Trout ponds around edmonton

[kippered]

I'm wondering how the fishing conditions are around the trout ponds in Edmonton. I'll Mainly be using spinners/ small crank baits from shore.

Any info will be appreciated!

[Isopod]

I can only speak for the Beaumont Pond, but I think the stocking/fishing was awful this year. I presume that has to do with whirling disease, but maybe something else too?

This spring (2018) they stocked 500 trout into the Beaumont Pond.

In Spring 2017 they stocked 3,700 trout in the spring, plus another 1,000 in early October,

In Spring 2016, they stocked 3,500 trout into the pond in early May.

So stocking rates this Spring were at best about 14% of recent years. I think the fish this year were completely fished out within the first month by both humans plus the couple of cormorants that call the pond home. Certainly when I was there about a month ago there wasn't even anyone bothering to try and fish (including me, I was there taking photos), and I saw zero fish rise even though I was there in the sunset hour.

Best of luck finding a trout pond with fish this year. Beaumont Pond certainly won't be one of them. I had good luck at Cardiff Pond a few years ago in late July, but I haven't looked at the stocking numbers there this year, and I would suspect that it too is a victim of lack of restocking in 2018.

[AltaBorn]

Originally Posted by Isopod

I can only speak for the Beaumont Pond, but I think the stocking/fishing was awful this year. I presume that has to do with whirling disease, but maybe something else too?

This spring (2018) they stocked 500 trout into the Beaumont Pond.

In Spring 2017 they stocked 3,700 trout in the spring, plus another 1,000 in early October,

In Spring 2016, they stocked 3,500 trout into the pond in early May.

So stocking rates this Spring were at best about 14% of recent years. I think the fish this year were completely fished out within the first month by both humans plus the couple of cormorants that call the pond home. Certainly when I was there about a month ago there wasn't even anyone bothering to try and fish (including me, I was there taking photos), and I saw zero fish rise even though I was there in the sunset hour.

Best of luck finding a trout pond with fish this year. Beaumont Pond certainly won't be one of them. I had good luck at Cardiff Pond a few years ago in late July, but I haven't looked at the stocking numbers there this year, and I would suspect that it too is a victim of lack of restocking in 2018.

The people managing Alberta fisheries need to be slapped. So many lakes are in a sad sad state of affairs.. I wish they would Get a lot more aggressive with restocking programs. Maybe take a little bit of pressure off of the lakes just out of the city

[kippered]

Thanks for the info.. That is very depressing news.

[ghostguy6]

Its true stocking levels have been way down due to whirling disease. Some ponds haven't been stocked in 2 -3 years now. Im starting to think they should be stocking bass instead of trout in some of the lakes around here, at least they might have a chance.

[PeterSL]

[QUOTE=Isopod;3833878]I can only speak for the Beaumont Pond, but I think the stocking/fishing was awful this year. I presume that has to do with whirling disease, but maybe something else too? This spring (2018) they stocked 500 trout into the Beaumont Pond.


The Alberta Conservation Association stocked 500 brown trout in Beaumont Pond this spring and also 2000 rainbows. ACA had to cut back on stocking across the province because there were fewer fish available. One of the 4 Alberta Gov. fish hatcheries was closed down for renovation and 10 waterbodies which ACA has stocked in the past were closed to stocking by GoA because of whirling disease concerns.
Beaumont Pond also suffered a severe kill this past winter - I saw the carcasses of hundreds of fish along the shoreline as the ice was going out including some browns that were 20"+.
A recommendation was made to Beaumont Town Administration that it install one aerator to help prevent future winter kill but it was turned down despite offers of technical help and possibly some funding support. Have seen 4 cormorants working the pond this year. If they eat just 4 fish each a day for the approx. 150 days they've been there's this year, that's most of the stocking accounted for! And just to add to the sorry story there's now perch showing up in what used to be a good trout fishery.

[PeterSL]

ACA has responded to the situation at Beaumont Pond and purchased and stocked another thousand 22cm rainbows. Although there are now 5 cormorants working the pond hopefully they'll be heading south soon.