Cow Lake Pike Stocking

[Don Andersen]

Hi,

 

The F&W Division is planning to stock Pike into Cow Lake.

 

Some history, Cow was stocked in the mid-50’s and resulted in rainbows to 8+ lbs. It was again stocked in the mid 80’s successfully twice with one stocking resulting in rainbows in the +15 lb. range. There never has been a lake as good as Cow Lake in generating double digit fish. Crawling Valley did it once before it became a walleye/pike fishery [ as expected]. The exit creek from Cow Lake has produced Brown Trout exceeding 10 lbs.

Perch were illegally stocked in the early 90’s with them eventually overwhelming the food resources and getting progressively smaller.

 

My take on the Gov’t Plan. Stocking pike effectively rewards illegal behavior. Stock perch and the Gov’t will stock pike. Now this wouldn’t be a big issue but ½ of all lakes within 1 hours drive of Rocky have now been illegally stocked with perch with Struble and Twin Lakes in the past 2 years. To this point the F&W Division has done very little to inform the public about the loss of their trout lake fisheries, educated the numbskulls doing the stocking or catch them. What can be done about Cow Lake. There seems to be a knee jerk reaction about using poisons so until the public becomes informed so that would appear to be a non-starter. But there is a solution. Cow Lake does have an outlet. Just pump it dry. This solution has been used the Dickson Trout Pond to control the Pike that seem to arrive in there from time to time. Works too!! And while the pumping is going on, develop a Poster Child Campaign on the Cow Lake remediation to demonstrate just what it takes to return it to it’s former glory.

 

Now it is time to chose or not. You have three possible choices:

1] do nothing for that is what most of you do

2] support illegal stocking of perch by adding pike

3] don’t support the pike stocking

 

Below is the advertisement in the local Rocky Paper.

 

 

 

Catch ya’

 

 

Don

[RangerBob]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention Don. I never heard such a crazy proposition before. Since when have they ever reared and stocked Pike before?

[Scratch]

They won't rear them - they'll transplant from a lake of stunted (overpopulated) fish I bet.

 

As for contacting F&W - it's a must. The behaviour of introducing Pike into a trout lake - is preposterous.

 

At the very least - we must stand up and request that F&W provides some rationale for the action.

[RangerBob]

Cow Lake.. now, where is that exactly again!?

[Scratch]

How did I know that some mileage was coming out of that picture...

[King Salmon]

I remember a story from White Lake in BC (near Salmon Arm) where they poisoned the lake with some sort of chemical, then after a year or two, they began to re-introduce trout into the lake. Now, the lake is thirving once again with large trout, excellent shoal area, insects and wildlife.

 

I don't remember what happened that got them to poison the lake off, but I can't see why it couldn't be done on Cow Lake to get rid of the perch, and start from ground zero... Do you think it would be a possibility Don?

 

The only reason I can see for stocking pike is to control the perch populations.

 

I was too young (born in '85) to enjoy the double digit rainbows that used to be around in the lakes here, but I have read about them in old Alberta Fishing Guides, and outdoor mags from the 80's. It truly is amazing how much things have changed (for the worse in a lot of cases).

[Don Andersen]

King Salmon,

 

You don't have to go to BC to find lakes where unwanted fish stocks have been removed. Twin Lakes about 5 miles NW of Rocky was done perhaps 15 years ago. Cleaning out the lake in this fashion is quite expensive. I've heard about $ 35,000. And this is a little lake. Cow Lake - maybe 1/2 million. And there is no quarantee of success. Miss a couple of yellow perch and you'll start all over again within 10 years. Dry the lake up and you've got them all.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[Scratch]

King Salmon,

 

You don't have to go to BC to find lakes where unwanted fish stocks have been removed. Twin Lakes about 5 miles NW of Rocky was done perhaps 15 years ago. Cleaning out the lake in this fashion is quite expensive. I've heard about $ 35,000. And this is a little lake. Cow Lake - maybe 1/2 million. And there is no quarantee of success. Miss a couple of yellow perch and you'll start all over again within 10 years. Dry the lake up and you've got them all.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

Why is I wonder about this truck spotted in southern alberta...?

 

 

 

(Just kidding Don...!)

[Don Andersen]

Scrath,

 

You just made my day!! I like the bus idea a lot. Is it possible to get the spelling changed to Andersen from Anderson. Wouldn't want all those son's to take all the credit for doing something about perch.

And I need a bigger pic.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[TimD]

I am of two minds on this issue,

 

Part of me is the diplomat, nudging government and anglers along to a solution without pissing anyone off - too much. The other part thinks that we should issue some type of court challenge to the change in policy in regards to illegally stocked lakes. The only problem with using Cow as a test case is that there are a number of springs where fish can hide and it would be almost impossible to rotenone it successfully.

 

What needs to be challenged is the policy that when perch are found in a trout lake then it is deemed to be a non-trout lake and trout-stocking ceases. Then the natural outcome is introducing pike to predate the perch - et voila - we have lost another lake. In the non-fish world a similar scenario is someone who damages the homes of everone who does not 'fit' a particular ethnic/racial/cultural profile. Instead of catching the culprit, fixing the damage and creating a community where everyone is treated with equal respect (i.e. a real solution) the easy way out is just allowing the 'right' people to move in.

 

SRD is dealing with illeagal stocking of perch at Cow by accepting it and helping to improve it by adding Pike. To me trout lakes like Spring, Hasse or Peanut would be better test cases. The duty of care should be something like increased advertising that perch introductions are illegal, increased enforcement, rehabilitation (rotenone) and then restocking with trout. I would love to find a lawyer that would take the ACA and the SRD to court on this issue - but until that is in place, I will work the other route.

 

Regards,

 

Tim

[RangerBob]

Scrath,

 

Is it possible to get the spelling changed to Andersen from Anderson. And I need a bigger pic.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

Heh heh. My buddy Scratch comes through. Yeah, when we spotted that bus outside the Tim's at Whitecourt on the weekend.. the idea was "hatched" instantly so to speak.

 

Nice photo-chop Scratch.. and I bought a 'vowel' for yah Don. :lol: Yeah, Scratch will have to fix his original and resend it to you and me both. 1600 x 1200 dude! Need new wallpaper!

 

[Scratch]

Scrath,

 

You just made my day!! I like the bus idea a lot. Is it possible to get the spelling changed to Andersen from Anderson. Wouldn't want all those son's to take all the credit for doing something about perch.

And I need a bigger pic.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

You know Don - I looked at that 10 times, then then googled you - and got a bunch of (apparently) incorrect spellings for your name.

 

Apologies - and yes - I'll try to 'correct' the bus for you - and provide you the "Big" version for your personal enjoyment.

 

Cheers!

[Scratch]

It's big - but it's here...

[Don Andersen]

Scratch,

 

Thanx for the effort. Will with your permission will PS the image enlarging Gov't perch tanks etc.

 

Don

[Scratch]

Whatever you want to do - you're welcome to....

 

 

Cheers...

[RangerBob]

You da man!