Stocking walleye

Braun · #1 04-08-2011, 11:01 PM

my comment in that other post made me want to know what all the other walleye guys think. Personally, i think the stocking numbers are ridiculous for PCR, but thats an entirely different discussion.

Are there any lakes that you would want walleye stocked into to either attempt to revive an old walleye fishery or to give potential / struggling ones a boost?

I did hear that burntstick at one time did have walleye. The pike do well in there and there are sooooooo many perch that are thriving in that lake (lots of small size but some fatties at 12-15 inches as well). there would be lots of food, structure. im not a biologist so im not sure if all of the other fundamentals are there but if they were there before, what happened>

whitetail Junkie · #2 04-09-2011, 12:08 AM

Lakes that have good perch numbers seem to have Fat Walleye from what ive noticed.

on another note PCR is a great place to take kids,but i'll never fish it again unless it changes for the better.Clear and Twin lake are very close to PCR and there are some Gagger's in there!

npauls · #3 04-09-2011, 12:33 AM

I would like to see Ridge and 40 Mile get back to quality fisheries. I love fishing Ridge and haven't been fishing it for to long but from when I have till now I have seen the quality of fishing go down hill pretty quick. As for 40 mile I haven't fished it all that much but have heard of how good it was just a few years ago.

The fisheries that I think are doing really good down south for walleyes are Travers, Chin, St. Mary, Macgregor, and Newel. Sherburne also seems to have a pretty good walleye population these last few years. If we could get all of the fisheries to around the same as these fisheries we would have a pretty decent walleye set up for the south.

Braun · #4 04-09-2011, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

I would like to see Ridge and 40 Mile get back to quality fisheries. I love fishing Ridge and haven't been fishing it for to long but from when I have till now I have seen the quality of fishing go down hill pretty quick. As for 40 mile I haven't fished it all that much but have heard of how good it was just a few years ago.

The fisheries that I think are doing really good down south for walleyes are Travers, Chin, St. Mary, Macgregor, and Newel. Sherburne also seems to have a pretty good walleye population these last few years. If we could get all of the fisheries to around the same as these fisheries we would have a pretty decent walleye set up for the south.

in your opinion, what can / should be done to this fisheries? is it lack of food? has something changed to the waterway to effect the spawn? regulations?

npauls · #5 04-09-2011, 12:55 AM

I am not to sure why Ridge has changed. I don't know if its regulations because you can only keep 1 fish over 55cm and that is the same with 40 mile. I have heard that 40 mile was an over harvest situation but its tough to over harvest unless people are poaching and keep more then their limit. So ya I can't really say why they have changed but they definitely have. Last year was a really tough year at Ridge but that is probably because of the flooding which caused it to be a very dirty water system for the whole season.

I don't like the fact that the regulations are set up so that once the walleye reaches sexual maturity it can be harvested. I would like to see some other regulations set up to try and save the spawners I just don't know what would have to be done to keep them in the system.

ice · #6 04-09-2011, 05:05 AM

I think Laurier lake in Whitney lakes park needs to be restocked, last stocked in 1953 from moose lake, but I haven't seen or heard of anyone pulling an eye out in atleast 15 years despite the fact that it's says in the regs that they're still there, the only problem is is the declining water levels the lakes gone down 3 meters in the past 20 years, there was actually a time when you could walk straight across the lake in the 40's I believe, then the water levels rose drastically and they restocked it, parts of the lake are still 20 feet deep right now

ice · #7 04-09-2011, 08:07 AM

Wow

mooseknuckle · #8 04-09-2011, 08:07 AM

Well I'm interested to see what happens with wabamun they began stocking last year and plan on stocking for the next 5-6 years. Saw so many perch in there this winter should make for good eats. Time will tell I suppose those pike aren't getting any smaller either.

I think that's what the above poster is trying to say. Lol.

Grizzled · #9 04-09-2011, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

I don't like the fact that the regulations are set up so that once the walleye reaches sexual maturity it can be harvested. I would like to see some other regulations set up to try and save the spawners I just don't know what would have to be done to keep them in the system.

I agree..maybe a slot limit program would work better.

Winch101 · #10 04-09-2011, 08:22 AM

That is obviously a post from the russian Outdoorsman forum ...

Those ruskies really know how to enjoy the outdoors...

huntsfurfish · #11 04-09-2011, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

I am not to sure why Ridge has changed. I don't know if its regulations because you can only keep 1 fish over 55cm and that is the same with 40 mile. I have heard that 40 mile was an over harvest situation but its tough to over harvest unless people are poaching and keep more then their limit. So ya I can't really say why they have changed but they definitely have. Last year was a really tough year at Ridge but that is probably because of the flooding which caused it to be a very dirty water system for the whole season.

I don't like the fact that the regulations are set up so that once the walleye reaches sexual maturity it can be harvested. I would like to see some other regulations set up to try and save the spawners I just don't know what would have to be done to keep them in the system.

Poaching is a big problem at both those lakes(and several others as well).

The current regs for our southern res. are working. The fish are self sustaining and usually good recruitment and year classes. What change is needed Nate? If you take smaller fish to eat(before they spawn) guess what they never spawn. At about 20" harvest size, they spawn at least once or twice. Plus I believe even you have seen more than a few 5 to 12 pounders caught in these lakes

, so they are there as well. Unless the change you are looking for is tags?

I think walleye fishing down south here is the best its been in at least 25-30 years.

Kim473 · #12 04-09-2011, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mooseknuckle

Well I'm interested to see what happens with wabamun they began stocking last year and plan on stocking for the next 5-6 years. Saw so many perch in there this winter should make for good eats. Time will tell I suppose those pike aren't getting any smaller either.

I think that's what the above poster is trying to say. Lol.

Funny that they made it C&R saying it was because of the train derailment but yet they are stocking with eyes LOL. Why dont they just tell the truth. Lots of fish in that lake. Too many realy large pike tho in my opinion.

Dust1n · #13 04-09-2011, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Lakes that have good perch numbers seem to have Fat Walleye from what ive noticed.

on another note PCR is a great place to take kids,but i'll never fish it again unless it changes for the better.Clear and Twin lake are very close to PCR and there are some Gagger's in there!

lakes that also have a alot of forage like whitefish and tons of shiners produce well to. first time i seen a walleye attack a whitefish was in the fall why fly fishing for whites a walleye stayed at bottom and charged up and knocked the whitefish off balance many times. if that walleye was 6lbs im sure
he could have ate it. the walleye was 3lbs i caught em after on a leech fly.

Braun · #14 04-09-2011, 10:09 AM

actually, thats another thing i wish they would look at........ stocking shiners into lakes. such a crucial part of the equation. pcr and spray need to have something done with the baitfish situation,. spray has cuts and whites but it appears the lakers arnt eating them. Ithink that has more to do with the average size of the lakers is the same size of the whites. plus the lake is so big, they just need more feed.

but anyways that is off topic of walleye. ya i dono how i feel about slot size. because that could cause a major bump maybe something along the lines of a slot size combined with a limited harvest period.... keep one within this slot only oncertain months of the year. you cant argue that for some lakes the current regs seem to be working. but maybe not for others

Dust1n · #15 04-09-2011, 10:13 AM

the lakers that are eating them are good sized/huge. someone posted on other threads of big spray lakers although i bet over 85% of em are small.
the bigger ones are in shallow feeding on em at winter. says the guys in the shallows with ice shacks thevye seen some monsters go buy without even a nibble because there lure is too small apprentley.

Braun · #16 04-09-2011, 10:17 AM

right. my point is that there is not enough small baitfish available to help the lakers make that jump from the fishsticks normally caught to the fat mamas that are seen from time to time.

TyreeUM · #17 04-09-2011, 11:14 AM

just wanted to make a note about walleye stocking. In the past 15 years, a lot of research has been done in the states about the effectiveness of walleye stocking and there has been a huge shift in walleye management because of it. It was actually shown that stocking lakes that are capable of natural reproduction has proven to be overall unsuccessful in increasing walleye populations in the lakes. Walleye stocking is now, for the most part, limited to lakes that are NOT capable of natural reproduction. You need to look at the lake as a whole and determine what is causing the reduction in numbers and why the shift in carrying capacity has happened. As anglers, the first thing we assume is overfishing when in fact that is rarely the underlying cause but more of a minor contribution to the problem.

Braun · #18 04-09-2011, 11:31 AM

makes sense. and i definitely can see that Ive never really seen stocking as really a great solution. thats why i brought up the stocking of bait fish. obviously more research needs to be done before we run around stocking baitfish or more walleye. Ultimately there needs to be research done into the causes of why things have changed. in our res. it could be something simple as unpredictable changes in the amount or quality of water flowing into them effecting the spawning grounds some how. who knows.

the question was what lakes would you like to see researched to be improved / restored

npauls · #19 04-09-2011, 12:18 PM

Just like the fishing license costs. I wouldn't mind a tagging system if it means a better overall province wide walleye fishery but if the money from the tags isn't going back into the fisheries then it isn't worth it. I do agree that there is some really good walleye fishing in the south and I know that all the lakes can't be that way. But if there were more quality eye lakes then it takes the pressure off of the ones that are fishing good right now. I am still pretty new to the walleye game compared to alot of guys and gals around this province but would like to see the lakes getting better and better every year instead of all this talk of decline in the fisheries around the province.

Dust1n · #20 04-09-2011, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyreeUM

just wanted to make a note about walleye stocking. In the past 15 years, a lot of research has been done in the states about the effectiveness of walleye stocking and there has been a huge shift in walleye management because of it. It was actually shown that stocking lakes that are capable of natural reproduction has proven to be overall unsuccessful in increasing walleye populations in the lakes. Walleye stocking is now, for the most part, limited to lakes that are NOT capable of natural reproduction. You need to look at the lake as a whole and determine what is causing the reduction in numbers and why the shift in carrying capacity has happened. As anglers, the first thing we assume is overfishing when in fact that is rarely the underlying cause but more of a minor contribution to the problem.

the walleye arnt getting no where because they may not have enough to eat.
first of all in wabamum how many big schools of shinners do you se year round? not many...because of the pike. so if we stock more shinners as Braun said the walleye would be alot healther. but in sylvan lake at bassicly any season youll see millions of shinners and the walleye population is crazy and not only are some of em 8lb but theres also baby walleye to. and lots in the middle.

rielbowhunter · #21 04-09-2011, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Lakes that have good perch numbers seem to have Fat Walleye from what ive noticed.

on another note PCR is a great place to take kids,but i'll never fish it again unless it changes for the better.Clear and Twin lake are very close to PCR and there are some Gagger's in there!

where is twin lake?

TyreeUM · #22 04-09-2011, 02:59 PM

and what happens when the elevated baitfish populations start to out compete walleye fry...

chubbdarter · #23 04-09-2011, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyreeUM

and what happens when the elevated baitfish populations start to out compete walleye fry...

or eat walleye eggs

Ty brings up very legit concerns...

Braun · #24 04-09-2011, 03:11 PM

good point. very good point

ice · #25 04-09-2011, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyreeUM

just wanted to make a note about walleye stocking. In the past 15 years, a lot of research has been done in the states about the effectiveness of walleye stocking and there has been a huge shift in walleye management because of it. It was actually shown that stocking lakes that are capable of natural reproduction has proven to be overall unsuccessful in increasing walleye populations in the lakes. Walleye stocking is now, for the most part, limited to lakes that are NOT capable of natural reproduction. You need to look at the lake as a whole and determine what is causing the reduction in numbers and why the shift in carrying capacity has happened. As anglers, the first thing we assume is overfishing when in fact that is rarely the underlying cause but more of a minor contribution to the problem.

Yeah! Just look at pigeon lake!

Oh wait..

<.<

>.>

Lol j.k

Dust1n · #26 04-09-2011, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyreeUM

and what happens when the elevated baitfish populations start to out compete walleye fry...

very good point but im sure the walleye fry feed in with the minnows i know the perch do if anyone opened a tub of minnows to find the odd perch in there. but after they get a bit bigger then the minnows they can start feeding on them and im sure theyd be able to survive because its a big lake with alot of things to eat when your little.

nicemustang · #27 04-09-2011, 09:43 PM

Lots of healthy walleye lakes in SK

.

TyreeUM · #28 04-10-2011, 04:07 PM

haha there sure is...i don't really spend a whole lot of time walleye fishing except for in the river for big ones...I fish mostly for the sport of it and walleye are a poor fight at best...

bobalong · #29 04-10-2011, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicemustang

Lots of healthy walleye lakes in SK

.

With all the lakes in Sask they still continue to stock about 35-40 million fry every year in numerous lakes, and to my knowledge have never stopped walleye stocking. It is called a commitment to walleye and improving fisheries throughout the province. This is something Alberta has not had for probably at least 2 decades and although they finally started stocking after a 7 year absence, they still only stock about 2 or 3 lakes in the whole province. Stocking has to be a long term yearly commitment, and it requires funding, Alberta Fisheries/Govt has provided neither for a very long time.

Kim473 · #30 04-12-2011, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TyreeUM

haha there sure is...i don't really spend a whole lot of time walleye fishing except for in the river for big ones...I fish mostly for the sport of it and walleye are a poor fight at best...

The wallies that I catch in 20 fow or more put up a pretty good fight on a very light rod.