Wed, May 25, 2011 Perch Netting at Lake Sundance

[Sundancefisher]

Some weather reports are calling for cloud on Wed or showers at the most. Nothing that a raincoat can't fix. I need 5 or 6 others interested in pulling the nets. I can try and limit the number of volunteers if people want more perch to take. Three of the 4 traps are in different locations. Lots of bigger perch being caught these days.

Do I have any interest?

Thanks

Sun

[walking buffalo]

Yup, you can count me in.

Is this for the Evening?

Have you tried moulding any perch yet?

[Daceminnow]

if you require a hand in the boat again Sun let me know. i'd be happy to help out again if you fall short.

Dace

[jts1]

What time? I work till 7am wends. But if later in the day I could come by and help out.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by jts1

What time? I work till 7am wends. But if later in the day I could come by and help out.

I can definitely use 3 in the boat with me.

figure 6 pm to 8 pm.

[RayB's]

I'd definitely be in for Thursday evening, any time. The weather sounds about the same either day. I'll check into Wednesday though.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by RayB's

I'd definitely be in for Thursday evening, any time. The weather sounds about the same either day. I'll check into Wednesday though.

Thursday is looking really rainy. I would prefer to gun for Wednesday. At least the perch will stay cool and wet till filleting time.

[slingshotz]

I'm in, let me know if you need me in the boat and I'll wear all my wet weather gear.

[jts1]

6pm.. I can make that no worries. Not sure If I will take more that a handfull of perch but will be there just the same with the wadders on to pull the nets for ya.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Yup, you can count me in.

Is this for the Evening?

Have you tried moulding any perch yet?

I have not. I really want to try however. It would be great to see a master molder at work.

[Sundancefisher]

Jts, Sling and Dace in the boat should work well.

Sun

[RayB's]

I'll be there tonight!

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by RayB's

I'll be there tonight!

Great...how many people coming want perch to take home. If all fish are going to be spoken for I won't bring anyone else.

[RayB's]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Great...how many people coming want perch to take home. If all fish are going to be spoken for I won't bring anyone else.

I'd love as many as possible, thanks. I'll be sharing with GarryB.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

I have not. I really want to try however. It would be great to see a master molder at work.

Hmmmm... we'll have to discuss this while in the boat...Dace Overboard!

I'll be there by 6. Perch for dinner sounds like a great bonus to the evening. The huskies would enjoy some little perchsicles.

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Hmmmm... we'll have to discuss this while in the boat...Dace Overboard!

I'll be there by 6. Perch for dinner sounds like a great bonus to the evening. The huskies would enjoy some little perchsicles.

i've had something come up guys. can't make it.
sun, it looks like you've got enough guys to get the job done.

buff you'll have to wait another day to chum with the daceminnow. more fish for yer hounds.

have fun boys.

Dace

[RayB's]

Just pulled out my wading boots. If you need me in the boat, I'll be better prepared this time.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by RayB's

Just pulled out my wading boots. If you need me in the boat, I'll be better prepared this time.

JTS Sling and Ray in the boat!

See in a few minutes...

[Sundancefisher]

It was not as cold and raining as I was expecting. All in all a nice evening. Looks like we will go again on Saturday 1-3 pm. I think the perch have finished spawning as there were no large amounts of eggs in the traps and the perch seemed spawned out. Also the water is now 11 degrees. Perch start spawning between 8 and 9.

Since the perch have finished we don't seem to be catching a ton. Therefore probably don't need a pile of people out. The main thing is to have three guys help in the boat. I am not able to lead this Saturday but Goldscud is stepping in to be the team lead.

How many interested guys want to be in the boat for Saturday?

[baitfisher83]

damn wish I would have seen this yesterday...oops

[finsnfeathers]

What was the count on the last trip out..perch?

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by finsnfeathers

What was the count on the last trip out..perch?

so far the count is rounded...

3900
800
400
500 (Wed...)

[walking buffalo]

Click on the pic to watch Sundance pull a trap, clean out a trap, and set a trap.

Thanks for the good evening Sundance. The perch tasted great!

[chubbdarter]

Sun i want it known im not looking for a poop chucking match.....im just curious, now that ive seen the above pictures.

What is the end result you hope to achieve?

[Gust]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

Sun i want it known im not looking for a poop chucking match.....im just curious, now that ive seen the above pictures.

What is the end result you hope to achieve?

TO create a Quality Trout lake via a Quality Perch lake.

[RayB's]

Originally Posted by finsnfeathers

What was the count on the last trip out..perch?

I believe we had around 120 in each net, so probably 480 - 500.

I took home 58 medium to large, and there were three piles of those + all the tiny ones.

Largest yesterday way 31 cm. I cleaned perch until 1:00 last night!

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by GustavMahler

TO create a Quality Trout lake via a Quality Perch lake.

Actually...my wish versus hope versus expectation are three different things...one not achievable...one maybe achievable...one is probably achievable.

My wish is to net and fish the crap out of the perch and crash their population really really badly. This is not achievable but a pipe dream wish. Perch reproduce too fast. You can not get ahead of the curve.

My hope is to act as a natural predator on the population and keep their numbers at a level that provides more food for trout...and gives them a chance to maintain body weight and maybe even grow a bit prior to harvest. With all the perch in the lake this may not be achievable...but probably at least stop the trout from starving.

My expectation is to remove enough perch such that their size increases and they are actually a viable fishery versus a waste. Maybe catch 16 inchers again. To let them breed out of control will destroy not only the trout fishery...but also any perch fishery. Fortunately we have seen an increase in the average size from under 6 inches to closer to 8 inches. Where last year we saw almost no perch over 7 inches...and a big one was 8 inches...this Spring we have netted loads of perch over 8 inches with the biggest ones around 12 inches. Our catch rates are also decreasing which tends to make me think our multi pronged approach may help mitigate the problem.

It is a make work project of sorts.

Spent tons of hours in year 1 (2 years ago) netting for 2 months...caught 32000

Year 2 we netted about 7000 in 1 month...

Year 3 so far we have netted 5600 in under 2 weeks. If we timed it right and got lucky and nailed a couple of the spawning schools (I set the nets in the areas with the most perch from previous Springs)...maybe we can get away with 2-3 weeks of netting each Spring and be able to control them. Hopefully not more than 1 month a year. This seems like it may work.

In the end...I am giving ALL my data to F&W and if someone there likes what they see or sees an application to public waters...what Lake Sundance learns may benefit many other public lakes with illegal perch problems.

Cheers

Sun

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by RayB's

I believe we had around 120 in each net, so probably 480 - 500.

I took home 58 medium to large, and there were three piles of those + all the tiny ones.

Largest yesterday way 31 cm. I cleaned perch until 1:00 last night!

Remember Ray...now that they are cleaned...half are mine

That is a big pile of perch. At $15 a filleted pound...it was a fun 2 hours...with benefits.

So that means of 507 perch...about 160 were good sized and 340 were smaller. Almost a 1/3 ratio of keepers to bait.

Not bad show for two years of netting. Last year out of 500...10 would of been over 6.5 inches with 1 being 8 inches...all the rest 3-5 inches.

[RayB's]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Remember Ray...now that they are cleaned...half are mine

That is a big pile of perch. At $15 a filleted pound...it was a fun 2 hours...with benefits.

So that means of 507 perch...about 160 were good sized and 340 were smaller. Almost a 1/3 ratio of keepers to bait.

Not bad show for two years of netting. Last year out of 500...10 would of been over 6.5 inches with 1 being 8 inches...all the rest 3-5 inches.

Boy, between sharing with you and my bro, I'm going to need to take even more home next time, to have even a meal of my own

[slingshotz]

Originally Posted by RayB's

I believe we had around 120 in each net, so probably 480 - 500.

I took home 58 medium to large, and there were three piles of those + all the tiny ones.

Largest yesterday way 31 cm. I cleaned perch until 1:00 last night!

I managed to finish before midnight but I cheated and only gutted the 6-7 inchers, instead of filleting all of them. I managed to get three pounds of fillets. The smaller gutted ones sat in brine overnight and ready for the smoker today

I buried the big sucker in our front yard so it should be interesting if anything digs it up, I bet our neighbours were wondering what the hell we were doing with a big fish in our front yard

Did you get nice big fillets out of that 31cm?