Travers is hot

[AK47]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

So where did your mortality "stats" come from?

http://www.westernsportsman.com/2014...h-and-release/

Based on this article it can vary from types of bait, depth where fish was caught and water temperature. Surprisingly barbed or barbless hooks did not make a difference.
BTW rates here are much higher then I was estimating - not 3% but 10-11% or more if fished with bait or in temperatures of + 20C.
So from your 200 walleye 20 may have been killed. Keep ignoring the stats.

[millsboy79]

Originally Posted by AK47

http://www.westernsportsman.com/2014...h-and-release/

Based on this article it can vary from types of bait, depth where fish was caught and water temperature. Surprisingly barbed or barbless hooks did not make a difference.
BTW rates here are much higher then I was estimating - not 3% but 10-11% or more.
So from your 200 walleye 20 may have been killed. Good job.

I am still not sure your point ... so 20 walleye died and were probably eaten by the big lazy pike in there resulting in bigger pike and If you took your imagined limit and caught your last keeper at the end of the day then you would have 20 that died plus the ones you kept.

Now I'm not a doctor but its sounds like the keeping fish resulted in more dead fish than a C&R day.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by AK47

http://www.westernsportsman.com/2014...h-and-release/

Based on this article it can vary from types of bait, depth where fish was caught and water temperature. Surprisingly barbed or barbless hooks did not make a difference.
BTW rates here are much higher then I was estimating - not 3% but 10-11% or more.
So from your 200 walleye 20 may have been killed. Good job.

I watch every walleye swim away. Never had a floater yet. Means they all live? No. But very few die. Good, clean lip hooks and minimal handling will do that.
You're an anti fisherman. It's clear. Hooking fish kills them so ban fishing. It's ridiculous.
The fact that populations are rebounding nicely proves that C&R is not decimating populations. Their current management plan is working. Some places "too well". But that's a separate debate.

People have been C&R for many many years. And we have sustainable populations. You can pull all the numbers off the internet you like. The proof is right there at the lake.
I'm still shaking my head. Ban C&R. Wow

[AK47]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

I watch every walleye swim away. Never had a floater yet. Means they all live? No. But very few die. Good, clean lip hooks and minimal handling will do that.
You're an anti fisherman. It's clear. Hooking fish kills them so ban fishing. It's ridiculous.
. Ban C&R. Wow

LOL, since when did I say ban C&R? I am against 0 limit lakes with overpopulation of walleye as a source for C&R only.

Here is another article

http://www.startribune.com/hooking-m...int/369546751/

"For two years in a row now, Mille Lacs anglers have killed more walleyes in the process of catching and releasing them than they have by catching them for keeps. Both forms of death count against the allocation, and an unexpected surge in hooking mortality last July pushed Mille Lacs past its seasonal walleye limit and prompted a shocking, midseason shutdown of walleye fishing."

Yet some of you guys are convinced that you do no harm.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by AK47

LOL, since when did I say ban C&R? I am against 0 limit lakes with overpopulation of walleye as a source for C&R only.

Here is another article

http://www.startribune.com/hooking-m...int/369546751/

"For two years in a row now, Mille Lacs anglers have killed more walleyes in the process of catching and releasing them than they have by catching them for keeps. Both forms of death count against the allocation, and an unexpected surge in hooking mortality last July pushed Mille Lacs past its seasonal walleye limit and prompted a shocking, midseason shutdown of walleye fishing."

Yet some of you guys are convinced that you do no harm.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=323039 as to not continue the derail

You are against C&R. How can you say you're not? Zero retention waters would mean Zero fishing if you get your way.

Anyways. check out the thread and we can continue there if you wish.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

The proof is right there at the lake.

Well, I see my proof right at the lakes where there is no 0 limit as well.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

You are against C&R. How can you say you're not? Zero retention waters would mean Zero fishing if you get your way.

.

I do not understand. If you have slot size limit and bait ban how does that mean no fishing? It means perfectly fine sport angling with a chance to keep few fish if you managed to catch some and you want to keep them.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by AK47

I do not understand. If you have slot size limit and bait ban how does that mean no fishing? It means perfectly fine sport angling with a chance to keep few fish if you managed to catch some and you want to keep them.

I guess I don't understand.
You said zero C&R after limit was caught. Your articles point out the danger to fish (mortality rates) as a product of C&R. You cant have it both ways

[AK47]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

I guess I don't understand.
You said zero C&R after limit was caught.

That's what I do. In no way I am suggesting to make it a law.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by AK47

That's what I do. In no way I am suggesting to make it a law.

Could have fooled me. Citing how it's illegal in Europe. Getting after the OP for how many fish he's killed via C and R. Getting after me for how many fish I killed. Pretty vocal stance for something you are "OK" with.
You can't come on an open forum and get after someone about catch and release and how evil it is without expecting to get flamed. Everyone's entitled to their opinion. But you do suffer the repercussions of pushing it on other people…

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by AK47

I keep my couple walleye a year anyway... just makes me to drive further from home to the lakes or rivers where you can still keep them. And I do not fish past I reach my limit, to me it is time to go home and be thankful for great day.

So you only fish once or twice a year.

You do not seem to like fishing.

Ok AK47, so this is all just because you are ticked off at 0 limits or are you just trolling?
You have said a lot of things but dont mean them?

Solution is go to a lake where you can keep a fish. Catch and release is legal and even promoted in AB. Maybe you would be happier some where else, like Europe.

Anyway, most fishermen like to catch fish, some like to keep em, some dont. Stopping one or the other is not good for either. There are enough people trying to shut down hunting and fishing without having a member of AO trying to accomplish the same thing.

[DiabeticKripple]

Seems like AK47 would like to see all fishing shut down because some fish are hurt in the process.

[FISHBATTEREDBEER]

Lots of crazy posts on here!! So to be clear,if the fish are biting crazy I should just catch my limit "if the lake has a limit" ,pack up and go home?Glad I spent $600 on fuel and food,40k+ on a boat,bought my tags and fishing license for 30 yrs to do this!

Guess what I will fish til it hurts when the bite is on,I gave up on hunting because of all the stupid rules and no trespassing signs every second field.I pay my taxes,I bought my own toys,my license,tags etc...I will fish on!

To the original poster,keep on fishin,its your right!

[BuckCuller]

Originally Posted by AK47

Not to rain on your happy fishing trip but here is what I think about it. I used to see days like that in Crawling walleye or Pine Coulee or Pigeon lake as well and it makes me really sad for few reasons.
From 90 walleye caught and released by two boats only at least 3 will die later based on hooking mortality odds. And how about other 30-50 boats on the same lake the same day? Seems to me that this 0 limit nonsense is resulting in way more suffering for the fish as they are getting overpopulated and easy to catch. As you said it becomes boring as it does not present any challenge to catch them! It makes us worse fishermen as we get lazy, we do not need to think about different presentation, bait, spots, etc... just cast anything and you will catch them. It stops angling from evolving as, seriously, why bother trying something new if you can catch 50-60 anyway???
If it would be catch and keep lake you catching and keeping 1 or 2 keepers would do much less damage than this catch and release nonsense.
There is a reason why in some of European countries catch and release is illegal.
Ever questioned why hunters do not practice snare and release?

If you made it so you could keep a couple walleye a day you would drastically raise the amount of pressure put on the lake which would create more harvest and more fisherman and if you add a slot limit to that with the increase of fisherman would be the increase of catch and release therefore causing way more mortality. You haven't thought this all the way through it's time to go back to the drawing board.
Lakes like pigeon, sylvan and Gull are all good examples of what catch and release does to help walleye populations recover.
However when they start using a tag system they should be using a slot size for retention.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

So you only fish once or twice a year.

You do not seem to like fishing.

Some people have other things in life to do, plus I do not fish for walleye all the time. I used to fish for walleye way more often when Travers was not a 0 limit lake. Now to get to the lake where you can keep walleye is 3-4 hrs trip, not everybody has that much free time on our hands.
You don't know me so it is laughable for you to claim I do not like fishing.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by BuckCuller

Lakes like pigeon, sylvan and Gull are all good examples of what catch and release does to help walleye populations recover.

When were those lakes not a 0 limit for walleye? Not for last 15 years at least. I would love to see data on fish size at the times if they were keeper lakes at some point.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

Seems like AK47 would like to see all fishing shut down because some fish are hurt in the process.

Never said that.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by BuckCuller

If you made it so you could keep a couple walleye a day you would drastically raise the amount of pressure put on the lake.

Yes, if you make one lake like that. Now we have tons of lakes with zero limit and overpopulated by walleye or pike. Make them all keeper lakes but ban bait fishing and the pressure would be distributed evenly and hooking mortality would be much less as well. Half of the people who catch walleye with bait have no clue how to catch it with artificial bait anyway. Especially the ones fishing from shore who only know how to cast pickerel rigs with minnows.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Could have fooled me. Citing how it's illegal in Europe. Getting after the OP for how many fish he's killed via C and R. Getting after me for how many fish I killed. Pretty vocal stance for something you are "OK" with.

I am not going after you or OP. Just pointing to the fact that if I catch and keep couple walleye and release few undersized in the process I am not doing any more damage to population compared to the one who catches and releases 50-60.
European example was just about few countries. And as I said it is another extreme which I do not really support. Angler should have an option. Now in most of the lakes of Alberta we have no option but not to fish if you would prefer to keep your catch.

[BuckCuller]

Originally Posted by AK47

Yes, if you make one lake like that. Now we have tons of lakes with zero limit and overpopulated by walleye or pike. Make them all keeper lakes but ban bait fishing and the pressure would be distributed evenly and hooking mortality would be much less as well. Half of the people who catch walleye with bait have no clue how to catch it with artificial bait anyway. Especially the ones fishing from shore who only know how to cast pickerel rigs with minnows.

Central Alberta does not have enough lakes compared to the population to support a catch limit like you are suggesting. It would decimate the walleye in no time. I fished both pigeon and Gull when you could keep walleye and the fishing was very tough for walleyes. With that slot limit idea and a two a day limit you would create way more catch and release mortality then there is now. And the average size was 17 -20.5 inches was what I would catch.

[steelhead]

So far, in this discussion, I have to side with AK-47 on this one. He makes perfect sense.

The other fella's, not so much.

Poor research on their part, in many aspects.


STEELHEAD


And quit putting words into AK's mouth. If you have no rational counterpoints, the next best thing to do is twist his words, I guess. Must mean you ran outta points to make. Liberal voters?

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by steelhead

So far, in this discussion, I have to side with AK-47 on this one. He makes perfect sense.

The other fella's, not so much.

Poor research on their part, in many aspects.


STEELHEAD


And quit putting words into AK's mouth. If you have no rational counterpoints, the next best thing to do is twist his words, I guess. Must mean you ran outta points to make. Liberal voters?

All this because someone was nice enough to post about good fishing. This thread is derailed. That is the point. Thanks for coming out.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

All this because someone was nice enough to post about good fishing. This thread is derailed. That is the point. Thanks for coming out.

EXACTLY.

No wonder people don't post their fishing reports on this forum...

[LutherDLG]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

EXACTLY.

No wonder people don't post their fishing reports on this forum...

In an effort to recover the original purpose of the thread...the fishing at Travers has indeed been hot. We were slow trolling to find schools and then we'd anchor and it would be lights out for 20 minutes until they moved on. Just jigging with smelts. Here's one of the bigger ones we caught. Thanks for the reports DK.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by LutherDLG

In an effort to recover the original purpose of the thread...the fishing at Travers has indeed been hot. We were slow trolling to find schools and then we'd anchor and it would be lights out for 20 minutes until they moved on. Just jigging with smelts. Here's one of the bigger ones we caught. Thanks for the reports DK.

Nice! That is a fatty wallie!

[DiabeticKripple]

It's still hot. Caught about 40-50 myself tonight while the girls only caught about 15 between the two of them





Biggest of the night



Lots of real small ones too. All different kinds of age classes so there is a good spawn going on in the lake.

[couleefolk]

So I'm just curious, if there are all these little guys, are there not some bigger ones that could be targeted, maybe somewhere else? I know we have been out where we were pulling in 26" Walleyes consistently, and they just seem to be a little more fun for us compared to the little guys. I'm not a Walleye guy, I'm just asking if the bite is just not on for the bigger ones like it is for the little guys. Personally, if I know there are bigger fish to be had, those are the ones I will go hunting after. If only the little guys are biting, then I'm happy with that as long as I can wet my line. With the bite on like that, it is also the best time to take kids fishing.

[Talking moose]

Fish look a bit on the skinny side...(I know they are small and not gonna have any sag to the bellies yet, but to me they look malnourished.) on that note, right on to great fishing!

[DiabeticKripple]

I've caught some with big heads and skinny bodies, and I also caught a few tonight with pot bellies on them.

It seems the bigger fish (21"-26") are thriving and they are always the chubby ones.

The one in the last pic looks skinny because of the flared gills. It was a healthy fish.

[bigskinner]

Originally Posted by ak47

not to rain on your happy fishing trip but here is what i think about it. I used to see days like that in crawling walleye or pine coulee or pigeon lake as well and it makes me really sad for few reasons.
From 90 walleye caught and released by two boats only at least 3 will die later based on hooking mortality odds. And how about other 30-50 boats on the same lake the same day? Seems to me that this 0 limit nonsense is resulting in way more suffering for the fish as they are getting overpopulated and easy to catch. As you said it becomes boring as it does not present any challenge to catch them! It makes us worse fishermen as we get lazy, we do not need to think about different presentation, bait, spots, etc... Just cast anything and you will catch them. It stops angling from evolving as, seriously, why bother trying something new if you can catch 50-60 anyway???
If it would be catch and keep lake you catching and keeping 1 or 2 keepers would do much less damage than this catch and release nonsense.
There is a reason why in some of european countries catch and release is illegal.
Ever questioned why hunters do not practice snare and release?

absolutely agree