Alberta needs to stock European perch

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by buckman

Agreed the pike has become a much maligned fish here in Alberta.Walleye are now the star predator species,I love fishing for both. However the average size of pike seems to go down once the Walleye become established.

Over abundance of any predator without the forage to sustain them is bad for a body of water. Sustainable numbers to match available forage is need or you get what we have in many Alberta lakes

As for big pike a 40” is 20years old so an over x size limit is not helping but harvest to achieve balance according to available forage is needed.

But let’s stop there before we start beating a dead horse lol

[Who Da Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Over abundance of any predator without the forage to sustain them is bad for a body of water. Sustainable numbers to match available forage is need or you get what we have in many Alberta lakes

As for big pike a 40” is 20years old so an over x size limit is not helping but harvest to achieve balance according to available forage is needed.

But let’s stop there before we start beating a dead horse lol

For big Pike it matters on which lake/res, forage and temperature. We had a biologist take part of the jaw off a 42" 27lb pike from a SW reservoir, it came back at 12.5yrs old.
Warm lake with lots of whitefish to eat....
WDF

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Who Da Fisherman

For big Pike it matters on which lake/res, forage and temperature. We had a biologist take part of the jaw off a 42" 27lb pike from a SW reservoir, it came back at 12.5yrs old.
Warm lake with lots of whitefish to eat....
WDF

That is definitely a fat pike at 42” and 27lbs.

20years is just what one study concluded for Ontario and you will likely find variations throughout different regions or even bodies of water

Things like fatty forage, genetics and temperature all play a role. This can vary even with a string of years with above average or below average conditions. Some fish within a body of water also will exceed the average growth compared to others in the same body of water. Nothing is absolutely consistent

Regardless big pike take time to reach that size

[buckman]

I fish a lake that's full of Scuds,only ever seen, or caught pike there. They are stuffed with the little critters.Have caught them close to 25 lbs.My son caught a monster 46 inches long.

I have kept a few,all stuffed with... you guessed it scuds.Some of these fish were up to 15 lbs.

Now they are stocking it with Walleye fry,what the hell will they eat.

[Frank_NK28]

So here is a question? Does AB have any programs like the CFIP (community fisheries involvement program) where local angling groups, clubs etc volunteer to run makeshift temporary hatcheries and raise fish in ponds, creeks etc for stocking in their local areas? When I lived in North Bay, Ont I was a member of the North Bay Hunters and Anglers Association and each year we captured walleye and milked them then raised the fry to about 1.5" length in rearing ponds. We would then seine net them out of the ponds and stock them in various area waters. We also did a ounaniche (atlantic salmon) program where the MNR supplied the eggs and in the first season or two streamside trays for the eggs to hatch in, then we raised enough $ to purchase our own equipment. The fry could be released later into the stream they were raised in to make their way downstream to the lake the stream emptied into to try to produce fish that may eventually return and hopefully establish a reoccurring run of spawning salmon. There was programs of these types all over Ontario and being volunteer run it cut alot of cost to the MNR and provided more space to raise fish and many waters and communities benefit from it. The Great Lakes Salmon stocking is a prime example as many volunteer organizations raise and stock salmon to stock in addition to what the MNR could or would supply. Food for thought?

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Frank_NK28

So here is a question? Does AB have any programs like the CFIP (community fisheries involvement program) where local angling groups, clubs etc volunteer to run makeshift temporary hatcheries and raise fish in ponds, creeks etc for stocking in their local areas? When I lived in North Bay, Ont I was a member of the North Bay Hunters and Anglers Association and each year we captured walleye and milked them then raised the fry to about 1.5" length in rearing ponds. We would then seine net them out of the ponds and stock them in various area waters. We also did a ounaniche (atlantic salmon) program where the MNR supplied the eggs and in the first season or two streamside trays for the eggs to hatch in, then we raised enough $ to purchase our own equipment. The fry could be released later into the stream they were raised in to make their way downstream to the lake the stream emptied into to try to produce fish that may eventually return and hopefully establish a reoccurring run of spawning salmon. There was programs of these types all over Ontario and being volunteer run it cut alot of cost to the MNR and provided more space to raise fish and many waters and communities benefit from it. The Great Lakes Salmon stocking is a prime example as many volunteer organizations raise and stock salmon to stock in addition to what the MNR could or would supply. Food for thought?

I did some research a couple years ago and could not find any active angler only based organization in Alberta

Closest I could find ACA and AFGA

Alberta would definitely benefit for an angler organization that volunteered and fundraised for Alberta’s fisheries.

[smitty9]

More invasive species is generally not the answer.

Better management of fisheries and anglers is.

Let's stop putting the cart before the horse and looking at band aid solutions.

Previous overfishing, liberal kill limits (10 walleye a day in the good ol' days), and habitat destruction are the major issues.

Let's keep the focus where it should be folks.

Smitty

[deschambault]

Originally Posted by buckman

I fish a lake that's full of Scuds,only ever seen, or caught pike there. They are stuffed with the little critters.Have caught them close to 25 lbs.My son caught a monster 46 inches long.

I have kept a few,all stuffed with... you guessed it scuds.Some of these fish were up to 15 lbs.

Now they are stocking it with Walleye fry,what the hell will they eat.

You have just described Crawling Valley prior to the walleye stocking. BTW I once pulled a large giant goldfish out of the marina and the F&W officer confirmed what it was but did say they couldn't survive an Alberta winter, thank goodness.