Crawling Valley Reservoir walleye

[AK47]

Originally Posted by MoFugger21

Uhhhhh...... Wait... What?

I can swear number of boats during weekend in Lac Des Isles is much higher then in Travers or Crawling Valley for example. And more then half of them are from Alberta

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

Can you support that assertion in any way?

How did the fish populations in lakes regulate themselves before we came along with boats and fishing rods?

Who's to say what is "normal"? Ever been fishing in northern Sask? 100 fish a day is routine up there, I don't hear anyone fretting that it isn't normal or that the lakes are overpopulated and the fishery might collapse.

Any "regulation" is simply man made manipulation of the population dynamics according to whatever agenda is being pushed at the time, not a necessary requirement for the long term health of a fish population. Nature will sort that out just fine on it's own.

Beat me to it

[AK47]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

Any "regulation" is simply man made manipulation of the population dynamics according to whatever agenda is being pushed at the time, not a necessary requirement for the long term health of a fish population. Nature will sort that out just fine on it's own.

That's my point. If nature will take care of overpopulated valley anyway then why not let anglers take one?

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by AK47

I can swear number of boats during weekend in Lac Des Isles is much higher then in Travers or Crawling Valley for example. And more then half of them are from Alberta

See there you go comparing again!

Comparing lakes to reservoirs are totally different!

And population/waterbodies in Alberta/Saskatchewan are not interchangeable. They are different!

[bubba 96]

Originally Posted by AK47

So you assume that every walleye in 45-55 cm range would be gone? That is impossible even with commercial fishing and with recreational angling it is even more unrealistic. Even if you take majority of that group out, big spawning fish will produce more then enough offspring to maintain healthy population. Travers is doing just fine without even a slot limit why do you think CV would get fished out with 1 keeper in slot limit allowed?
You can't tell how it would be for sure as we do not have examples of lakes with zero limit and overpopulated walleye gone outfished after letting people keep 1 valley but if I look at similar popular lakes with same pressure in SK I see them doing just fine and even better when it comes to size as valley does not get stunted or diseased due to overpopulation. Try catching trophy walleye in Travers or Pigeon and see how that works out.
0 limits are good for some period of time until population is established -after that you need to maintain it by taking some fish out. If it is not done it will get diseased or stunted. Mother nature will regulate it in its own way if people are unreasonable with 0 limits.

Acutally they closed a lot of the spawning area off within last couple of yrs, and as in travers its gettin harded and harder to get keepers out of there yr after yr.....yes its still done but not like in yrs past...give it 5yrs and probably wont get any..

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by AK47

That's my point. If nature will take care of overpopulated valley anyway then why not let anglers take one?

Take one from a place that is open. Some people are ok with CVR catch and release.

Ive said it before: It doesn't have to be all catch and release, it doesn't have to be all put and take. There can be other options, there is room for all.

That said population/fishing pressure plays a big part in this.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by bubba 96

Acutally they closed a lot of the spawning area off within last couple of yrs, and as in travers its gettin harded and harder to get keepers out of there yr after yr.....yes its still done but not like in yrs past...give it 5yrs and probably wont get any..

It will either go to one over 55 or to a tag system in the near future.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by AK47

That's my point. If nature will take care of overpopulated valley anyway then why not let anglers take one?

Again, who's to say it's overpopulated? What's the basis for that?

It might be 20-30 years before nature gradually works out the population dynamic in the lake, and in the meantime the fishing will be really good or slowly evolve over time.

I'll take that over a 2 year period of catch and club, based on the assumption that the population dynamic *might* change, all day long.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

Comparing lakes to reservoirs are totally different!

why? Even if they are similar size, depth and fishing pressure?

[AK47]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

Again, who's to say it's overpopulated? What's the basis for that?
.

When everybody is catching hundreds of 2-3 pounders and no trophy size fish you can assume it is overpopulated and will get stunted eventually.

[bubba 96]

Originally Posted by AK47

may I ask you why? A lake in AB does not differ from lake in SK, if the size of the lake, forage fish numbers and fishing pressure is similar it is perfectly fine to compare IMHO.

waaaaaaay more people fishing per lakes in ab compared to sask where there are 5 fisherman per lake..

[AK47]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

It might be 20-30 years before nature gradually works out the population dynamic in the lake, and in the meantime the fishing will be really good or slowly evolve over time.

I'll take that over a 2 year period of catch and club, based on the assumption that the population dynamic *might* change, all day long.

To each it's own I guess. You can enjoy challenge free CV and I will head out to SK lakes, Travers, Sherburne, or Red Deer River if I want to fish walleye instead.

[bubba 96]

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

It will either go to one over 55 or to a tag system in the near future.

I also agree...

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by AK47

why? Even if they are similar size, depth and fishing pressure?

Water fluctuation!
Also Oligotrophic-Mesotrophic-eutrophic lakes, age of lakes waterbodies is a factor. Reservoir classifications. Average depth- lots of shallow water in a lake or reservoir will support more life(baitfish)etc.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by AK47

When everybody is catching hundreds of 2-3 pounders and no trophy size fish you can assume it is overpopulated and will get stunted eventually.

I don't think everybody is catching 100 fish per day, that's an exaggeration. A quick search of this forum will provide the evidence of that. I've had 100 fish to a boat days, but they're not the rule. I know our group didn't catch anywhere near 100 fish with four lines in the water the last time I was out, and I consider myself a pretty decent fisherman with a fair bit of time on CV.

There's a lot of credence being given to the idea of "stunted" walleye populations lately, it's the new buzz word for the catch and keep crowd, and quite frankly, I just don't buy it.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by bubba 96

waaaaaaay more people fishing per lakes in ab compared to sask where there are 5 fisherman per lake..

Not based on my personal experience. Popular spots in SK especially close to AB border have similar pressure. And if keeping fish would be such a bad thing why there are so many Albertans heading down SK hundreds of km and paying 59$ yearly license fee to catch and keep 3-4 walleye instead of catch and release 100's at home? I suggest you visit some popular spots and talk to people in filleting houses while they clean fish, majority is not happy with zero limits in AB and agrees that it does more harm then good.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by AK47

To each it's own I guess. You can enjoy challenge free CV and I will head out to SK lakes, Travers, Sherburne, or Red Deer River if I want to fish walleye instead.

Sounds like a good plan.

That's what I do. There's a time and a place for everything.

[bubba 96]

Originally Posted by AK47

Not based on my personal experience. Popular spots in SK especially close to AB border have similar pressure. And if keeping fish would be such a bad thing why there are so many Albertans heading down SK hundreds of km and paying 59$ yearly license fee to catch and keep 3-4 walleye instead of catch and release 100's at home? I suggest you visit some popular spots and talk to people in filleting houses while they clean fish, majority is not happy with zero limits in AB and agrees that it does more harm then good.

as an overall province lakes compared to anglers check the stats...

[AK47]

Originally Posted by bubba 96

as an overall province lakes compared to anglers check the stats...

Yeah I am not arguing about overall numbers. Obviously SK has more lakes in general. I am talking about popular fishing tourism spots in SK compared to AB. They are very similar.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by AK47

Not based on my personal experience. Popular spots in SK especially close to AB border have similar pressure. And if keeping fish would be such a bad thing why there are so many Albertans heading down SK hundreds of km and paying 59$ yearly license fee to catch and keep 3-4 walleye instead of catch and release 100's at home?

Just one of several reasons the SK regs were recently given a major overhaul to decrease the daily and possession limits.

[huntsfurfish]

The key above all else though is fishing pressure.

Something that is not talked about much is the sizes of our water bodies that are fished. Many of what little we do have are actually quite small. There is only so much biomass available.

And for example if you remove 30,000 pounds of whitefish(biomass) it technically frees up some more room for other game fish. However that is another subject.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by AK47

Yeah I am not arguing about overall numbers. Obviously SK has more lakes in general. I am talking about popular fishing tourism spots in SK compared to AB. They are very similar.

Can you give me some specific lakes you're comparing?

Simply for my own interest's sake, because I can't really think of any lakes in southern SK that are comparable, especially the main tourism lakes, ie Diefenbaker, Last Mountain, the Qu'Appelle lakes, etc., CV is a puddle in comparison.

[AK47]

At the end of the day it would not hurt to open one lake like CV or Pigeon for slot limit 1 keeper for 5-7 years and see what happens. If fishery collapses, close it again and point to it as example why it can't be done in AB. But if fishery improves ( and I honestly believe it would!) then it should be done to most of the lakes here.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

Can you give me some specific lakes you're comparing?

Simply for my own interest's sake, because I can't really think of any lakes in southern SK that are comparable, especially the main tourism lakes, ie Diefenbaker, Last Mountain, the Qu'Appelle lakes, etc.

I pointed to Lac des Isles in my previous post. Very similar to Travers for example. Same depth, same length, same or even bigger fishing pressure.

[huntsfurfish]

oops.

[bubba 96]

Originally Posted by AK47

At the end of the day it would not hurt to open one lake like CV or Pigeon for slot limit 1 keeper for 5-7 years and see what happens. If fishery collapses, close it again and point to it as example why it can't be done in AB. But if fishery improves ( and I honestly believe it would!) then it should be done to most of the lakes here.

these lakes already have been depleted, they are finally on the rise again no need to deplete them again, enough is being done with the poaching..

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by AK47

At the end of the day it would not hurt to open one lake like CV or Pigeon for slot limit 1 keeper for 5-7 years and see what happens. If fishery collapses, close it again and point to it as example why it can't be done in AB. But if fishery improves ( and I honestly believe it would!) then it should be done to most of the lakes here.

Yes it would hurt!

And why would you believe it would? Just because you would believe it would help does not mean it would.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

Just one of several reasons the SK regs were recently given a major overhaul to decrease the daily and possession limits.

I noted some lakes went from 4 to 3 walleye ( with 1 over 55cm only) and from 6 to 5 pike ( no size limit). Is it major? They still let you keep fish.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

Yes it would hurt!

You do not know, sorry. I think it would be opposite.

[AK47]

Originally Posted by bubba 96

enough is being done with the poaching..

That's totally different topic and I agree that it needs to be dealt with very seriously.