New Walleye Lakes for tags

[Penner]

Originally Posted by AxeMan

Okay, here is one idea that won't cost anglers who already pay WIN card fees and angling licence fees and taxes. How about open some of these lakes for a walleye limit of 1 per day for a certain time period; say a couple of months out of the season. Way less administration costs and no more money burden and inconvenience for the angler. I'm sure SRD will say the tag fees are to cover administration costs anyways.

As far as SRD knowing the harvest numbers, they do their test netting anyways regardless of the system in place. If the test surveys show the harvest is too much or too little they could adjust the harvest period for the next year.

Opening up lakes for a window of opportunity (even a small 2 week window) was attempted and it did not work as the Long Lake experiment demonstrated. Opening several lakes in a similar region might be a better idea but I believe it would be only a matter of a few years for the same result to occur as fishermen learn to adapt in this day and age very quickly. Band-aid solution at best!

Originally Posted by Jimboy

Ever wonder why ya need a fishing lic when your a catch and release fisherman , all your doing is hookin them and back they go , its like skippin stones on a lake , you pay to drop a line in the water , just a thought

A fishing license can be defined as “a license authorizing the bearer to fish during a specified period of time”. You purchase a fishing license so you have the opportunity to CATCH fish not KEEP fish. It takes just as many resources to monitor catch & release water bodies as it does to monitor catch water bodies.

[Penner]

Originally Posted by AxeMan

Sorry Penner, but I will bash the government every time they add costs on to my back when I am already paying ridiculous taxes and fees. Advocating less fees and taxes and bureaucratic administration costs is optimistic thinking, not pessimistic.

Regulations are in place because you and I have exploited the fisheries. We were/are unable to limit ourselves so the government is forced to step-in and set limits for us. I despise politicians as much as the next guy but blaming them for our problem isn’t going to help.

Looking in the mirror is the only way our fisheries have a chance for the future. Every single response on this discussion so far is that the government needs to do this or the government needs to do that which leads me to believe you all want the government to continue to solve our problems.

I look at it from a different angle as in what am I going to do about? Either by education, conservation, restoration, self-management, etc. from the folks whom actually care about and have something invested in the resource is the only way its going to improve. No vote hungry, suit wearing, law maker is going to solve anything.

[AK47]

I personaly think it is not a good method of managing fisheries. Size limits works - pretty simple... make sure fish kept had a chance to spawn at least once. Lets say you have 1 walleye from 50 to 70 cm limit in CV or Pigeon, there is no freaking way that population would be decimated by anglers...both smaller guys and big spawning females will be released thus maintaining healthy numbers.
And I do not get that 100 walleye catch and release a day fun - whats so fun about injuring and putting so many fish through stress like that? Borring, no challenge if you ask me, and I bet 1 or 2 from those 100 released die anyway
Thats why after few hours of catching and throwing 20-30 walleye back at PCR or CV I stopped going to those reservoirs... whats the point? If I want challenge and a keeper I go to Travers or other place where I can keep some.

[HunterDave]

Summary of tag types for Lac Ste Anne, Lac Lanonne and Isle Lake:

Class A - 2 walleye over 50 cm in total length - Isle Lake.

Class B - 3 walleye 43-50 cm in total length - Lac Ste Anne, Lac Lanonne and Isle Lake.

Class C - 3 walleye under 43 cm in total length - Lac Ste Anne.

Has the total number of tags to be issued been published anywhere?

Since this is the first year does anyone like to take a (educated or not) guesstimate as to how many tags SRD would issue?

Here's a link to the draw results for other lakes. Maybe comparing similar sized lakes would be useful to help guesstimate the number of tags to be issued.

http://www.mywildalberta.com/Fishing/WalleyeDraws.aspx

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I hope that the tags for these lakes is something similar to that and does not become an exercise in ridding the lake of the big spawning fish. THAT, wouldn't make any sense to me at all!

In talking to the F&W officer for that area a few years ago, that was the case that they managing sizes. Seems to be the case as they revise size classes every year. That part is good to see. I've been catching more size classes at Pigeon since the tags started.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Summary of tag types for Lac Ste Anne, Lac Lanonne and Isle Lake:

Since this is the first year does anyone like to take a (educated or not) guesstimate as to how many tags SRD would issue?

http://www.mywildalberta.com/Fishing/WalleyeDraws.aspx

I have seen the numbers posted in previous years but it is usually after the draws are done. It would be worth finding out from F&W what the numbers are in each class.

[buckmasterjr]

Originally Posted by Gongshow

Can my 8 year old son apply for a walleye tag?

yes, me and my dad got them 3 years ago.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

I have seen the numbers posted in previous years but it is usually after the draws are done. It would be worth finding out from F&W what the numbers are in each class.

No matter, I was just curious, that's all. I'm going to try to find out the number of tags but I'm not sure if that's a guarded secret or not. Maybe SRD thinks that it will influence people's decision?

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

No matter, I was just curious, that's all. I'm going to try to find out the number of tags but I'm not sure if that's a guarded secret or not. Maybe SRD thinks that it will influence people's decision?

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I think that is why they pospone on releasing them.

[Thundercatcher]

I never caught a Walleye before. I might try Lac st. Ann. What do you use to catch them and do you use a leader?

[Penner]

Originally Posted by Thundercatcher

I never caught a Walleye before. I might try Lac st. Ann. What do you use to catch them and do you use a leader?

I've done well at both St.Anne and Isle throught the ice in December and January. Nothing special 8ft-10ft deep, jig tipped with a minnow, bite begins one hour before sun set and goes for as long as you can stand the cold.

[Rockymtnx]

Originally Posted by AK47

I personaly think it is not a good method of managing fisheries. Size limits works - pretty simple... make sure fish kept had a chance to spawn at least once. Lets say you have 1 walleye from 50 to 70 cm limit in CV or Pigeon, there is no freaking way that population would be decimated by anglers...both smaller guys and big spawning females will be released thus maintaining healthy numbers.

I think you would be surprised at the pressure Pigeon gets in the summer months. With the current tag system there is only 2877 fish to be harvested out of Pigeon of various sizes. With the tag system it allows these fish to be harvested over a course of a year. Without tags we would have a 2-3 day season on Pigeon max, before this quota was reached. Even if they did have a 2-3 day season, there is no way to control how many of each size is kept.
The tag system is a controlled measure to ensure over harvest doesn't occur.

[slimjim]

Boycott the tag system, slot size the lakes in trouble, actually there are no lakes in trouble, this tag system is just a tax grab.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Thundercatcher

I never caught a Walleye before. I might try Lac st. Ann. What do you use to catch them and do you use a leader?

Early June they go after rapalas. When the water starts to warm up a bit I use a jig with one of those power bait grub with the tail thingy's. Minnows definitely work twice as good but I rarely ever have them with me. I find that they'll bite all day if you find a good spot in maybe about 15' of water. They school so if you catch one there are usually more there to catch.

[Rockymtnx]

Originally Posted by slimjim

Boycott the tag system, slot size the lakes in trouble, actually there are no lakes in trouble, this tag system is just a tax grab.

How is it a tax grab?

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

No matter, I was just curious, that's all. I'm going to try to find out the number of tags but I'm not sure if that's a guarded secret or not. Maybe SRD thinks that it will influence people's decision?

Im wondering how many people paid their money last year when they opened Rolling Hills for a draw, then when its all said and done we find out they had 10 tags released for the whole season. ????? wonder how many people would have saved their money if they had known the allotment before the draw?

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Im wondering how many people paid their money last year when they opened Rolling Hills for a draw, then when its all said and done we find out they had 10 tags released for the whole season. ????? wonder how many people would have saved their money if they had known the allotment before the draw?

Now THAT is a tax grab...........or perhaps better described as a scam! I don't know how they could justify doing something like that. I sure hope that they don't pull something like that off for any draws that I decide to put in for! Of course, if I'm drawn it's a non-issue for me but I'd be able to identify with the people that weren't.

[whitetail Junkie]

I honestly believe that these special walleye tags have very little to do with the governments concern about properly managing it's walleye population.

It's just another cash grab by our provincial government.

Three bucks for the draw application\Another $10.50 for the tag,I'm not Naive and it's not hard to see what the Government truely cares about!!

YUP, Money $$$$$$$

[goober]

I don't have a problem with this system. Lake Isle has been in desperate need of something for a long time now. Problem is that it is so close to the city if they were to open it with a slot size or any other option it would be destroyed again in a couple years. Look at it in the winter, when Perch are on a high year you will see the same guys taking their limit everyday from there. I don't consider a scam at all.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by goober

I don't have a problem with this system. Lake Isle has been in desperate need of something for a long time now. Problem is that it is so close to the city if they were to open it with a slot size or any other option it would be destroyed again in a couple years. Look at it in the winter, when Perch are on a high year you will see the same guys taking their limit everyday from there. I don't consider a scam at all.

I agree with you Goober and I don't have a better option to offer.

The scam that I was referring to in my post was about SRD allowing 100's of people to pay their $3 to enter a draw when there are only 10 tags to hand out. That just doesn't seem right to me. When there is such a low number of tags available perhaps SRD should be upfront and let everyone know how many there are? If something like that happens in the draws that I put in for you can bet that I'll be choked.

[goober]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I agree with you Goober and I don't have a better option to offer.

The scam that I was referring to in my post was about SRD allowing 100's of people to pay their $3 to enter a draw when there are only 10 tags to hand out. That just doesn't seem right to me. When there is such a low number of tags available perhaps SRD should be upfront and let everyone know how many there are? If something like that happens in the draws that I put in for you can bet that I'll be choked.

I see your point on the draws. It is no different than hunting draws however is it? Numbers change from year to year is that not what makes it a priority draw?

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by goober

I see your point on the draws. It is no different than hunting draws however is it? Numbers change from year to year is that not what makes it a priority draw?

Yes, the pri system is the same for hunting. The number of tags alloted changes from year to year for the draws that I enter but I can check the allocations for previous years for the specific wmu's that I hunt. The percentages for previous success in getting drawn is also available for all wmu's for all draws and if there's only a 1% chance of getting drawn in one wmu I can go to a different one with better odds.

The difference this time is that I can't make a guesstimate as to which of the three lakes gives me a better opportunity to get drawn, but then again, either can anyone else.

I hope that if they are opening the lakes to draw that there will be at least an acceptable number of tags to allot. IMO letting hundreds (maybe thousands) of people apply for a draw on only a handful of tags isn't playing fair ball.

[goober]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Yes, the pri system is the same for hunting. The number of tags alloted changes from year to year for the draws that I enter but I can check the allocations for previous years for the specific wmu's that I hunt. The percentages for previous success in getting drawn is also available for all wmu's for all draws and if there's only a 1% chance of getting drawn in one wmu I can go to a different one with better odds.

The difference this time is that I can't make a guesstimate as to which of the three lakes gives me a better opportunity to get drawn, but then again, either can anyone else.

I hope that if they are opening the lakes to draw that there will be at least an acceptable number of tags to allot. IMO letting hundreds (maybe thousands) of people apply for a draw on only a handful of tags isn't playing fair ball.

I see your point. They do need to be careful with the numbers being alloted. The size allocations will play a big part as well.

[Penner]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I agree with you Goober and I don't have a better option to offer.

The scam that I was referring to in my post was about SRD allowing 100's of people to pay their $3 to enter a draw when there are only 10 tags to hand out. That just doesn't seem right to me. When there is such a low number of tags available perhaps SRD should be upfront and let everyone know how many there are? If something like that happens in the draws that I put in for you can bet that I'll be choked.

Issuing only 10 tags doesn’t make a bunch of sense. I suspect it was either an error or something may have happened to the Walleye population last minute to perhaps limit the amount of tags made available. If only 10 tags were going to be issued what’s was the point. I suspect it may have just been reported incorrectly.

Note our $3 draw application gives anyone the opportunity to apply for a draw on any water body or a combination thereof.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Penner

Note our $3 draw application gives anyone the opportunity to apply for a draw on any water body or a combination thereof.

The way that I understand it is that it's $3 per draw application as opposed to $3 per combination. IE. Class B Lac Ste Anne = $3.....Class C Lac Ste Anne = $3.......Class A Isle Lake = $3..........Class B Lac Lanonne = $3..........etc.

I have absolutely no experience with fishing draws so I might not understand it correctly. The way that I read it is that you could submit a draw for only one body of water/class per draw unlike hunting draws where you can add a 2nd wmu and 3rd wmu choices to the draw.

If someone wanted to, could they put in for 2 draws for the same class fish in 2 different lakes? Once you are drawn your name leaves the draw so there's no chance of getting drawn twice.

"An Alberta resident may apply for each different-sized class of Special Walleye Licence, but may possess only 1 of these licences.
The Walleye (Class A) draw will be conducted first, then the Walleye (Class B) draw followed by the Walleye (Class
C) draw. Applicants drawn in a walleye draw will be eliminated from the subsequent draws. DRAW CODE 60 – Walleye (Class A)"

[goober]

If I remember right from last year you can utilize second and third options on one lake. So Lake Isle class A is first choice, b could be second and c could be third. I am not sure about multiple lakes but I would think you are able to just like hunting wmu's. I have done the multiple class on one app so I know that works. That is why I am priority 1 for b class walleye but got drawn for c last year.

[Racer31]

Originally Posted by goober

I don't have a problem with this system. Lake Isle has been in desperate need of something for a long time now. Problem is that it is so close to the city if they were to open it with a slot size or any other option it would be destroyed again in a couple years. Look at it in the winter, when Perch are on a high year you will see the same guys taking their limit everyday from there. I don't consider a scam at all.

Please explain how you can destory a body of water with a proper slot sizes,and limit amounts. This type of management works every where in North America.... except in Alberta. Including waters much closer to larger urban centers then Edmonton and Calgary. Maybe we can't read a tape?

[goober]

Originally Posted by Racer31

Please explain how you can destory a body of water with a proper slot sizes,and limit amounts. This type of management works every where in North America.... except in Alberta. Including waters much closer to larger urban centers then Edmonton and Calgary. Maybe we can't read a tape?

I think because it is a smaller lake and the close proximity to the city it would not work. It may work and I could be wrong it is just my opinion that it would fail. I have been fishing this lake since the early 80's and have watched its ups and downs over the years. In the early 80's it was a decent Walleye fishery and when word got out about that by the early 90's they were few and far between. The lake was soon declared as collapsed and closed for Walleye. At this time there was no slot size so maybe that would make a difference but no way to control it still. I like the control factor that comes with the tags I guess is what I am trying to say.

[Mudslide]

Slot limits work everywhere in the world except Alberta? They think Albertans are too stupid, or dishonest to measure a fish. Fire all these MORONS and get someone in there that knows what the h... they are doing!!!!!

[HunterDave]

I understand exactly where you are coming from Goober. I'm up in the air over whether or not a slot size would work though. The fishing pressure would undoubtedly increase but as the fish in the slot get harder to catch I think that the angler pressure would decrease in relation to that. In other words, once it gets harder to catch a keeper sized fish some people would give it up.

Maybe if SRD picked the right sized fish to keep, natural spawning could offset the number of fish taken out of the lake. Enforcement would be a key issue as it's allot easier to poach a fish a little smaller/bigger than the slot than it is for the tag system.

I'd definitely chose a slot size over something targeting big spawning fish but I don't know if it'd be a better option over the tag system.