Trophy Lake in Southern AB

[Gators]

I was just wondering if anybody else would be interested in a C&R resevoir in the south. Seen some pics of some very nice fish coming out of Wabamun lately and it seems as if the C&R rules there may be helping the fisherery. I was thinking maybe Badger Lake would be a good lake to be a C&R fishery as it is not commercial fished and still has some big fish in it. I do think the fishing has somewhat deteriorated in Badger lately and would like to see it improve. Anyways just curious if anybody has any thoughts on this idea or another lake that this idea may work in.

[burbotman]

Long overdue.

Wab is a great example the value and potential of a true trophy C and R lake.

Look at all of the threads on nice fish and people guarding their secret spots, I wonder how many people do not post nice fish out of concern of spots being revealed...yet Wab has its own threads as the threat of catching and releasing a trophy only to have the next person harvest it is removed.

I am not jealous much of Edmonton but I am of their proximity to such a lake.

I agree that Badger would be a great candidate with its location and potential. The biologist on here would be welcome to debate full C and R or perhaps the slot format shared on Tobin Lake which protect the big spawners but allow some harvest of the small and exceptional trophies.

Anyone have thoughts on how a group could proceed on this.

[anthony5]

Catch and release can be a good thing but one has to consider the size of the lake or reservoir, and amount of forage for these trophies in a smaller reservoir. Once you have nothing but trophy fish and they have eaten them selves out of house and home, in short order you have naada Every now and then you have to harvest these big fish to keep the fishery alive, lets just say you are allowed to keep one over 100cm which is not a trophy but, a size that's respectable and will give the smaller fish a chance to grow and also an opportunity to catch a fish of trophy size. Everybody's TROPHY size is different, so lets be careful what we wish for. I am no biologist but it would be interesting what they would have to say.

[canadiantdi]

Wab is fun fun fun!! C&R seems to be doing it well.. hopefully more lakes around Alberta will follow suit. Maybe some conveniently placed train wrecks would help?? hmmm lol

[fish gunner]

just mentioning. c&r will get some members pantys in a bunch.I like the idea of a limited slot fishery or a tag system limited to one trophy a year.very low harvest.

[Browning Sharpsh00ter]

Try Police lake. South west of Cardston..

[Bow flyman]

I agree completely with designting Badger lake as a C@R fishery. I caught my two largest ever pike in there, years ago. Then, the numbers of larger pike steadily dropped, so now I no longer fish there.

[lovich12]

Originally Posted by Bow flyman

I agree completely with designting Badger lake as a C@R fishery. I caught my two largest ever pike in there, years ago. Then, the numbers of larger pike steadily dropped, so now I no longer fish there.

You have to take into consideration, that every year a person isn't going to pull out a monster. I know guys that have been fishing there for years and haven't caught anything over 20lbs. I've been fishing the Badger derby for the last 3 years and every year first place is 28-30 lbs. Just cause a person hasn't caught a large pike doesn't mean they aren't there.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by lovich12

You have to take into consideration, that every year a person isn't going to pull out a monster. I know guys that have been fishing there for years and haven't caught anything over 20lbs. I've been fishing the Badger derby for the last 3 years and every year first place is 28-30 lbs. Just cause a person hasn't caught a large pike doesn't mean they aren't there.

BINGO!!!!

It's all about making it easier to catch bigger fish.

[BeeGuy]

Does it have to be pike?


Lower K is pretty good. Some beasts in there for sure.

[BeeGuy]

Maybe we should throw some native lake sturgeon into the lakes.

Bigger than pike, fight better than pike, and guaranteed to be C&R.

[Who Da Fisherman]

Originally Posted by lovich12

You have to take into consideration, that every year a person isn't going to pull out a monster. I know guys that have been fishing there for years and haven't caught anything over 20lbs. I've been fishing the Badger derby for the last 3 years and every year first place is 28-30 lbs. Just cause a person hasn't caught a large pike doesn't mean they aren't there.

You should check the records before stating facts, for the last 7 years there has not been a pike over 27lbs weighed in. In fact 3 years ago it was only 23lbs that took 1st place.
I have been fishing this derby for 13 years and for the last 8 it has gone down hill and i believe it is due to the big sows being kept. Between the four of us that fish here we have only kept 8 fish in the last 12 years (five 8-10lbers to eat and 3 for the wall).
i think what it needs is a slot size and trophy tag system to stop the 25lbers from getting eaten on a regular basis. i only say this cause i have seen it first hand on numerous occasions. My 2 cents.

[canadiantdi]

Originally Posted by anthony5

Catch and release can be a good thing but one has to consider the size of the lake or reservoir, and amount of forage for these trophies in a smaller reservoir. Once you have nothing but trophy fish and they have eaten them selves out of house and home, in short order you have naada Every now and then you have to harvest these big fish to keep the fishery alive, lets just say you are allowed to keep one over 100cm which is not a trophy but, a size that's respectable and will give the smaller fish a chance to grow and also an opportunity to catch a fish of trophy size. Everybody's TROPHY size is different, so lets be careful what we wish for. I am no biologist but it would be interesting what they would have to say.

So if there was a lake with no human interference, would the size of fish cycle up and down? Big fish eat the little ones until there is very few left and then the big ones die off which allows the little ones to get big again etc etc...??

Does a lake have to be a minimum size for it to be a consistently producing lake?

Or do you mean that if the big ones aren't harvested, the whole lake will die off because they will eat everything??

[fishnab]

[

QUOTE=Gators;1316652]I was just wondering if anybody else would be interested in a C&R resevoir in the south. Seen some pics of some very nice fish coming out of Wabamun lately and it seems as if the C&R rules there may be helping the fisherery. I was thinking maybe Badger Lake would be a good lake to be a C&R fishery as it is not commercial fished and still has some big fish in it. I do think the fishing has somewhat deteriorated in Badger lately and would like to see it improve. Anyways just curious if anybody has any thoughts on this idea or another lake that this idea may work in.[/QUOTE]

Gators:
I agree with your thinking of Badger being a declining fishery. I've fished this lake for about the last 8-10 years. And the decline is not just because of the good fishing reports and the increased fishing pressure. Unfortunately this lake get little to no attention from Fish and Wildlife. So, people take advantage.
Examples:
-keeping everything they catch big or small.
-Raging bonfires when there are firebans with no regard for the land other campers or surrounding tinder dry farm land.
-People too drunk to walk but no problem going out in a boat causing various confrintations
-in a previous post I mentioned being broad sided by a guy with a jet boat doing power turns and raming me after drinking all day
-catching a guy stealing fuel from my jerry cans and laughing at the suggestion of me calling the RCMP. His responce was, " I could pack up and drive back to Calgary before anyone would answer a call to come out there"
Unfortunately, the guy is right. I tried doing the "right thing" out there before and I got a return call on my cell 36 hrs later while on my way home.

Badger lake still has big fish in it to offer and my wife and I and the friends we have camped with out there would agree. We have gone there all this time because its "dry camping". No amenities just what you take with you. Less people, come and go as we please etc, etc.
It would be great for it to be C&R over a certain size but incredibly hard to police. Nothing will change here unless there is a step up in presence from F&W and RCMP.

[fish gunner]

or educating the general public away from the current abusive attitude held by many.before the fun is regulated out of life.

[fishnab]

Originally Posted by fish gunner

or educating the general public away from the current abusive attitude held by many.before the fun is regulated out of life.

Gunner, I agree but it's tough to educate ignorance, disrespect and stupidity

[canadiantdi]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

BINGO!!!!

It's all about making it easier to catch bigger fish.

I think it's more about not letting it get harder to catch the big ones. If it's getting harder to catch hogs, the population is probably in decline (population of decent size fish that is).

Although, I doubt many would complain if it was easier to catch monsters.

[fish gunner]

I am a radical so ,conscription would do the trick. would join up again just for the fun of putting the affore mentioned thru some parade square education.

Yes, I'd love to see a few C&R pike lakes. If you don't like it, fish 1 of the other 100+ reservoirs where you can keep them.

[Gators]

Fishnab you have several valid points. I do believe Badger is off the radar of F&W as well as the RCMP. I have been checked at several other lakes in the immediate area but never Badger. I tend to think this is because the lake has not been stocked with Walleye. Seems to be more enforcement in lakes that have been stocked with Walleye. Poaching will always be an issue no matter where or what the rules are. I think C&R would be the best option, if you are fishing there you can't have any fish. A slot size wouldn't be as effective and may be more prone to abuse. The report a poacher line is a good deterent to poaching especially since pretty much everyone has a cell phone. I believe most people who enjoy fishing and hunting are honest and obey the rules, it maybe upto us to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

[lovich12]

Originally Posted by Who Da Fisherman

You should check the records before stating facts, for the last 7 years there has not been a pike over 27lbs weighed in. In fact 3 years ago it was only 23lbs that took 1st place.
I have been fishing this derby for 13 years and for the last 8 it has gone down hill and i believe it is due to the big sows being kept. Between the four of us that fish here we have only kept 8 fish in the last 12 years (five 8-10lbers to eat and 3 for the wall).
i think what it needs is a slot size and trophy tag system to stop the 25lbers from getting eaten on a regular basis. i only say this cause i have seen it first hand on numerous occasions. My 2 cents.

[TROLLER]

Originally Posted by Browning Sharpsh00ter

Try Police lake. South west of Cardston..

Police already is designated a trophy lake. Limit one trout min. 50cm.

[HunterDave]

I was just wondering if any of the posters on this thread saw the size of the pike that were caught in Badger Lake this weekend?

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=123076

Any comments?

[Alpine Archer]

Proof is in the pudding, they are in there! I've been fishing hard there for a few years, and haven't caught the big one, but I've also been sheep hunting for a few years and haven't got the big one either...strange. Lol! We all want the easy peasy...

[Gators]

The big fish are still in Badger, there is nothing wrong with trying to keep them there either.

[burbotman]

Originally Posted by Alpine Archer

Proof is in the pudding, they are in there! I've been fishing hard there for a few years, and haven't caught the big one, but I've also been sheep hunting for a few years and haven't got the big one either...strange. Lol! We all want the easy peasy...

I will conceed that it would be nice to have the "easy peasy" at a couple of lakes that are accessible. It must be just me to think that it would be nice to have the odds at a 20lb + fish go from say 1000 to 1 to 50 to 1 as a good thing.

Question for you...why do people pay big money for Northern Fly in fishing trips??? It must be just because they are lazy.. Or is it becase there is a market and some anglers enjoy better odds at catching large fish...
Some of these crazy fly in lodges actually have catch and release rules and size limits to maintain their quality fisheries

Just imaging what a lake like Badger, Newel, Travers could offer if properly managed for Trophies. (Rival Tobin perhaps)

I know people what different things from the fisheries, but I ask why settle for medicore when the potential to develop something world class exists?

[burbotman]

Maybe as a balance to the establishment of some trophy lakes would be to sacrifice a couple lakes with no size limits and expanded limits.

That way we are not just catering to the trophy fisherman but to the meat hunter as well.

For those that scoff at size limits, go ahead and load up at these lakes while you can.

(post made to show the extremes.)

[jacenbeers]

I think McGregor or Travers would be better lakes for a C&R fishery.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Who Da Fisherman

You should check the records before stating facts, for the last 7 years there has not been a pike over 27lbs weighed in. In fact 3 years ago it was only 23lbs that took 1st place.
I have been fishing this derby for 13 years and for the last 8 it has gone down hill and i believe it is due to the big sows being kept. Between the four of us that fish here we have only kept 8 fish in the last 12 years (five 8-10lbers to eat and 3 for the wall).i think what it needs is a slot size and trophy tag system to stop the 25lbers from getting eaten on a regular basis. i only say this cause i have seen it first hand on numerous occasions. My 2 cents.

You do know they make replica mounts? Take measurements and lots of pics....a bit more money but they are more durable and last longer....

LC

[Gators]

I agree, if Badger was managed as a trophy lake it would rival Tobin as an outstanding Pike fishery. There are plenty of other lakes within 1 hour of Badger that would provide the opportunity for those that wish to keep some fish for a meal. I appreciate that some enjoy eating their catch but there are also others that just enjoy the chance to battle a big fish, take some pics and let it go.