Crawling Valley trout stocking

Kokanee9 · #1 03-09-2011, 06:04 PM

A couple days ago, TackleRunnner mentioned that the freshwater shrimp were so plentiful that they were eating the bellies off of the smelts.

Can anyone explain why trout are not stocked in there. From what I remember, the rainbows that were put in there, were only for a temporary fishery until the pike and walleye established themselves.

With the over-abundance of shrimp in there, would it not seem logical to stock this place with trout?

Dust1n · #2 03-09-2011, 06:13 PM

ya but mabe not enough money to do that

#3 03-09-2011, 06:14 PM

Guessing with the pike and walleye now well established that trout might not fair too well.

uplander · #4 03-09-2011, 06:16 PM

the only reason they really would put trout in there is if the shrimp were negatively effecting the fishery if there not Doing anything wrong then it's no big deal plus if u put trout in it wouldn't take long for the pike to eat most of them

tacklerunner · #5 03-09-2011, 06:25 PM

The shrimp are definitely not affecting the "fishery" with regard to the body of water but they sure affected the "fisher[B]man[B]". Couldn't get a bite on the bait loaded with shrimp. Had to check/clean/change bait every 20 mins or so otherwise it would just sit there all day.

There's a tip for you if this every happens to you.

Cheers

the local angler · #6 03-09-2011, 07:12 PM

from what i have been told by the trout unlimited biologist they said the trout was stocked for a few years and they went back to check the populations and they couldn't find the trout. pike were eatting them all.lol. i hear rumours of the odd trout still in there but i have never fished CV before. not sure how acurate this info is.

goldscud · #7 03-09-2011, 08:04 PM

The odd trout probably gets siphoned through the irrigation system from the river (just like at McGregor and Traverse)

marty1 · #8 03-09-2011, 09:01 PM

I had a sales rep come into the shop and this guy was saying that he would go down and toss spoons from shore and catch bows in the teens,he also did mention that they were garards and that they were so aggressive they were simply fished out.for one if theirs any truth to that species/strain of rainbow was probably a problem.but i was barely an itch in my dads pants when their were rainbows roaming at the valley.

Couleestalker · #9 03-10-2011, 08:35 AM

When the reservoir was first built, it was stocked with Rainbows. It was before my time dowm here but people I know use to fish it and the trout where huge. I assume other fish slow made their way into the lake via the canal. I believe it was in the 1990's that it was stocked with walleye.

Jigger · #10 03-10-2011, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marty1

I had a sales rep come into the shop and this guy was saying that he would go down and toss spoons from shore and catch bows in the teens,he also did mention that they were garards and that they were so aggressive they were simply fished out.for one if theirs any truth to that species/strain of rainbow was probably a problem.but i was barely an itch in my dads pants when their were rainbows roaming at the valley.

X2 i've heard numerous stories of 10+ lbs bows being pulled out, way before my time though.

calgarygringo · #11 03-10-2011, 12:50 PM

Yes the trout were quite a story. I fished there back then and you could go fill your stringer. They were funny looking fish. They grew so big and fast from the shrimp I would assume that they looked like footballs but their heads looked like the ones out of Chain lakes. If I can find some old pics I will scan and post. Those were the days before digital cameras. Boy they were fun catching 10+ lbers all day long........

Kokanee9 · #12 03-10-2011, 01:22 PM

Yes,I remember when it was first stocked with rainbows. Not uncommon to catch 10+ lbs during summer or winter. Thats why I was wondering with the abundance of shrimp, why not put trout in there? Shrimp = trout steroids!!

Sundancefisher · #13 03-10-2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kokanee9

Yes,I remember when it was first stocked with rainbows. Not uncommon to catch 10+ lbs during summer or winter. Thats why I was wondering with the abundance of shrimp, why not put trout in there? Shrimp = trout steroids!!

Initially reservoirs are usually hyper eutrophic as the new rising water leaches nutrients from the soils and left over dead plants. Over time the nutrients get absorbed biologically, precipitate out or flush out leaving the lake less fertile that a natural lake in the similar location would be. Oldman Reservoir is a prime example...as would this reservoir to a somewhat lesser extent.

Once pike get established...they are efficient predators that will take very large prey compared to their own length.

Bass Pro had a problem with a 3 foot long pike eating their 2+ foot long brown trout.

As both species reside in the same habitat...predation would be to much of a burden when making a cost/benefit analysis.

Out of curiousity...did anyone realize that rainbow trout are a prime bait in the US SE for fishing for large stripers? I laughed when I heard that. Hatcheries raise 9-12 inch rainbows for use as bait for larger fish.

IMHO.

RPS · #14 03-11-2011, 08:43 AM

Adding rainbows might just lead to bigger pike. Don't worry about the shrimp, though. A couple of years ago ice fishing the nicest pike we got was packed solid with shrimp (and still took a smelt-- don't know how it thought it could fit in anything else). I suppose it's tough to make your minnow look alive if it's covered in shrimp.