Newell Pike

[muskokagould]

Originally Posted by Gust

bazinga

was skunked first 5 trips on ice this year. Didn't throw my arms up in the air and say all 5 lakes are dead. when I first moved here had a hard time and compared alberta fishing to home, didn't look good. did some exploring tried some new techniques and know many places you can have amazing days or poor ones for almost any species in alberta except bull trout those buggers keep eluding me.

probably for the best may do a number on my 6wt sage haha

[pinelakeperch]

Originally Posted by Winch101

CVR , Newell , Tilly B are the domain of the middle Eastern and Russian
Poachers . Also big time night fishing going on everywhere . Just talk to the people who live near these reservoirs ....they know.

We had Terry Clayton at our mercy in Nanton , but it was all Kissy ,Kissy
Sucky sucky , There is no way the govt should be selling your resource .
No one buy a fishing licence ......just fish what are they going to do
lock a few 100,000 people up for angling without a licence ....that'll get their attention .

You've got that right, although I wouldn't make note of exactly who is doing the poaching, ethnically at least. More than once this summer I stayed out at CVR late because the bite was hot and had other fishermen eying me waiting for me to leave. Can only assume that they were planning on keeping a few walleye. Luckily most of the time these guys seemed like pretty inexperienced fishermen and were only occasionally catching fish.

[pinelakeperch]

Originally Posted by muskokagould

was skunked first 5 trips on ice this year. Didn't throw my arms up in the air and say all 5 lakes are dead. when I first moved here had a hard time and compared alberta fishing to home, didn't look good. did some exploring tried some new techniques and know many places you can have amazing days or poor ones for almost any species in alberta except bull trout those buggers keep eluding me.

probably for the best may do a number on my 6wt sage haha

I can honestly say that in 10+ years I've been skunked maybe once or twice at Newell. I've been out there with my old man and caught 7 or 8 straight 30in + pike in an evening.

I think people need to respect fisheries more. It's one thing to keep a few fish to eat but it's another to line up 10 pike in a row on the ice and leave them there.

[muskokagould]

Originally Posted by jhutter

I can honestly say that in 10+ years I've been skunked maybe once or twice at Newell. I've been out there with my old man and caught 7 or 8 straight 30in + pike in an evening.

I think people need to respect fisheries more. It's one thing to keep a few fish to eat but it's another to line up 10 pike in a row on the ice and leave them there.

I agree that pressure and poaching and lack of respect hurt fisheries for sure.
and a disregard to the fisheries by some.

just notice people give up and cry a lake is dying from one poor trip. so many threads on here about one trip to a lake that was great years ago and today didn't see a fish.

we used to fish lake of bays and get skunked few times in a row, and then there where the days you'd catch 15 lakers. they were always there just not always biting.

my comment wasn't really aimed just at Newell ( never fished it so maybe opinion is irrelevant) but more at fishing in general. And that if you always caught 20+ fish and trophies every outing for me catching "the one" would loose its luster.

[pinelakeperch]

Originally Posted by muskokagould

I agree that pressure and poaching and lack of respect hurt fisheries for sure.
and a disregard to the fisheries by some.

just notice people give up and cry a lake is dying from one poor trip. so many threads on here about one trip to a lake that was great years ago and today didn't see a fish.

we used to fish lake of bays and get skunked few times in a row, and then there where the days you'd catch 15 lakers. they were always there just not always biting.

my comment wasn't really aimed just at Newell ( never fished it so maybe opinion is irrelevant) but more at fishing in general. And that if you always caught 20+ fish and trophies every outing for me catching "the one" would loose its luster.

I fully agree!

[steelhead]

" just notice people give up and cry a lake is dying from one poor trip."



Its the SRD thats crying that the lakes are dying.


Thats why they are closing them.


The users are somewhat correct if the pros figure its real.


STEELHEAD

[WayneChristie]

If I didnt have a few slow or skunk trips Id be worried. no one is good enough to catch everything they want all the time. There are always factors that change the way the fish feed, or their locations, its not that they arent in the lake, they are just not where you are looking for them, or they are there and just not biting, Ive seen so many fish on the camera that one week wont stay off a hook, and the next time will kiss your bait give you the fin and swim off to do their own thing. Just because SRD test netting doesnt catch fish in the areas they are set, doesnt mean the lake is dead. Finding every fish floating belly up means the lake is dead. 2 trips to a lake with a collapsed pike population, and easily 60 or 70 seen on camera, from fry to keeper size. thats one small location in a very big lake with a variety of structure, depths and bottom cover. how many are in the rest of the lake? The bad thing Ive noticed just from 2 outings is the pike arent as heavy as they could be, with the amount of feeder fish that can be seen on camera all day long I wonder what it is thats keeping them from putting on more weight than a kid in a cake shop. Maybe there are environmental factors involved, Im far from an expert, I just fish. I think the government needs to invest more money into an accurate survey of fish populations in our lakes, not base everything on a few or even a lot of random test nettings. those can only cover so many locations. fish dont sit still , they move around. who is to say they are going to move to where the test nets are? Like I said maybe some of the problem isnt the lack of fish, its the lack of fishing luck/skill of the people crying dead lakes. People wants to spend as little time on a lake especially in the cold winter as they can, and catch their limit, as quick as possible, catch and release or take home and eat, doesnt make a difference. Good fish take time, I caught some awesome fish this year and I spent an unbelievable amount of time to do it, it doesnt come quick and it doesnt come easy, the odd drop your bait or lure right in front of a monster fish once in a blue moon excluded. everyones in a rush, thats not fishing to me anyways. I think closing Newell to pike retention for a long period say 10 years, is going to do a lot more harm to the pike fishery than good.

[mongo]

the regs let people keep all the female egg layers ... not a biologist but this doesn't make any scene to me.

[waterfowler1969]

Originally Posted by mongo

the regs let people keep all the female egg layers ... not a biologist but this doesn't make any scene to me.

Wow someone figured it out. To bad srd cant. This is the sole reason why we have issues with pike and walleye. IMO there should be a slot size on all walleye and same with pike. Need the breeders to keep lake going and killing them sure aint doing any good.

[rem338win]

Here are the real issues in order:

We are keeping the spawners

We have too many poachers (point the finger where you want but locals taking multiple limits a day is a greater issue than other demographics)

We have ignorant and irresponsible persons exploiting the resource

We have a very misguided group managing the resource

Most layman have absolutely no idea what they are talking about but yet have formed an opinion (no malicious intent implied, just laziness)

I have been fishing southern Alberta's pike for decades now, and it was far better years ago in most. Three things have changed: population, environment and the governments management. All are to blame in part.

[The Reel Deal]

Originally Posted by waterfowler1969

Wow someone figured it out. To bad srd cant. This is the sole reason why we have issues with pike and walleye. IMO there should be a slot size on all walleye and same with pike. Need the breeders to keep lake going and killing them sure aint doing any good.

X2

[SCHOOCH]

I'am a firm believer that the only thing that will help a lake recover is a slot limit. Making kids under 16 and seniors buy a license will just be a way of keeping kids in front of the 7/11 learning everything that is proper and for the seniors it might just be a financial hardship for some.....not all of them but if it keeps 1 off the water thats too many. The extra $$$$$ F & W would receive from these extra funds i'am sure would not benefit the sport fisheries anyways.......typical politics....always want more so it can go into all the wrong places!!!! S

[bowness]

It took DFO in BC decades to figure out that a sport caught salmon was worth much more economically than a commercially caught one.
It really irks me that SRD has let a commercial fishery proceed for years and then when the fishery collapses deny sporties any retention. As usual we are the pawns used as management tools at the last minute. Did anyone think that maybe 20 000lbs of pike harvested annually might be a little excessive? Why would they care, the recreational anglers can just do without...it's brooks businesses that will hurt. I enjoy a meal of pike(yes one pike!) and will go elsewhere.

[aulrich]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Ive seen so many fish on the camera that one week wont stay off a hook, and the next time will kiss your bait give you the fin and swim off to do their own thing.

Totally agree, since we have been running the camera and DVR you would be amazed the fish that go by. The first day we had the dvr we were at clear 6 hours of no bites then at dusk bites. But as we looked at the footage from the day, literally we hardly went 5 min with out a fish swimming by (short of noon through 2 when nothing did actually swim in camera view), I know this because the DVR make the files in 5 min segments. and if you were not looking at the screen that 10 seconds you would think nothing is there.

[J D]

Originally Posted by bowness

It took DFO in BC decades to figure out that a sport caught salmon was worth much more economically than a commercially caught one.
It really irks me that SRD has let a commercial fishery proceed for years and then when the fishery collapses deny sporties any retention. As usual we are the pawns used as management tools at the last minute. Did anyone think that maybe 20 000lbs of pike harvested annually might be a little excessive? Why would they care, the recreational anglers can just do without...it's brooks businesses that will hurt. I enjoy a meal of pike(yes one pike!) and will go elsewhere.

You're giving DFO too much credit they hang sport fishermen out to dry all the time

Just check out the halibut regs and quotas

[mongo]

BS to the commercial fishery causing the collapse .they been com fishing for 50 years or more .white fish populations would go nuts and cause further problems . Allowing fisherman to keep all the breading pike cant help the situation any. To me all the lakes really collapsed after the gov stocked walleye and didn't allow any keeping of these walleye.

[Habfan]

Originally Posted by mongo

BS to the commercial fishery causing the collapse .they been com fishing for 50 years or more .white fish populations would go nuts and cause further problems . Allowing fisherman to keep all the breading pike cant help the situation any. To me all the lakes really collapsed after the gov stocked walleye and didn't allow any keeping of these walleye.

Exactly what happens. Finally someone else sees this.

[depolloc]

Funny, we just had a similar retention debate (except, in respect to the walleye closure) about Travers in another thread. Guess the writing is on the wall. Squeaky wheel gets the greese. Call (or email) the Enviro Minister to state your concern with how our fisheries are being managed. Complaining on a forum won't do anything.

[cube]

Originally Posted by mongo

BS to the commercial fishery causing the collapse .they been com fishing for 50 years or more .white fish populations would go nuts and cause further problems . Allowing fisherman to keep all the breading pike cant help the situation any. To me all the lakes really collapsed after the gov stocked walleye and didn't allow any keeping of these walleye.

X3

It appears that the only fish that are "managed" in this province are Walleye and Trout. Example; when I look at the makeup of the "fisheries Round Table" I see plenty of Trout, Fly fishing and Walleye advocates and negligible representation for pike, perch etc.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by cube

X3

It appears that the only fish that are "managed" in this province are Walleye and Trout. Example; when I look at the makeup of the "fisheries Round Table" I see plenty of Trout, Fly fishing and Walleye advocates and negligible representation for pike, perch etc.

Start one, or join your local fish and game club. Use your voice through them.

[cube]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

I think closing Newell to pike retention for a long period say 10 years, is going to do a lot more harm to the pike fishery than good.

You may be correct but I think the "Forced" (Lake was closed to retention because of toxic spill not because of SRD) Wabamun experiment would disagree with you. The lack of walleye and closure to retention created a trophy pike fishery right beside a major city.

[cube]

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

Start one, or join your local fish and game club. Use your voice through them.

The Fish and Game club only gets a small voice where trout and walleye get many, relatively speaking that is. I did ask that the Round Table be opened up for public representation but was basically told it was a private club and they would invite who they wanted, so I did try.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by cube

The Fish and Game club only gets a small voice where trout and walleye get many, relatively speaking tat is. I did ask that the Round Table be opened up for public representation but was basically told it was a private club and they would invite who they wanted, so I did try.

Start a "pike unlimited" or something along that line. If you want a voice then. Walleye and trout are extremely popular and are well represented because of that.

[cube]

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

Start a "pike unlimited" or something along that line. If you want a voice then. Walleye and trout are extremely popular and are well represented because of that.

I hear what you’re saying; Personally I don't think management by special interest groups is the best way to manage the environment.

[livinstone]

Originally Posted by longrange1000

The obvious first move should have been eliminating the commercial fishery.

Big FAIL on SRD's part!

l guess if the government makes money on it like the hunting guides pay them to guide they only look at that. maybe a/f/g should get out in the media and do more then act like the great outdoors is theirs to use then again l think they are for the most part clueless and when we are waiting a life time to hunt a elk,deer,moose.sheep and catch one kind of each fish spiecs it will be to late .

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by cube

You may be correct but I think the "Forced" (Lake was closed to retention because of toxic spill not because of SRD) Wabamun experiment would disagree with you. The lack of walleye and closure to retention created a trophy pike fishery right beside a major city.

Wab has always had a big population of huge pike from what I understand. They might just be getting more attention now because anglers can only take pictures instead of the fish.

[cube]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Wab has always had a big population of huge pike from what I understand. They might just be getting more attention now because anglers can only take pictures instead of the fish.

I have fished Wab for a very long time and it certainly got MUCH better after the spill.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by cube

I have fished Wab for a very long time and it certainly got MUCH better after the spill.

thats a good thing, I hope it works out that way for newell too, and it doesnt get stunted by the zillions of little pike that are going to show up. Im surprised Newell hasnt had any accidents, they drill right under the lake, maybe its only a matter of time, but I hope not, it would be nice to have a trophy pike fishery that close to home.

[slough shark]

Went out yesterday with a group of youth, we did pretty decent, no worse than previous years, I think the pike fishery there is at least close to what it's been in the past, not quite as good but at least close. I have mixed feelings about the pike closure here, the vast majority of pike I catch are C&R, I keep perhaps a couple a year and not all at newell. I suspect there will be a few unintended consequences of this closure, I think it will move a number of fishermen to the surrounding lakes and those fisheries will see more pressure from people who like to keep fish. I think this could be a bit of an issue because of all the lakes in the area Newell is the biggest and probably the best positioned to sustain some keeping (with IMHO should be a slot limit). On the flip side since most of my fishing is C&R anyways it should make a good lake even better . First lake in southern AB where the Pike are given the edge over walleye so it could be interesting.

[sheriff282]

reading the bulk of this thread, I agree that there are several contributing factors such as Commercial fishing. But do believe that the poaching has to be stopped or more realistically curbed. I love fishing but ironically don't eat fish a lot, I am catch and release. I was fishing at the inlet of Newell on a sunny afternoon while working in the area and was shocked at the number of people there. I was there for a couple of hours when a truck with a couple of conservation officers pulled up. Everyone with the exception of myself scattered like birds after a gun shot. So obviously I was the only one who was properly licensed etc. Sadly I was also the only one putting fish BACK. 1 ticket got handed out as the other 10-12 got away. The same conservation officers could go out there 4 times a day and not even scratch the surface of the poaching going on out there. And that is just 1 spot over the several miles of shoreline.