. I have fished Touchwood for in excess of 25 years, and have caught the odd trout where you describe. Yes, some of the lakers have survived since the last plant. The largest problem with Touchwood is the "domestic" nets that one can find at all times of the year!!!

That is true, but the walleye population by in large is quite healthy irrespective of the "special" harvest. The commercial guys do pretty well there too. Where the lake is starting to suffer, in my opinion, is the large pike population. Way too many 12 pound + pike coming out of there. I was hopeful for a tag draw on walleye this year, but not yet. The perch are starting to rebound nicely though.

The deepest I have marked in that lake was 137 feet although some people speak about 160 feet. There is also 110 feet at the south end of the narrows directly east from Bare ***** point.

I have not seen with my own eyes any evidence to lakers being there in the last 30 years, but I have certainly heard the stories. If they could co-exist and add to one of the nicest lakes in Alberta, I would certainly be for it.

Cheers.