My Encounter With A Conservation Officer

[scel]

It was opening day yesterday (May 8) on most Southern AB waters.

 

I went to Crawling Valley Reservoir. It is my favourite place less than 1.5 hours from home. I like that it is now essentially catch and release for both walleye and pike. I hope over the next few years, I will get to see the fishery change and grow.

 

I fished from 16h30 to just after 21h00 (sundown). There was a dude bombing around the roads. I never really thought about it since the oil and gas in area tends to lend itself to big over-dressed trucks. The moment I dragged my pontoon out of the lake, the truck approached. It was fish and wildlife.

 

My first instinct was to start crapping my pants, but then I calmed down because I am pretty sure I was following all the rules. He asked to see my license. Asked about my pontoon---made sure I had a whistle. He also asked about the light, but knew it was not relevant since there is no night angling on the lake. He asked about the flies that I was using. He immediately noted they were barbless. Then we had a really pleasant conversation. He told me a couple good walleye spots where I also might find a concentration of bigger pike. Asked about my rods and gear---basically just shoot-the-sh!t for 10 or so minutes. He saw another boat was leaving, so he started making his depart. He made sure to remind me of Report-A-Poacher. I showed him the sweet-ass reel my last fishy-bucks got me. Just as he was leaving, he told me how someone made $2000 in 4 RAP calls last summer.

 

All in all, it was a very pleasant encounter. I am kind of a libertarian when it comes to policing---needing it means we have failed at a more fundamental ethical level. However, I also understand that it is easier to monitor someplace like Crawling Valley because of the zero retention of the 2 key species---so if in possession of any fish, it becomes suspicious. It was smart having a presence of opening day. I also like how he pushed community awareness.

 

As an aside...the fishing was stellar. I love the shallow water spring pike. Other than a few obvious spawning wounds, the fish were fairly thick and healthy, most of them in that 1.5-3.0 kg range. A couple smaller, and of course, the one that got away. The girl ran right at me, tail walked, gills flared, followed by the thrash, and clearly throw the hook from her bottom jaw. She was in that 3.5-4.0 kg range. All in all, these are bigger fish than I hooked up with last year. Hopefully, the move to conservation will quickly improve the fishery.

[jpinkster]

I have had great experiences with the COs (one named Jordan in particular) out at Crawling Valley, even when they've busted me for having a beer in the boat.

 

I got busted in June two years ago and was issued a warning. They had us dump out the cans and took the empties. I got a call from the CO about 4 months later, he mentioned that he actually wasn't allowed to seize the cans and wanted to know if I wanted them back. I told him to give them to the Girl Scouts or put them in the recycling. I ran into him again the next year (no beer this time, lesson learned) and we had a good laugh about the whole thing.

 

Really glad to hear that CVR fished well. C&R only should do that lake well.

[David]

I've also had a great experience with a CO out there. Stellar guy, got me out of a lot of trouble with a boat problem i had, never got the chance to really thank him.

[SanJuanWorm]

I have a seasonal spot out there. Last year I was caught with beer by Jordan too. Same thing with warning.

 

How's one supposed to walleye fish without beer? Kidding of course. Crawling is my favourite place to fish.

 

 

I have had great experiences with the COs (one named Jordan in particular) out at Crawling Valley, even when they've busted me for having a beer in the boat.

 

I got busted in June two years ago and was issued a warning. They had us dump out the cans and took the empties. I got a call from the CO about 4 months later, he mentioned that he actually wasn't allowed to seize the cans and wanted to know if I wanted them back. I told him to give them to the Girl Scouts or put them in the recycling. I ran into him again the next year (no beer this time, lesson learned) and we had a good laugh about the whole thing.

 

Really glad to hear that CVR fished well. C&R only should do that lake well.

[halcyonsancta]

I like to fish the Upper Bow and environs as it's close to home and the scenery is so nice. In the past 10 years, only two encounters with COs - both were quietly calm and professional. They are well trained and they perform a very important job on behalf of us all.

 

One time I was watched by an onlooker while fishing who wandered along the bank and we fell into conversation, as you do. He was a CO from BC on vacation and camping nearby. My daughter was about 11 and fishing about 60 metres downstream beside my wife. She caught something, unhooked it and trotted all the way u[stream to me clutching a 35 cm Whitefish that was gasping by the time she got to me. She was proud and and wanted to show me the fish... we got it into the water quickly and it was fine, but I had a moment there when I was worried the fish might not make it! The gentleman CO just chuckled, and observed politely (and correctly) that Whitefish make up a large portion of the bio-mass in this part of the river and a dead one wouldn't be the end of the world. I asked him if since he was from BC how he knew there were lots of Whitefish in the Upper Bow? He was born and raised in the Valley... back home on his vacation. Another small world vignette... nice guy to boot.