Damn Prussian Carp

[baitfisher83]

Originally Posted by AK47

Frank lake is full of carp. Doubt bucket brigade is to blame there...

What else is in Frank Lake??I've seen it on the maps but never actually gone there myself...If it's the one I'm thinking of

[calgarygringo]

Stories out there of big fat pike. They love eating them. We fish a lake that we assume are all over and the pike are all big and well fed looking beasts even smaller pike. Always a few prussians in the bellies when we bring them home. This winter 1 had a little over 40 of these in its belly and all were a couple 3 inches long. Fat fat fat is all I can say.

Originally Posted by baitfisher83

What else is in Frank Lake??I've seen it on the maps but never actually gone there myself...If it's the one I'm thinking of

[baitfisher83]

is this the Frank Lake NW of Calgary?

[tallieho]

East of High River,Gargil discharge also feeds,the carp,pike etc.

[calgarygringo]

Just east of High River.

Originally Posted by baitfisher83

is this the Frank Lake NW of Calgary?

[AK47]

Originally Posted by baitfisher83

What else is in Frank Lake??I've seen it on the maps but never actually gone there myself...If it's the one I'm thinking of

Not sure what else is there. Watch this video. https://youtu.be/tmuSijePqpA

[fish99]

Originally Posted by baitfisher83

What else is in Frank Lake??I've seen it on the maps but never actually gone there myself...If it's the one I'm thinking of

big rainbows

[Macdrizzle]

Originally Posted by Lornce

Just a few things about Prussian Carp. Please educate yourself and if possible catch and Kill as many as possible.
Here are two good videos about the problem. Here and Here.

Males are not actually needed for reproduction for this species. This is a bit unusual in the fish world," said Mark Poesch, a researcher and assistant professor with the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural, life, and environmental sciences.

The carp can reproduce through a process called gynogenesis, making each individual fish a carbon copy. This process requires "stolen" sperm found floating around in rivers and lakes, said Poesch.

"The females lay the eggs and actually take sperm from another species, so another species will fertilize the eggs but they won't actually contribute any genetic material," he said.

"This allows them to reproduce in huge numbers. It also means that all the individuals, and we've done some preliminary genetic work, they're all clones. They're all identical to one another."

The fish are voracious plant eaters and their presence can deplete resources, causing native species to fight for food and space.

There are also concerns around "reproductive interference" with native species, Poesch said.

"They're taking the sperm from another species, and so that sperm is not going to fertilize their own eggs, so they're really taking advantage of this unique reproductive system," he said.

"They're here, they're having negative impacts, and they could actually overwhelm the system."

The hardy specimens spawn in huge numbers and can live up to 10 years.

"They first arrived in Medicine Hat and since then, we find them all the way up to the city of Red Deer, and they are literally everywhere."

Interesting, didn't know they can clone themselves.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by fish99

big rainbows

I hear they are Gerrard triploids they couldnt deliver to Kootenay Lake because of the fires a few years ago so they released them in Frank instead.

[burnme]

So I have some questions. What do we do once they get into a water body? I think this is the thing we need to start thinking about.
On some of the lakes where we stock trout there are pike and perch. Is there something preventing us from stocking trout in all lakes even if they have pike, Wally and perch? I honestly don’t know enough to know better
If carp get into a lake and completely remove all oxygenating vegetation can we pump oxygen in to save the lake? With that question I realize the vegetation provides a place to hide for most fish.
I am very concerned with what may happen to the central alberta lakes that don’t have much support as is.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by burnme

So I have some questions. What do we do once they get into a water body? I think this is the thing we need to start thinking about.
On some of the lakes where we stock trout there are pike and perch. Is there something preventing us from stocking trout in all lakes even if they have pike, Wally and perch? I honestly don’t know enough to know better
If carp get into a lake and completely remove all oxygenating vegetation can we pump oxygen in to save the lake? With that question I realize the vegetation provides a place to hide for most fish.
I am very concerned with what may happen to the central alberta lakes that don’t have much support as is.

Not a lot you can do that is truly effective. If it’s a closed body of water you could poison it and start over

You could throw trout into pike/walleye lakes and a portion may survive well others feed pike/walleye. Some lakes would be a poor choice do to water temps and oxygen level but that doesn’t seem to stop Alberta. But I also assume they don’t want to stock trout into lakes with inlet or outlet.

Personally I think the money used to randomly stock trout into subpar waters would be better invested into developing fisheries that would be more productive

Oxygen is created in many ways besides aquatic vegetation. Vegetation is a double edged sword actually as it robs oxygen at night hence why algae blooms can have such a negative effect. The carp will also not remove all vegetation not even close

The carp will have a long term impact on some species but it’s too early to tell. Likely it will be from out competing species that utilize the same resources.

Once an invasive species has taken ahold like the carp have in Alberta they are here to stay. So it’s now a matter of seeing what impact they will have

[baitfisher83]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkXsyv6Rj_o
Insane

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by baitfisher83

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkXsyv6Rj_o
Insane

And a loosing battle really. Heavy netting combined with electroshock was attempted for bass in the lower mainland. It makes a temporary impact but the bass just bounce back

With these carp being more prolific its is likely less effective

[lakerman]

Carson lake now has the prussians

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by lakerman

Carson lake now has the prussians

You saw this or you heard this ?

[tallieho]

A very famous lake in BC.[Dragon Lk].Had a very large number of the carp.Whatever they did,ie development of a new strain of RB.I think they're called Horse fly rb. They really knocked there numbers down.Our hatchery i no is doing a massive,rebuild on the hatchery.Maybe they may take on the stocking them..Here's a picture all fricken teeth https://imgur.com/Kf0f2uR

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by tallieho

A very famous lake in BC.[Dragon Lk].Had a very large number of the carp.Whatever they did,ie development of a new strain of RB.I think they're called Horse fly rb. They really knocked there numbers down.Our hatchery i no is doing a massive,rebuild on the hatchery.Maybe they may take on the stocking them..Here's a picture all fricken teeth https://imgur.com/Kf0f2uR

Read this article on Dragon Lake.
The trout are not responsible for reducing the population of Goldfish in Dragon Lake.

https://www.quesnelobserver.com/news...n-dragon-lake/

[lakerman]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

You saw this or you heard this ?

Talked to a worker from Alberta environment as we were discussing invasive species in the province.