monger

It would be a good experiment to learn how to fight fish with no backing on the reel. This would force people to learn how to slow/turn fish and subdue them quickly.

Thanks for your insights WollyBuggered. Here is some more to read for the rest of us poorly informed folks. http://www.dfw.state.or.us/OHRC/materials/...SterileFish.pdf Looks like not much difference in growth, but perhaps a bit longer life for 3N. I guess the results are not very conclusive considering all the different studies. One thing that is positive about 3N females at Bullshead is that they will be less susceptible to angling if they are not milling along the shoreline in April. Perhaps a few more will stay out of Medicine Hat freezers and be seen jumping at the end of Clive's line during one of the wind storms he brings from his house.

WoolyBuggered, is there no difference in growth in the females after sexual maturation? Do you have a reference I can get educated with?

No problem Clive. My buddies and I are 15 years behind you so we are still "mongers r us". I'll be watching, listening and learning to see how it is done while you slide into retirement. We have already noticed a little "oldfartism" creeping into our thinking. Hopefully with time we will get more cranky so we can get some things changed like you guys! Cheers, Rob

The difference Jeff will be the female triploids will be shiny, chrome fish that are heavy due to muscle, not full of eggs like the fish of the past. That's why Tako is calling the spawners "boots".

Based on what has happened in many BC lakes, I think there is a good chance we will see some fatter 20" fish in three years. Results will vary due to differences in water chemistry, food availability, disease resistance, water temp adaptation and angling pressure etc. I think it is a good idea to try this experiment. If stocking numbers continue to decrease we will eventually get some serious growth. Triploids are not a new species, just a genetically altered strain of the same old thing.

Here you go Jeff: http://www-heb.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/congress/...dall/Benfey.pdf http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commo...per_1800113.pdf

Looks like all the guys fighting over the poo hole in Fish Creek

Some have said, "they are not endangered enough!" I found it interesting while wading in a Montana river to find pelicans that had made incredible dives down in the river and ended up with 5lb rocks in their bills. What do you think the chances of that would be? (Especially since white pelicans don't dive). White pelicans and Rocky mountain whitefish are not the most popular in Montana. Mr. Sundance, if that is your real name, do not be jealous that I am "abedding" someone else. I am a fish whore after all. I think you should use the term abetting though.

Man Al, you and Clive are cranky old buggers . I can't wait to fish with you guys sometime to listen to the passion live.

One of my friends has recently purchased a sling shot for these aggressive pelicans at one of the lakes we go to. They are almost as bad as the loons in BC that dive under your boat as you are releasing fish. I remember fishing by Merritt one summer and the loons would come to your boat if they heard your reel. It got so bad that you just had to stand up and shake your rod and they would come. These birds love catch and release fishing. I watched them eat some nice fat 18" fish.

Thanks Al. I've heard there is pike in the wetlands across the border. Maybe the government is being proactive against the bucket brigade stocking fools. Cheers, Rob

Police (Outpost) Lake (8-1-26-W4) Apr. 1 to Oct. 31 – Trout limit 1 over 50 cm; Pike limit 3 (no size limit); Bait Ban. Nov. 1 to Mar. 31 – CLOSED Has anyone ever caught a pike here?

I suspected as much. Dragon fish look like they need to be exercised by my 6wt. I think BH could be as good if they didn't stock 75,000 fish a year. I believe they are decreasing numbers now. More scuds--->pig fish like Dragon, yahoo! Beadhead, you M. Hat boys are way tougher than the folks from the other side of the mountains

Norman, do you know for a fact that there is 2 distinct races of Browns in the Bow? I have caught a number of very gold browns at Canmore and some very silver Browns in Calgary.

Tako, that is amazing growth. I would suspect that was in a lake with relatively low numbers of fish, or one that was previously devoid of fish. It would take a fantastic scud population (or something as good) to grow fish that fast. Bullshead is a well established fishery with a history of excessive stocking numbers. I think there is too many fish for the kind of growth rates you are talking about. What was the history of the lake where you saw 3 pounds added in a year? Bullshead is an amazing fishery, don't get me wrong. But wouldn't another couple of year classes be exciting!

Tako, I am talking about catching some SERIOUS fish (not tiddlers under 20"). The fish at BH tend to grow like this for the first few years: 10-13", 14-17", 18-21". I highly doubt there will be any difference in growth rates between diploids and triploids for the first couple of years. The difference should show up when the triploids keep growing in their first year of sexual maturation (age 3 to 4). Hopefully there is some fish that can get to age 4+ without getting bonked on the head. If the females are not cruising the shoreline looking for a place to spawn it will greatly decrease their likelyhood of getting caught by the spring troops of meat fishers. I expect the males will still be easy to target as they will most likely still cruise the shoreline. Hopefully the decreased stocking rates and addition of triploids will lead to a fishery where there is actually a good number of fish over 20" around. At present, angling pressure is very effective at removing anything over 20". There is tons of 16-18" fish that are in good shape, but certainly not footballs. I am very interested in seeing big, fat fish over 22". I wish the size restriction was bumped up to 56cm before you could bonk a fish. Perhaps we will eventually get to a point of stocking AF3N's like BC. That would be sweet!

Nice video. Who knew pelicans loved squab

Ok Tim. It might be hard to move away from one of those pods of 18-21" fish though. Last year we got kind of stuck for about 3 hours in one area until our wrists were sore. You might have to throw rocks to make me move along and look for little fish. The water in front of the boat launch seems to hold lots of little fish. That would be a good place to collect data.

Excellent news! 2012 is going to be a blast. Can't wait to get some big, chrome females. The males will still get dark, but will be infertile. Hopefully the government will put triploids into Police as well. Maybe I can get Sundancefisher to be my executive assistant and write down lengths for me.

Top water action, awesome. Got to love fish that can break rods!

Something different, burbot hunting

Nice baby Clive! What weight of rod were you using?

I pity any sting ray that ends up under the great bulktitude that is Sundancefisher. Hopefully the substrate is soft enough for the shark to escape.

I'm getting tricky in my old age